Darren Millane
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| Personal Info | |
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| Birth | August 9, 1965, Victoria |
| Recruited from | Dandenong |
| Death | October 7, 1991, Queens Rd, Albert Park |
| Playing Career¹ | |
| Debut | Round 18, 1984, Collingwood vs. Richmond, at Victoria Park |
| Team(s) | Collingwood (1984-91)
147 Games, 78 Goals |
| ¹ Statistics to end of 1991 season | |
| Career Highlights | |
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Darren Millane (9 August 1965 – 7 October 1991) was an Australian rules football player in the VFL/AFL for the Collingwood Football Club between 1984 and 1991.
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[edit] AFL career
A highly skillful and strongly built wingman, Darren Millane was one of Collingwood's greatest footballers seen before a shocking death which would end his life and career in 1991, at the age of 26.
Millane was considered a fine youngster, who was considered by Sydney and St Kilda, but Hawthorn won the chance, with Millane training at Glenferrie with the Hawks, but didn’t like the atmosphere and went back to captain Dandenong in the VFA U18’s. Collingwood snapped him up and Millane liked what he saw, and his football career came along nicely, debuting in 1984, aged 19.
In 1987, Millane won the best and fairest award after a stellar season. He found his place on the wing and was a feared footballer for his toughness and attitude towards the game. He was most likely the recipient on the end of the kick-outs because of his strength. Although his skills were occasionally poor, at his best he found and used the football well, and became a favourite to fans at Victoria Park.
In 1990, the premiership drought breaking year for the Magpies, Millane was at his peak. He won the AFL Players Association MVP Award, now known as the Leigh Matthews Trophy; was selected as an All-Australian for the first time; and came second in Collingwood's best and fairest; but it was his finals campaign that was recognised. He broke his thumb just before the series, but continued to play with pain-killers during the campaign. In the Grand Final, against Essendon, he had 24 touches, and ended up throwing the ball up in the air as the siren went at 5:11pm to put history in the book on October 6.
[edit] Millane's death
On October 7, 1991, just one year and one day after he celebrated the 1990 Premiership, Millane was killed in a car crash while intoxicated. On the early morning of the day, he was driving on Queens Road, near Albert Park Lake, before he clipped a semi-trailer and rolled his car, being killed instantly. The autopsy revealed his blood alcohol content was .322 — well over the legal drinking limit of 0.05. [1] He was on his way to his Noble Park home, and that day he was set to join 19 of the other 1990 Premiership side members, but that had not happened, as players and officials, along with fans set off to Victoria Park.
The no. 42 on the Black and White Guernsey had also been retired from the game.
The funeral was held at Dandenong Town Hall, where more than 5000 people attended, while large crowds heard the service on a loud-speaker outside the venue. Millane’s Guernsey with no. 42 on it was laid on the coffin, while the 1990 flag hung in the background at half-mast.
[edit] Famous quotes
- “People like that…you believe they’re never going to die” – Peter ‘Crackers’ Keenan (Collingwood ruck coach)
- “If you don’t get goose bumps on your neck when his name is mentioned, then I don’t think you have got the character to be around the club” – Collingwood captain Tony Shaw
- ”If he had been here tonight, he would want you all to have a good time…so lift your chins and make sure you get out there next year and win the flag” – Brother John Millane, when accepting the Phonse Kyne Trophy, for services to the club, awarded to Millane.
- ”’’’MILLANE KILLED’’’” – Herald Sun newspaper headline, October 7, 1991.
[edit] References
| Preceded by Wes Fellowes |
Copeland Trophy winner 1987 |
Succeeded by Peter Daicos |
| Preceded by Tim Watson |
Leigh Matthews Trophy 1990 |
Succeeded by Jim Stynes |
