Douglas Cox (16 September 1957 – 30 November 2019[1]) was an Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda and Essendon in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Doug Cox
Personal information
Full name Douglas Cox
Date of birth (1957-09-16)16 September 1957
Date of death 30 November 2019(2019-11-30) (aged 62)
Place of death Mildura
Original team(s) South Mildura / West Torrens
Height 187 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight 89 kg (196 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1981–1982 St Kilda 36 (1)
1983–1984 Essendon 3 (0)
Total 39 (1)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1984.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Originally from South Mildura, Cox played for West Torrens in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) before joining St Kilda in 1981. His move to St Kilda proved controversial, as Richmond protested that he should never have made it to St Kilda because South Mildura was in Richmond's country zone.[2] As a result, St Kilda was stripped of eight premiership points and fined $5000; but, the VFL amended the relevant rules later in the season, and reinstated St Kilda's points. Despite the controversy, the defender was able to play 20 games in 1981 and added another 16 in 1982.[3]

At the end of the 1982 VFL season, Cox left St Kilda and signed with Essendon. He didn't make any senior appearances for his new club in 1983 after dislocating his wrist in a pre-season practice match, but was a member of the Essendon reserves premiership winning team.[4] In 1984 he again had bad luck with injuries, hurting his thigh early in the season and then injuring himself in a motorcycle accident.[5] He played just three league games that year and won the 1984 Grand Final sprint.[3][6] It was his final season at Essendon, and he returned to West Torrens in 1985.

References

edit
  1. ^ "Vale Doug Cox". saints.com.au. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
  2. ^ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. ISBN 978-1-920910-78-5.
  3. ^ a b AFL Tables: Doug Cox
  4. ^ "Cox, Doug". Essendon Football Club. Archived from the original on 24 April 2012.
  5. ^ The Age,"Unlucky Don Injured In Road Crash", 27 June 1984, p. 33
  6. ^ Murray, John (2009). Glory and Fame: The Rise and Rise of the Essendon Football Club. Slattery Media Group. ISBN 978-0-9805162-9-6.