Gordon Lane

Who is Gordon Lane?

Gordon 'Whopper' Lane is a former 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'.

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.

Career Highlights

⁕3 time Premiership player with Essendon 1942, 1946, 1949

⁕2nd in the 1946 Essendon best and fairest count

⁕Captain and coach of South Melbourne 1950 - 52

⁕South Melbourne leading goalkicker 1950 and 1952