Vale #42 Darren Millane (1965-1991)

[PyreneesPie]

Just watched the documentary about Darren on the club website (narrated and orchestrated by a very young and fresh-faced Eddie). The courage, the substance, the fearlessness, the loyalty to club, family and friends, the generosity of heart - the charisma of the man and the strength and skill of the player.
He was possessed of such a unique set of characteristics and I can't think of another individual player to match him in all these respects in the years since, more is the shame. Today's footballers seem so vanilla in comparison. Still so greatly missed.

[PyreneesPie]

I remember the morning distinctly listening to the morning show on 3AW. The jocks were saying there had been a nasty accident in Albert Park concerning a player from a high profile club. Kept hoping it wasn't the Pies.

As the morning progressed it was getting worse as it turned to a fatality. They new the club, the player but wouldn't release names. Normal procedure until family is contacted.

Finally announced it to be Darren, the grief was unbelievable, I'd never met the guy, around the same age, played against some his mates in juniors, so he was a player that was Godlike, well almost.

The media attention was unreal, never seen before only topped by Princess Di.

I've had the pleasure to work at Denise's house in Noble Park, so much memorabilia set up for Darren. She is such a lovely lady but imagine she'd be doing it tough around this time of the year. Also had his bro as my postie for a short time.

RIP Pants.

Thanks for sharing your memories and experiences. Yep, that developing saga on the radio that Monday morning and then the shock and pain felt on learning that it was Pants. I was just a country Pies supporter - the grief that must have been felt by his family, friends and mates at the club must have been simply unbearable.
When interviewed about that tragic time by Mike Sheahan many years later, Dennis Banks still couldn't help but cry.

[23 YIPPEE!!!]

Would have won the flag in 1992 if we still had Millane

[Presti35]

My account:

I will never forget this day in 1991:

I was eating breakfast with my brother and sister before getting ready for school. My Mum had the radio on and the news came over that an AFL player was in a car accident and had died. The name of the player was not released at the time, but they said it was a 1990 premiership player. I remember my Mum saying "oh God, it's going to be Darren Millane". I remember going to school and a girl named Rachel Burke talking about it and saying it was Darren Millane during that mornings show and tell. I'm not sure when the name was made official, but that's how I heard. When Mum picked us up I remember my brother and I absolutely balling our eyes out on the way home when she confirmed it was him. We cried for days. It was devastating for us. I was ten.
.
I remember my Dad was upset when he got home from work and he left the house and went for a walk by himself. I remember the funeral shown on TV. And I remember visiting his grave with my family in the days after and being scared to get out the car. I remember my Mum encouraging me to go and see him. I'm glad I did now, because I remember seeing his face with all the flowers. I remember crying and my parents comforting us. It was the first time I'd experienced death. Even though we were not related or anything like that, it was tough.
.
Our club changed forever after this day

I've heard the story about how he had a meeting with a bank manager in Noble Park and that he only left because he didnt want to miss the meeting. He paid the ultimate price for that lack of judgment. If you've ever seen "The Final Story - 1990", Craig Kelly says it perfectly.

I also remember being teased about it by by next door neighbour a few days after, that hurt a lot, because we were friends. And also by some random St Kilda supporters a few years after when we were at the MCG. They just got stuck into me and my brother and mentioned it in a nasty way. And I also remember a guy I used to work with saying he was glad it happened. All of those shocked me, but as the years have gone by, less people talk about it. And call me a werido if you want, but I've always avoided the number 42 since then.

[Presti35]

We woulda shat it in in '92 with Pants in the side

I used to hear this a lot.

We finished 3rd that year. Equal on points with 2nd and 3rd. We lost a close Elimination Final to St Kilda. Both McKeown and Lockett kicked 5 that day.

WCE ended up winning it from 4th, beating the Hawks and then Geelong twice.

If you look at the team from that final: ( https://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/1 ... 20905.html ) and look how close the ladder was, you just dont know what could have happened? It's possible we finish 1st and beat Geelong in week 1, WCE in week 2 and then one of Dogs, Cats or WCE in the GF... we'll never know.

Looking at 1991, had we won the draw against the Saints in '91 or the final game against the Cats (we lost by 41), we would have snuck into the finals. https://afltables.com/afl/seas/1991.html

[Piesnchess]

The Raging Bull, what a player. I wonder if his family will let the no. 42 come back again, it has been a long time. I reckon Millane himself would love to see no. 42 out there again. But, of course, its up to his family, their decision, i know Hawthorn did it for Peter Crimmins, who had cancer, they rested no. 5, then his family said bring it back again. But, its a family decision for sure.

[jackcass]

^^^ was at that game out at arctic park. Was a great game and it could have gone either way. Tragedy of it was that we finished 3rd on % (= on W/L's with top 2) and were eliminated week 1 of finals. Saints were the side we struggled most against H&A. We beat the other real contenders. While we lost in the H&A season to Hawks I reckon we had their measure. Think if we'd beaten the Saints we'd likely have gone all the way.

Having Pants in the side certainly wouldn't have hurt.

[Presti35]

42 should remain out of circulation imo.

[Ronnie McKeowns boots]

We woulda shat it in in '92 with Pants in the side

I used to hear this a lot.

