Darryl White facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Darryl White |
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Darryl White | ||
| Date of birth | 12 June 1973 | ||
| Place of birth | Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia | ||
| Original team | Pioneer (CAFL) | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Darryl White (born 12 June 1973) is a famous Australian rules football player. He played for the Brisbane Bears and Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League (AFL). His career lasted from 1992 to 2005.
Darryl White is an Indigenous Australian. In 2005, he was chosen as the fullback for the special Indigenous Team of the Century. This team honors the best Indigenous Australian rules footballers ever.
After his AFL career, Darryl White stayed involved in football. He has won six premierships across three different leagues. He is a great role model for many Indigenous Australians.
Contents
Early Life and Football Start
Darryl White is from the Arrernte people, an Indigenous Australian group. He grew up in Alice Springs in central Australia. He started playing junior football for the Pioneer Football Club.
Darryl was naturally talented at football. In 1990, he played for the Northern Territory team. This was at the Teal Cup under-17 national football event in Brisbane. There, he caught the eye of Brisbane Bears coach Robert Walls.
The Bears were impressed by his skills. He could handle the ball cleanly, jump high, and play well against taller players. The Bears chose him in their draft from the Queensland–Northern Territory area.
AFL Career Highlights
Darryl was not sure about joining the Bears at first. He said the club "only won two games a year." But he was convinced to give them a try. He even showed up to his first training session bouncing a basketball.
It was hard for him to adjust to the strict training under coach Walls. Once, during a long bike ride up a mountain, he threw his bike off a cliff! He told his coach he came to play football, not ride bikes.
First Season Success
Darryl's first season showed his amazing talent. He was a top player early on. He even kicked the official goal of the year with his very first goal. But he often felt homesick.
After his first season, he went back to Alice Springs. He did not return for pre-season training right away. When his coach called, Darryl said he was "really busy."
Becoming a Fan Favorite
Darryl quickly became a favorite with the fans. He was known for his incredible marking ability. He could catch the ball high in the air, even though he wasn't the tallest player.
Fans recognized his unique running style and accurate foot passing. He had a special way of holding the ball up after a mark. In 1996, a photo of him making a spectacular mark was even on the cover of the Brisbane White Pages phone book!
His ability to jump high meant coaches could play him in many different positions. Sometimes, he even played in the ruck, which is usually for much taller players. Darryl's leap and flexibility helped him succeed against bigger opponents.
Brisbane Lions Premierships
In 1996, the Fitzroy team merged with the Bears. This created the Brisbane Lions. Darryl White was a key player for the new team.
He was a vital part of the Lions' first AFL Premiership win in 2001. He played a great role from the half-back position. He also helped the Lions win more championships in 2002 and 2003. The team also reached the Grand Final in 2004.
Inspiring Others
By 1996, Darryl was an inspiration, especially for other Indigenous players. Many looked up to him. Once, a young Indigenous player from another team asked to take a photo with him right after a game.
His mentor, former teammate Michael McLean, helped him grow. Darryl learned a lot from his experiences. He realized how much his life had changed for the better.
In 2005, Darryl was chosen as captain of the Indigenous All-Stars. This team is made up of all Aboriginal players. They were set to play the Western Bulldogs in Darwin. Sadly, Darryl hurt his thumb and couldn't play. But he still flew in to support his team as a runner during the game.
End of an Amazing Career
Towards the end of his career, Darryl's performance was not as consistent. There was talk that he might retire. But the Lions stayed loyal to him. They re-signed him for the 2005 season.
He played ten more games that year. In one of his last games, he played in the seconds team and kicked nine goals. This earned him a spot in the main team for one final game. The Lions lost that game, but it was still a special moment for Darryl.
In the last part of his final game, Darryl caught a mark. He held the ball up high, just like he always did. Then, he passed it to Jared Brennan, a player who had looked up to Darryl since he was a boy. Brennan scored a goal.
After the game, his Indigenous teammates Chris Johnson and Ash McGrath carried him off the field. This showed how much respect he had earned from his community.
In 2005, Darryl's contributions were honored. He was named at full-back in the Indigenous Team of the Century. His Brisbane captain, Michael Voss, said it was important for Darryl to stay involved in football. He said Darryl taught him a lot about Indigenous culture.
