Alumni Default

An ode to Rodan

One of the great drawcards of Australian football is its inclusiveness; it can be played by people of all shapes and sizes. David Rodan – 173cm, Fijian-born and with pace to burn – envisaged that ideal more than most.

The small-forward turned midfielder who donned Richmond, Port Adelaide and Melbourne guernseys throughout a 185-game career, was nothing if not exciting.

His ability to weave in and out of traffic made him a valuable commodity around stoppages, though his agility and creativity with the ball in hand meant he was just as handy around goals.

Sadly, injuries cruelled him. He retired at the end of 2013 requiring yet another knee reconstruction, his fourth in total. Despite his bad luck, Rodan is grateful for the opportunities he was given from three different clubs.

“I’ve had more comebacks than John Farnham,” Rodan joked in his farewell press conference.  

“I’ve had more comebacks than John Farnham,” David Rodan.

It was a line that summed up Rodan as a footballer, always a showman.

On the field, he’d dance around opponents and bring crowds to life. Off it, he will be remembered as the most valuable contributor in the history of the Grand Final Footy Show’s annual player revue.

At this year’s show, Rodan began his performance slowly, holding a crutch under one arm to aid his troublesome knee. A few moments later he threw the crutch to one side and began to dance the way the crowd had hoped. Amongst a procession of burly footballers who were clearly out of their depth when it came to dancing, Rodan couldn’t have stood out any more.

He would love nothing more than to throw the crutches away and play footy once more in 2014, but he knows his time is up.

“On the weekend against the Crows, I was feeling pretty good and going alright. But when I did (my knee) it was the final call.”

The excitement he brought to the game will be missed.He was nominated for goal of the year three times in his debut season alone,but he has left an indelible mark.

Aside from proving height isn’t a pre-requisite to having a successful AFL career, Rodan has also worked as an ambassador for AFL Fiji, inspiring many who wouldn’t otherwise know of the game.

It’s unclear what the future holds for Rodan – though he could do worse than to pursue work as a professional dancer – but he will certainly be missed, not by supporters of a particular club, but by the game as a whole. He wasn’t one of the great players of this era, but he was definitely one of the most unique.

David is one of eight nominees in line for this year’s AFL Players’ Madden Medal. The award is given to a retiring great each season, recognising the player’s contributions to the game both on and off the field. The winner will be announced at a ceremony at the Sofitel on Friday 4th October.