DOB: 16 November 1977
MFC Debut: Round 1, 2001 against Richmond at MCG
Last Game: Round 21, 2002 against Sydney at MCG
From: Minyip/Ballarat Rebels/Richmond/North Ballarat, Selection #73, 2000 National Draft
Number: 15 (2001-2002)
Games: 13 (40 total)
Goals: 4 (5 total)
Career Statistics
| Wins | Draws | Losses | Winning % |
| 7 | 0 | 6 | 53.84 |
Backman who failed to earn a permanent senior place at Richmond and spent much of his time in the Reserves. Originally drafted by the Tigers as one of the youngest players in the competition, having just turned 17-years-old, he played 27 games in total for the club.
Delisted by the Tigers after 27 games, he returned to the VFL and joined North Ballarat while concentrating on his studies.
Impressed by his VFL Team of the Year form, and reminded of some excellent jobs Funcke had done on Jeff Farmer in the past, the Demons took a chance and picked the ex-Tiger up - telling him they were interested just a week before the draft. He was never more than a fringe player and was delisted at the end of his second season.
He then played for Port Adelaide in the SANFL between 2003 and 2005. In 2006 he coached Donald in the North Central Football League, resigning as coach after 2009 but playing until the end of 2017.
Funcke's brother Leigh was drafted to Fitzroy in the 1988 National Draft but did not play a match.
| Year | Games | Goals | Brownlow |
| 2001 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 2002 | 8 | 3 | 0 |
Lists
Grand Final Sprint
Richmond
SANFL
VFL
Media
Herald Sun - 14/11/2000
Links
Australian Football profile
Australian Football Wiki profile
Demonwiki image gallery
Draftguru profile
Tigerland Archive profile
Wikipedia profile