David Schwarz (footballer)

David Schwarz
Personal information
Full name	David Schwarz
Date of birth	24 July 1972
Original team(s)	Sunbury
Height/Weight	195 cm / 105 kg
Position(s)	Forward
Playing career^1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1991–2002	Melbourne	173 (244)
Representative team honours
Years	Team	Games (Goals)
1999	Victoria	1 (?)
^1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2002 season. ^2 State and international statistics correct as of 1999 season.
Career highlights
Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Medal 1999 16th on all-time goals kicked for Melbourne FC

David Schwarz (born 24 July 1972) is a former Australian rules footballer, who retired in 2002, after playing for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL), for 12 seasons.

Football career

Recruited from Sunbury, Schwarz made his AFL debut in 1991. As a player for the Melbourne Football Club, he was known as "the Ox" for his beast-like build. He played centre half-forward or full-forward and in 1994 kicked nine goals straight against Sydney^[1] and with some breathtaking finals performances (including "that" blind turn against Carlton). Strong marking, agile and athletic, until he suffered numerous knee injuries, playing only two games in 1995 and missing the entire 1996 season.

Schwarz resumed playing in 1997 at a weight of 103 kilograms (227 lb), which was 3 kilograms (6.6 lb) above the weight he subsequently carried in 2000. He capped his effort by winning the club’s best and fairest in 1999 and passing the 100 game mark – something that was unthinkable a few years earlier when knee injuries left his career in tatters. In typical style he celebrated with 20 of his closest mates and his mother, who had brought him up single handed since the age of eight. His father had been murdered.^[2]

Late in his playing career, he appeared as a panelist on the AFL Footy Show in a memorable show where Sam Newman threw a pie in his face. A visibly angry Schwarz pushed Newman down to the ground.

He retired in the middle of 2002 having played 173 matches and kicking 244 goals.

Playing Statistics

^[3]

Legend
G	Goals	B	Behinds	K	Kicks	H	Handballs	D	Disposals	M	Marks	T	Tackles

	Led the league for the season only
	Led the league after finals only
	Led the league after season and finals

Season	Team	#	Games	G	B	K	H	D	M	T	G	B	K	H	D	M	T
			Totals								Averages (per game)
1991	Melbourne	44	6	7	3	39	16	55	16	1	1.2	0.5	6.5	2.7	9.2	2.7	0.2
1992	Melbourne	5	22	20	7	239	115	354	112	40	0.9	0.3	10.9	5.2	16.1	5.1	1.8
1993	Melbourne	5	9	5	7	72	42	114	49	10	0.6	0.8	8.0	4.7	12.7	5.4	1.1
1994	Melbourne	5	25	60	23	280	126	406	173	34	2.4	0.9	11.2	5.0	16.2	6.9	1.4
1995	Melbourne	5	2	3	1	5	5	10	4	0	1.5	0.5	2.5	2.5	5.0	2.0	0.0
1996	Melbourne	5	0	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1997	Melbourne	5	10	18	15	57	18	75	37	4	1.8	1.5	5.7	1.8	7.5	3.7	0.4
1998	Melbourne	5	18	29	21	123	63	186	56	22	1.6	1.2	6.8	3.5	10.3	3.1	1.2
1999	Melbourne	5	22	38	27	206	133	339	107	18	1.7	1.2	9.4	6.0	15.4	4.9	0.8
2000	Melbourne	5	25	31	35	246	138	384	117	43	1.2	1.4	9.8	5.5	15.4	4.7	1.7
2001	Melbourne	5	21	21	16	231	123	354	105	53	1.0	0.8	11.0	5.9	16.9	5.0	2.5
2002	Melbourne	5	13	11	7	91	43	134	31	23	0.8	0.5	7.0	3.3	10.3	2.4	1.8
Career			173	243	162	1589	822	2411	807	248	1.4	0.9	9.2	4.8	13.9	4.7	1.4

Media career

SEN

In 2005, in his job on radio station SEN 1116, he admitted that during his football career he had a gambling problem and whittled away most of his income. He currently hosts Breakfast with Frank and Ox, 6–9am weekdays with Francis Leach.

Channel Seven

From 2007 onwards Schwarz has been a part of the Channel Seven AFL Commentary team along with Bruce McAvaney, Dennis Cometti, Tim Watson, Leigh Matthews, Tom Harley and Matthew Richardson.

References

1. "Sydney defeated by Melbourne Round 24, Sunday, 4th September 1994". FootyWire. 4 September 1994. Retrieved 29 April 2009.
2. Niall, Jake (25 May 2007). "David Schwarz's biggest battle". Fairfax Digital. Retrieved 29 April 2009.
3. David Schwarz's player profile at AFL Tables

External links

• David Schwarz's profile on the official AFL website of the Melbourne Football Club
• David Schwarz's statistics from AFL Tables
• Demon Wiki profile