Career Statistics Summary
Darryl White played a total of 268 games in his AFL career. He kicked 165 goals. He was known for his strong defensive play and ability to move the ball forward.
| G | Goals | B | Behinds | K | Kicks | H | Handballs | D | Disposals | M | Marks | T | Tackles |
| Season | Team | No. | Games | Totals | Averages (per game) | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | B | K | H | D | M | T | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | ||||
| 1992 | Brisbane Bears | 29 | 19 | 17 | 8 | 155 | 122 | 277 | 68 | 30 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 8.2 | 6.4 | 14.6 | 3.6 | 1.6 |
| 1993 | Brisbane Bears | 29 | 12 | 13 | 4 | 72 | 67 | 139 | 37 | 25 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 6.0 | 5.6 | 11.6 | 3.1 | 2.1 |
| 1994 | Brisbane Bears | 33 | 15 | 10 | 6 | 93 | 91 | 184 | 56 | 20 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 6.2 | 6.1 | 12.3 | 3.7 | 1.3 |
| 1995 | Brisbane Bears | 33 | 22 | 29 | 17 | 169 | 122 | 291 | 100 | 39 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 7.7 | 5.5 | 13.2 | 4.5 | 1.8 |
| 1996 | Brisbane Bears | 33 | 22 | 37 | 11 | 194 | 111 | 305 | 87 | 40 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 8.8 | 5.0 | 13.9 | 4.0 | 1.8 |
| 1997 | Brisbane Lions | 33 | 19 | 3 | 5 | 164 | 92 | 256 | 76 | 46 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 8.6 | 4.8 | 13.5 | 4.0 | 2.4 |
| 1998 | Brisbane Lions | 33 | 22 | 19 | 9 | 202 | 121 | 323 | 100 | 40 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 9.2 | 5.5 | 14.7 | 4.5 | 1.8 |
| 1999 | Brisbane Lions | 33 | 25 | 14 | 9 | 240 | 112 | 352 | 129 | 46 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 9.6 | 4.5 | 14.1 | 5.2 | 1.8 |
| 2000 | Brisbane Lions | 33 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 212 | 114 | 326 | 106 | 41 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 9.2 | 5.0 | 14.2 | 4.6 | 1.8 |
| 2001 | Brisbane Lions | 33 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 210 | 130 | 340 | 115 | 31 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 9.5 | 5.9 | 15.5 | 5.2 | 1.4 |
| 2002 | Brisbane Lions | 33 | 21 | 11 | 3 | 130 | 83 | 213 | 86 | 39 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 6.2 | 4.0 | 10.1 | 4.1 | 1.9 |
| 2003 | Brisbane Lions | 33 | 21 | 5 | 2 | 150 | 88 | 238 | 96 | 25 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 7.1 | 4.2 | 11.3 | 4.6 | 1.2 |
| 2004 | Brisbane Lions | 33 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 103 | 62 | 165 | 52 | 17 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 6.9 | 4.1 | 11.0 | 3.5 | 1.3 |
| 2005 | Brisbane Lions | 33 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 69 | 38 | 107 | 42 | 16 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 6.9 | 3.8 | 10.7 | 4.2 | 1.6 |
| Career | 268 | 165 | 77 | 2163 | 1353 | 3516 | 1150 | 455 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 8.1 | 5.0 | 13.1 | 4.3 | 1.7 | ||
Life After AFL
After leaving the AFL, Darryl White continued to play football. In the 2005/06 NTFL Season, he played for the Darwin Football Club. He helped them win a premiership.
In 2006/07, he joined the Southern Districts Football Club. There, he won another NTFL premiership. In 2007, he moved back to Queensland. He played for the Mount Gravatt Football Club in the Queensland State League. They also won a premiership. This made it his sixth premiership across three different leagues!
Darryl White is very passionate about helping Indigenous children get a good education. In 2008, he became an Indigenous Support Officer at Marist College Ashgrove. He helps Indigenous students there reach their goals.
He continued to play football for several more years. He played for Nyah-Nyah West in Victoria until 2014. He also played for Darwin in the 2014/15 NTFL season. He retired from senior football at age 41, after 26 years of playing.
Darryl's Sons in Sports
Darryl White's son, Darryl McDowell-White, is also a Brisbane Lion. He was drafted by the Brisbane Lions in November 2022. Before that, he played college basketball in the USA.
His other son, William McDowell-White, is a professional basketball player. He currently plays for the New Zealand Breakers. He has also played for the Sydney Kings, the Houston Rockets, and teams in Germany.
