Gavin Wanganeen

Infobox afl player

| | firstname = Gavin
lastname = Wanganeen


birthdate = Birth date and age|1973|6|18|df=y
birthplace = Mount Gambier, SA
heightweight = 181cm / 83kg
originalteam = Port Adelaide Football Club (SANFL)
dead = alive
deathdate =
deathplace =
debutdate = Round 2, 1 April 1991
debutteam = Essendon
debutopponent = Richmond
debutstadium = MCG
playingteams = Essendon (1991-1996)

128 games, 62 goals

Port Adelaide (1997-2006)

173 games, 138 goals
coach = notcoach
coachingteams =
statsend = 2006
careerhighlights =

*Most Outstanding achievement in AFL 2004 (The Deadlys)
*Port Adelaide best and fairest 2003
*All-Australian Team 1992, 1993, 1995, 2001, 2003
*Brownlow Medal 1993
*Essendon premiership side 1993
*Port Adelaide premiership side 1990 (SANFL), 2004
*Michael Tuck Medal 1993
*Port Adelaide captain 1997-2000
*Indigenous Team of the Century

Gavin Wanganeen (born 18 June 1973) is a former Australian rules footballer. He has played in two Australian Football League premierships with Essendon and Port Adelaide. He is the first cousin of brothers Aaron and Alwyn Davey.

Wanganeen began his career aged 16 with Port Adelaide in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) (prior to that club joining the AFL), winning the SANFL Rookie of the Year award and gaining the attention of AFL side Essendon. Wanganeen debuted for Essendon in 1991, immediately finding a niche as an attacking defender. His quality was recognised in 1993 when he won the Brownlow Medal for the best and fairest player in the league, the first part-Aboriginal Australian to do so, as well as being a key player in Essendon's premiership win that year. In 2002, he was voted the 19th best Essendon player of all time in the "Champions of Essendon" list.

Wanganeen returned to Port Adelaide in 1997 to captain Port Adelaide in its first year in the AFL, but injuries conspired to minimise his impact. He relinquished the Port Adelaide captaincy at the end of the 2000 season which saw a return to his best form, and he finished the 2003 season as a favourite to once again win the Brownlow (he finished equal second). In 2004 he played in Port's first AFL premiership side.

Wanganeen played his 300th AFL game in the 2006 season, but then injured his right knee in an SANFL game for the Port Adelaide Magpies, which forced him to retire from football. [http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=271933]

In 2000 he married Stephanie Richards and they now have 2 children - a daughter, Mia, and a son, Tex.

ee also

1990 SANFL Grand Final

External links

*Portplayer|ref=13437
*AflRleague|ref=G/Gavin_Wanganeen.html
* [http://www.portmagpies.com.au/ Port Adelaide Magpies Football Club]
* [http://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/ Port Adelaide Football Club]
* [http://www.thepowerfromport.com.au/ The Power From Port - Unofficial Port Adelaide Power and Magpies Football Clubs Website]

###@@@KEY@@@###succession box|title=
Port Adelaide Best and Fairest winner|before=Matthew Primus|after=Warren Tredrea|years=2003succession box|title=
Port Adelaide Captain |before=Inaugural |after=Matthew Primus|years=1997-2000