Ian Dunstan

Who is Ian Dunstan?

Ian Dunstan is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Footscray in the Victorian Football League.

Originally recruited from Fish Creek in South Gippsland, he is the son Maurie Dunstan and brother of Graeme Dunstan, both former Collingwood players. He was a tallish ruck-rover with great ability to win the ball and great skill at kicking straight in the direction of goal. His early years with Footscray were nonetheless patchy, and he lost his place in the senior side after a slump in 1974 and again in 1976 – though he returned to play well in the last round draw with Carlton and in his only final against Geelong a week later.

Paradoxically, it was whilst Footscray were declining from the middle bracket to perennial contenders for the wooden spoon with St Kilda and Melbourne that Dunstan rose to the heights not only of Footscray's top running players, but even to representing Victoria. On 1 July 1978 Dunstan and Kelvin Templeton kicked against St Kilda a record VFL/AFL total for two players in one team of 22 goals 12 behinds, narrowly beating the total of Doug Strang and Jack Titus for Richmond against North Melbourne on 9 May 1931. Of this Dunstan kicked seven goals, three behinds but had over thirty kicks overall, many of which led to Templeton's record total of twenty-four scoring shots, which contributed to Footscray breaking Carlton's 1969 record VFL score. During the last quarter it was said that Dunstan, who never otherwise kicked five in a match, aimed to reach double figures.