Gordon Lane

Gordon Francis 'Whopper' Lane (30 May 1921 – 21 July 1973) was an Australian rules footballer who represented the Essendon and South Melbourne in the VFL. He played as a forward with a strong overhead mark and was rated by Jack Dyer in 1946 as 'the best centre half forward in the game'.

Gordon Lane
Personal information
Full name	Gordon Francis Lane
Date of birth	30 May 1921
Place of birth	Essendon, Victoria
Date of death	21 July 1973(1973-07-21) (aged 52)
Place of death	Moorabbin, Victoria
Original team(s)	Essendon United
Height	187 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	91 kg (201 lb)
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1940–1949	Essendon	131 (256)
1950–1952	South Melbourne	047 0(94)
Total		178 (350)
Coaching career
Years	Club	Games (W–L–D)
1950–1952	South Melbourne	55 (24–29–2)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1952.
Career highlights
Essendon premiership player 1942, 1946 & 1949 South Melbourne leading goalkicker 1950 & 1952
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

He is best remembered for his performances in Essendon's Grand Finals of the 1940s. In the 1942 final he kicked six goals and in 1946 kicked seven.

Lane missed out on a chance to play in another Grand Final in 1947 due to him breaking his ribs in the preliminary final. He was injured again the following season, this time it was his knee and he moved to South Melbourne in 1950 where he would be both captain and coach for three years.