David Dench

David Dench
Personal information
Full name	David Dench
Date of birth	(1951-08-23) 23 August 1951
Original team(s)	West Coburg (EDFL)
Height/Weight	191cm / 89kg
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1969–1984	North Melbourne	275 (29)
Representative team honours
Years	Team	Games (Goals)
	Victoria	4 (0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1984 season.
Career highlights
North Melbourne premiership player 1975 North Melbourne premiership captain 1977 North Melbourne Team of the Century Syd Barker Medal 1971, 1976, 1977, 1981 North Melbourne captain 1972

David Dench (born (1951-08-23) 23 August 1951 ) is a former Australian rules footballer in the (then) Victorian Football League. He played his whole career with North Melbourne Football Club at one of its most successful periods.

Dench played full-back. Dench won the North Melbourne club's best and fairest award, the Syd Barker Medal, on four occasions - 1971, 1976, 1977, 1981. David Dench was one of the youngest captains appointed in the club's history. He also captained the 1977 premiership team, due to Keith Greig's absence because of an injury. In the 1977 VFL Grand Final, Ron Barassi moved him to the forward line, where he sparked North Melbourne Football Club's revival by contributing to the forward line and kicking goals, to draw with Collingwood Football Club.

Post AFL career and personal life

In 2000 Dench was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.

His daughter, Michelle is a distinguished Australian sportswoman. She played high level basketball before taking up Australian football playing over 100 games for her club Melbourne University. She also represented Victoria and Australia as well as captaining her club to a premiership.

In 2008, Dench served 4 months in jail for his minor role in a scheme to defraud Victoria University out of millions of dollars.

External links

• AFL Hall of Fame