John Towner
Essendon
AFL career
87 games36 goals
- Debut
- R2 1953 v SME2 May 1953
- Most recent
- GF 1959 v MEL26 Sept 1959
Stats
Bio
Recruited from Ascot Vale, John Towner arrived at Essendon with the daunting expectation of being a potential successor to the great John Coleman. While he possessed the speed and aerial ability for the role, inconsistent kicking saw him shifted to the backline where he truly flourished. Transforming into a disciplined defender, Towner used his pace and spoiling capacity to shut down dangerous forwards, most notably enjoying a strong record against South Melbourne Brownlow Medallist Fred Goldsmith. He became a fixture in the Bombers' defence during the late 1950s, playing on a half-back flank in the 1957 Grand Final and at full-back in the 1959 decider. A highly respected teammate who twice won the club's Best Clubman award, his VFL career ended prematurely when a work transfer took him to Western Australia.
Profile
- Born
- 19 Nov 1933
- Died
- 19 Jan 2023 (aged 89y 61d)
- Height
- 183 cm
- Weight
- 75 kg
Teams
Bio
1 revisionRecruited from Ascot Vale, John Towner arrived at Essendon with the daunting expectation of being a potential successor to the great John Coleman. While he possessed the speed and aerial ability for the role, inconsistent kicking saw him shifted to the backline where he truly flourished. Transforming into a disciplined defender, Towner used his pace and spoiling capacity to shut down dangerous forwards, most notably enjoying a strong record against South Melbourne Brownlow Medallist Fred Goldsmith. He became a fixture in the Bombers' defence during the late 1950s, playing on a half-back flank in the 1957 Grand Final and at full-back in the 1959 decider. A highly respected teammate who twice won the club's Best Clubman award, his VFL career ended prematurely when a work transfer took him to Western Australia.