David Dench
Encyclopedia
David Dench is a former Australian rules football
er in the (then) Victorian Football League
. He played his whole career with North Melbourne Football Club
(later to change its name to Kangaroos) at one of its most successful periods.
Dench played full-back. Dench won the North Melbourne club's best and fairest
award, the Syd Barker Medal
, on four occasions - 1971, 1976, 1977, 1981. David Dench was one of the youngest captains appointed in the club's history. He also captained the 1977 premiership team, due to Keith Greig
's absence because of an injury. In the 1977 VFL Grand Final
, Ron Barassi
moved him to the forward line, where he sparked North Melbourne Football Club
's revival by contributing to the forward line and kicking goals, to draw with Collingwood Football Club
.
.
His daughter, Michelle
is a distinguished Australian sportswoman. She played high level basketball before taking up Australian football playing over 100 games for her club Melbourne University. She also represented Victoria and Australia as well as captaining her club to a premiership.
In 2008, Dench served 4 months in jail for his minor role in a scheme to defraud Victoria University
out of millions of dollars.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er in the (then) Victorian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
. He played his whole career with North Melbourne Football Club
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
(later to change its name to Kangaroos) at one of its most successful periods.
Dench played full-back. Dench won the North Melbourne club's best and fairest
Best and Fairest
Best and Fairest is the term commonly used in Australian sport to describe the player adjudged to have had the best performance in a game or over a season for a given sporting club or competition while not receiving a suspension for misconduct or breaching the rules during that season.In the...
award, the Syd Barker Medal
Syd Barker Medal
The Syd Barker Medal is awarded to the North Melbourne Football Club player who has been judged the best and fairest of the footy season. The award has been given out continuously since 1937. Before then it was known as the Syd Barker Memorial Trophy....
, on four occasions - 1971, 1976, 1977, 1981. David Dench was one of the youngest captains appointed in the club's history. He also captained the 1977 premiership team, due to Keith Greig
Keith Greig
Keith Greig played on the wing for the Australian rules football North Melbourne Football Club from 1971 to 1985. He is considered as one of the most exciting players of the era, earning the nickname "Racehorse" because of his blistering speed on the field.Greig was recruited from Brunswick in 1971...
's absence because of an injury. In the 1977 VFL Grand Final
1977 VFL Grand Final
The 1977 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the North Melbourne Football Club and the Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 24 September 1977...
, Ron Barassi
Ron Barassi
Ronald Dale Barassi, Jr AM is a former Australian rules football player and coach. During a long and decorated career, Barassi has been one of the most important figures in the history of Australian football. His father, Ron Barassi, Sr., was the first Australian footballer killed at Tobruk during...
moved him to the forward line, where he sparked North Melbourne Football Club
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
's revival by contributing to the forward line and kicking goals, to draw with Collingwood Football Club
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
.
Post AFL career and personal life
In 2000 Dench was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of FameAustralian Football Hall of Fame
The Australian Football Hall of Fame was established in 1996, the Centenary year of the Australian Football League, to help recognise the contributions made to the sport of Australian rules football by players, umpires, media personalities, coaches and administrators. It was initially established...
.
His daughter, Michelle
Michelle Dench
Michelle Dench is an Australian Women's Footy champion and player and former WNBL basketball player.She played for the Melbourne University Mugars in the Victorian Women's Football League and is a multiple premiership player since switching from basketball she has also represented Australia in...
is a distinguished Australian sportswoman. She played high level basketball before taking up Australian football playing over 100 games for her club Melbourne University. She also represented Victoria and Australia as well as captaining her club to a premiership.
In 2008, Dench served 4 months in jail for his minor role in a scheme to defraud Victoria University
Victoria University, Australia
Victoria University is a multi-sector tertiary institution based in Melbourne, Australia with 10 campuses.VU offers qualifications in higher education, vocational education , and short courses...
out of millions of dollars.