Ernie Coward
Ernie "Sonny" Coward (27 January 1916 – 5 April 1985) was an Australian rules footballer who played for Essendon in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Ernie Coward | |||
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Personal information | |||
Full name | Ernest Coward | ||
Date of birth | 27 January 1916 | ||
Date of death | 5 April 1985 69) | (aged||
Original team(s) | West Perth | ||
Height | 170 cm (5 ft 7 in) | ||
Weight | 67 kg (148 lb) | ||
Position(s) | Wingman | ||
Playing career1 | |||
Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
1939–45 | Essendon | 118 (20) | |
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1945. | |||
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com |
Coward was originally from West Perth and along with his teammate Wally Buttsworth had to spend the 1938 season on the sidelines while waiting for a clearance to Essendon.[1] He soon established himself as a wingman in Dick Reynolds's strong Essendon side of the early 1940s and appeared in three consecutive Grand Finals from 1941 to 1943, with a premiership in 1942. The Western Australian was runner-up in the 1944 Essendon Best and Fairest count. A VFL representative in 1945, Coward played a total of 11 finals matches with Essendon during his career.
Tasmanian club Scottsdale secured his services as captain-coach in 1949, after he had played three seasons at Maryborough.[2]
References
- "New Personalities". Sporting Globe (1753). Victoria, Australia. 15 April 1939. p. 6 (Edition1 : Football Section). Retrieved 22 February 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
- "MAGPIES' COACH ARRIVES". The Examiner (Tasmania). CVII (217). Tasmania, Australia. 20 November 1948. p. 14. Retrieved 22 February 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
- Ernie Coward's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- Holmesby, Russell and Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers. 7th ed. Melbourne: Bas Publishing.