Darren Millane

Darren Millane

Personal information
Full name	Darren Millane
Nickname(s)	Pants
Birth	9 August 1965(1965-08-09)
Place of birth	Victoria
Death	7 October 1991(1991-10-07) (aged 26)
Place of death	Queens Rd, Albert Park
Recruited from	Dandenong
Height	187 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	94 kg (14 st 11 lb)
Playing career
Club
Years	Team	Pld	G	B
1984–1991	Collingwood	147	78	52

Darren "Pants" Millane (9 August 1965 – 7 October 1991) was an Australian rules football player in the VFL/AFL for the Collingwood Football Club between 1984 and 1991.^[1]

AFL career

A highly skillful and strongly built wingman, Darren Millane was one of Collingwood's greatest footballers before a shocking, fatal car accident ended his career in 1991 at the age of 26.

Millane was considered by Sydney and St Kilda, but Hawthorn won the chance, with Millane training at Glenferrie with the Hawks, but didn't like the atmosphere and went back to captain Dandenong in the VFA U18's. Collingwood snapped him up and Millane liked what he saw, and his football career came along nicely, debuting in 1984, aged 19.

In 1987, Millane won the best and fairest award.^[1] He found his place on the wing and was a footballer known for his toughness and attitude towards the game. He was most likely the recipient on the end of the kick-outs because of his strength. Although his skills were occasionally poor, at his best he found and used the football well, and became a favourite to fans at Victoria Park.

In 1990, the premiership drought breaking year for the Magpies, Millane was at his peak. He won the AFL Players Association MVP Award,^[1] now known as the Leigh Matthews Trophy;^[2] was selected in the AFL Team of the Year for the first time; and came second in Collingwood's best and fairest; but it was his finals campaign that was recognised. He broke his thumb just before the series, but bravely continued to play with pain-killers during the campaign. In the Grand Final, against Essendon, he had 24 touches, and ended up throwing the ball up in the air as the siren went at 5:11pm to end Collingwood's thirty-two year drought on 6 October.

Career highlights

• Collingwood best and fairest 1987
• Collingwood 2nd best and fairest 1990
• AFL Team of the Year 1990
• Leigh Matthews Trophy 1990
• Collingwood premiership side 1990
• Collingwood Team of the Century member

Millane's death

On 7 October 1991, Millane was killed in a car crash while intoxicated.^[3] On the early morning of the day, he was driving on Queens Road, near Albert Park Lake, before he clipped a semi-trailer and rolled his car, being killed instantly.^[4] The autopsy revealed his blood alcohol content was 0.322 — almost six-and-a-half times the legal driving limit of 0.05.^[3] He was on his way to his Noble Park home, and that day he was set to join nineteen other members of the 1990 premiership side, but that reunion never happened, as players, officials, and fans set off instead to mourn at Victoria Park.

The no. 42 on the Black and White Guernsey had also been retired from the game.

The funeral was held at Dandenong Town Hall, where more than 5000 people attended,^[1] while large crowds heard the service on a loud-speaker outside the venue. Millane's Guernsey with no. 42 on it was laid on the coffin, while the 1990 flag hung in the background at half-mast.

Famous quotes

• "People like that…you believe they're never going to die" – Peter 'Crackers' Keenan (Collingwood ruck coach)
• "If you don't get goose bumps on your neck when his name is mentioned, then I don't think you have got the character to be around the club" – Collingwood captain Tony Shaw
• "If he had been here tonight, he would want you all to have a good time…so lift your chins and make sure you get out there next year and win the flag" – Brother John Millane, when accepting the Phonse Kyne Trophy, for services to the club, awarded to Millane.
• ""'MILLANE KILLED"'" – Herald Sun newspaper headline, 7 October 1991.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} "Moment #22 The death of Darren Millane". Australian Football League. 2010-03-06. http://www.afl.com.au/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=56170. 
2. ^ "Peers again name Ablett the best". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2009-09-07. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/07/2679188.htm. Retrieved 2010-03-06. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Tom Arup (2008-08-08). "Millane's mother laments publicity". The Age. http://www.theage.com.au/national/millanes-mother-laments-publicity-20080805-3qj2.html. Retrieved 2010-03-06. 
4. ^ Paul Gough (2008-08-05). "Pies deny drinking problem". Sportal. http://sportal.com.au/afl-news-display/pies-deny-drinking-problem-53885. Retrieved 2010-03-06. 

External links

Darren Millane's statistics from AFL Tables

Preceded by Wes Fellowes	Copeland Trophy winner 1987	Succeeded by Peter Daicos
Preceded by Tim Watson	Leigh Matthews Trophy 1990	Succeeded by Jim Stynes

Persondata
Name	Millane, Darren
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1965-08-09
Place of birth	Victoria
Date of death	1991-10-07
Place of death	Queens Rd, Albert Park