Donald Lindner (16 February 1935 – 31 December 2008) was an Australian rules footballer who played with North Adelaide in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). He is the centre half-forward in North Adelaide's official Team of the Century[2] and Hall of Fame,[3] and in 2002 was inducted into the SANFL Hall of Fame.[4]
Donald Lindner | |||
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Personal information | |||
Date of birth | (1935-02-16)16 February 1935 | ||
Date of death | 31 December 2008(2008-12-31) (aged 73) | ||
Playing career1 | |||
Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
1954–1970 | North Adelaide | 280 (267) [1] | |
Representative team honours | |||
Years | Team | Games (Goals) | |
South Australia | 16 (13) | ||
Coaching career | |||
Years | Club | Games (W–L–D) | |
1963–1966 | North Adelaide | ||
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1970. | |||
Career highlights | |||
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Source: AustralianFootball.com |
Lindner was renowned for his high marking and by the time he retired in 1970 had played 280 games, kicking 267 goals for North Adelaide. This games total remained a club record until broken by Mike Redden in 1990, while Lindner also played 10 pre-season/night series matches.[5][6] His greatest achievement was winning the 1967 Magarey Medal, originally losing on a countback, but was awarded it retrospectively when the league decided to give the award to those who had lost on countback in previous years. He had played that season in both defence and in the ruck and was also North Adelaide's best and fairest winner for the third time, having previously won the award in 1958 and 1962.[7]
Other honours during his career include topping North Adelaide's goal kicking in 1955 with 36 goals, being a member of their 1960 premiership side, and representing South Australia 16 times at interstate football.[4] His best performance in South Australian colours came in the 1961 Brisbane Carnival where he was selected in the All-Australian side. He polled Tassie Medal votes in both matches he played in the Carnival. He also played a pivotal role in South Australia's famous win against Victoria in 1963, having come off the Reserves bench early in the game and scoring three goals and setting up Lindsay Head for the winning goals.
He captained and coached North Adelaide from 1963 to 1966, leading them to the Grand Final in his first year in charge. In 1967 he relinquished the coaching role to Geof Motley but remained captain until 1969.
Don Lindner died celebrating New Year's Eve 2008 at the Hampstead Hotel in Collinswood.[8]
He is a member of the SANFL Hall of Fame, but like his first captain, Ian McKay, he is not a member of the AFL Hall of Fame.
The Council of the City of Prospect commemorated Lindner's achievements by naming a short pedestrian walkway beside Prospect Oval after him. The walkway connects his former family home in Kintore Avenue with his football home in Menzies Crescent. On 29 August 2010, Mayor David O’Loughlin formally opened the Don Lindner Walk at an unveiling of a plaque at the Council Room within the North Adelaide Football Club, attended by over seventy guests and Lindner's family. The plaque has been placed on short bollards at each end of the walkway.[9]
Magarey Medal winners | |
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The Magarey Medal has been awarded since 1898 to the "best and most brilliant" player in the South Australian National Football League and its various incarnations. |
North Adelaide Football Club • 1960 SANFL Premiers | |
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North Adelaide 14.11 (95) defeated Norwood 13.12 (90), at Adelaide Oval, 1 October 1960, crowd: 54,162 | |
Full-forward |
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Half-forward |
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Centre |
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Half-back |
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Full-back |
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Ruck |
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Interchange |
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Coach |
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North Adelaide Football Club • Team of the Century | |
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Full-forward |
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Half-forward |
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Centre |
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Half-back |
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Full-back |
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Ruck |
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Interchange |
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Coach |
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1961 All-Australian team | |
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South Australia
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Tasmania
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Victoria
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Western Australia
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South Australian team – 1958 Centenary Carnival | |
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Western Australia 11.12 (78) defeated South Australia 7.18 (60), at South Melbourne Cricket Ground , 2 July 1958, crowd: 4,500 Victoria (VFL) 25.17 (167) defeated South Australia 7.7 (49), at Melbourne Cricket Ground , 5 July 1958, crowd: 33,063 Tasmania 11.18 (84) defeated South Australia 11.16 (82), at Melbourne Cricket Ground , 7 July 1958, crowd: 2,760 South Australia 16.15 (111) defeated Victoria (VFA) 5.13 (43), at South Melbourne Cricket Ground , 11 July 1958, crowd: 1,750 | |
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