We finished 3rd that year. Equal on points with 2nd and 3rd. We lost a close Elimination Final to St Kilda. Both McKeown and Lockett kicked 5 that day.

WCE ended up winning it from 4th, beating the Hawks and then Geelong twice.

If you look at the team from that final: ( https://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/1 ... 20905.html ) and look how close the ladder was, you just dont know what could have happened? It's possible we finish 1st and beat Geelong in week 1, WCE in week 2 and then one of Dogs, Cats or WCE in the GF... we'll never know.

Looking at 1991, had we won the draw against the Saints in '91 or the final game against the Cats (we lost by 41), we would have snuck into the finals. https://afltables.com/afl/seas/1991.html

We beat Footscray, Cats and Eagles convincingly in the H&A in '92 if memory serves, lost to the Saints at least twice, they were our bogey team

[Presti35]

I wonder how we would have gone in '94? We finished 8th, but only 1 game and % behind 3rd place. In the Qualifying Final we lost to the eventual premiers (WCE) by 2 points over in Perth. We all remember that day.

Young Sav, young Bucks, young Jason McCartney, young Paul Williams, Pert at FB, with 1990 teammates Monkey, Francis, Kelly, Brown, Crosisca, Russell, McGuane, and Tony Shaw in his final season. Add Millane (29) and the possibility that Daicos (32) stays healthy and goes one more year... one can only dream.

[PyreneesPie]

42 should remain out of circulation imo.

Agree Presti.... it's sancrosant.

Plus, allowing someone else to wear it would be placing too much pressure/ /burden on their shoulders I reckon

[Jayel]

#42 Should definitely be back in circulation, to cherish and remember the great man that made that number such a symbol of what Collingwood people love about our club. Personally I would love to see the number awarded to the player who is selected as our "Best Clubman" throughout the previous year, with an emphasis on community engagement. Just my thoughts, don't get too wound up over what an old, but faithful member thinks....

[piedys]

I also remember being teased about it by by next door neighbour a few days after, that hurt a lot, because we were friends. And also by some random St Kilda supporters a few years after when we were at the MCG. They just got stuck into me and my brother and mentioned it in a nasty way.

This is why we hate those lowlife 2nd class deros from Linton street.
I will revel in their misery and failures until the day I leave this earth.

We woulda shat it in in '92 with Pants in the side

I used to hear this a lot.

We finished 3rd that year. Equal on points with 2nd and 3rd. We lost a close Elimination Final to St Kilda. Both McKeown and Lockett kicked 5 that day.

WCE ended up winning it from 4th, beating the Hawks and then Geelong twice.

If you look at the team from that final: ( https://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/1 ... 20905.html ) and look how close the ladder was, you just dont know what could have happened?
It's possible we finish 1st and beat Geelong in week 1, WCE in week 2 and then one of Dogs, Cats or WCE in the GF... we'll never know.

We lost to Melbourne and St.Rapist by around a goal during 1992.
You'd think Millane in the side would have won us either of those two, which would have been enough to snaffle us top spot, and a week off.
Having said that, we wouldn't have wanted to play Hawthorn in 1992 finals; they beat us twice that year, by about 4 goals a game, and still our bogey.
People forget that the week prior to the 1992EF, we played a desperate and in-form Crows outfit, who just ran us into the ground at Victoria Park; while we fell over the line with a win, we were exhausted the following week.
This Crows game is on youtube in it's entirety, if you want to have a look.

Looking at 1991, had we won the draw against the Saints in '91 or the final game against the Cats (we lost by 41), we would have snuck into the finals. https://afltables.com/afl/seas/1991.html

Yeah lost too many games in first half of season in 1991 and the drawn game we played at Linton street cost us badly; we might have made 6th spot and beaten St.Rapist or Melbourne, but Hawks, Cats and WCE all had our measure that season, and beaten us fair and square.
I thought we were about the 4th best team by then.

I wonder how we would have gone in '94? We finished 8th, but only 1 game and % behind 3rd place. In the Qualifying Final we lost to the eventual premiers (WCE) by 2 points over in Perth. We all remember that day.

Young Sav, young Bucks, young Jason McCartney, young Paul Williams, Pert at FB, with 1990 teammates Monkey, Francis, Kelly, Brown, Crosisca, Russell, McGuane, and Tony Shaw in his final season.
Add Millane (29) and the possibility that Daicos (32) stays healthy and goes one more year... one can only dream.

Yeah, the McGuane dropped mark inside F50, looking into the setting sun, will haunt me forever. That really would have turned the 1994 finals on its arse. It was a final quarter for the ages as we stormed home.
That was probably the best team we fielded all season, and even if you remove Tranquilli [who was solid that day], and replace with Millane or Daicos [with dodgy knees] we still might not sneak home.
Millane and Daicos never really had great influence on any WCE games in Perth, IIRC. Prior to 2000, we only won there in 1989 and 1992 [just].
But yeah, that 1994 win would have been greater than the 2020EF Mission Impossible steal against WCE last year - have no doubt!

[Presti35]

Thanks piedys.

You could probably say that had we won that game in '94, Geelong and Ablett could have taken the flag?

[Presti35]

Do you think it's time for the AFL to induct him into the Hall of Fame?

Personally, I think it's time. Wouldn't mind seeing his statue put up near our training facilities too someday.