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Ernie ORourke

Ernie O'Rourke DOB: 8 April 1926
Died: 5 February 2024

Debut: Round 6, 1945 against Footscray at Western Oval
Last MFC Game: Round 18, 1948 against Carlton at Princes Park

From: Bentleigh

Number: 22 (1945), 27 (1946-1948)

Honours:
Grand Final team - 1946

Games: 39 (48 total)
Goals: 46 (52 total)
Career Statistics

WinsDrawsLossesWinning %
2301658.97

Rover recruited after finishing second in the Caulfield-Oakleigh Association league best and fairest. He was asked to train with Hawthorn but was residentially zoned to Melbourne.

All 10 of "Irish" O'Rourke's appearances in his last season at the Demons were as a reserve, one of only a handful of league players to be named a reserve ten times or more before the introduction of unlimited interchange.

In 1949 O'Rourke turned back interest from Fitzroy to sign with North Melbourne, who had been impressed with his form in a pre-season game. He played the first nine games of the season for North before transferring to VFA side Brighton. He later coached Glen Waverley for two years, and Wycheproof for three years. In 1957 he coached Leitchville.

YearGamesGoalsBrownlow
1945 12120
1946 14280
1947 310
1948 1050

Notes
Shown as being from Oakleigh District in 1945

Described as a player who "can play practically all positions on the field" in 1948, which is not consistent with a rover.

Lists
North Melbourne

Media
Argus - 18/10/1944, 11/03/1949, 07/04/1949, 23/06/1949
Sporting Globe - 20/06/1945
Herald - 01/03/1949, 22/03/1949, 09/08/1951
Football Record - R17 1964
Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper - 15/10/2020, 30/09/2021
Melbourne FC past players newsletter - 06/2022

Links
Australian Football profile
Demonwiki image gallery
VFA Project profile
Wikipedia profile