Dennis Dunn’s name removed from NTFL goal kicking award

A decision to remove a footy legend’s name from a prestigious award has sparked outrage across the community. Read the reactions.

NTFL legend Dennis Dunn's name was stripped from the goalkicking award ahead of the 2024 Nichols medal count. Picture: Nathaniel Chambers

The Northern Territory footballing community has expressed their outrage after an NTFL legend’s name was stripped from a prestigious award.

Dennis Dunn has long been regarded as one of the legends of the NTFL for his goal kicking exploits in the great St Mary’s sides of the 1980s and 90s.

The Top End great kicked 817 goals for his beloved St Mary’s in a career that spanned 204 games and nine premierships.

He won the leading goal kicker himself from 1984-88, represented the NT on 12 occasions and was named in the AFLNT Hall of Fame.

A more than fitting resume for someone to have the goal kicking medal named after him, something his clan and family took as a huge point of honour.

However, just a couple of days before the 2024 Nichols medal his name was removed from the award.

“It meant so much to me, because I have 120 of my clan members and they are all over the moon when they talk about me,” Dunn said.

“They’re all so proud of me, it was nice to get recognised in that way, but I didn’t realise the impact it had on my people and how proud they would be.”

Dennis Dunn is recognised as one of the NTFL’s all time greats.

In 2016 the Team of the Century forward was charged and convicted with attempting to smuggle a pound of cannabis to the Tiwi Islands.

As a result he went to jail for 28 days, while he was also punished by his community and family, but by which stage his playing days were long behind him

But his name remained on the trophy for the seven years following as the AFLNT continued to celebrate him as one of their legends.

That was until shortly before the 2024 Nichols medal event, when his sisters, Yvonne and Mary, were called to inform his name had been removed from the award.

Dunn said losing the award was incredibly distressing, not just for him but for his whole family, particularly as it came just months after the death of his son.

“They still haven’t officially told me, I was there at Kantillas on Saturday before the Nichols and nobody said anything to me,” Dunn said.

“I was originally going to just let it go, they can rub my name out and they’d still be talking about Dennis Dunn in 100 years’ time.

“But then all the support from my immediate family, my clan group, the whole of Tiwi Islands and the people I played with made me realise how hurt and angry people are and how angry I should be.

“Particularly when the decision has come from a board that have been in Darwin football for five minutes, while I’ve done my 17 years playing A-grade footy getting hit and knocked down and targeted by everyone.

“Every Saturday I had to have eyes on the back of my head because everyone wanted to knock me down, because they knew who I was, and what I could do.

“We have to challenge this decision, I have to defend myself because they’ve chucked me up on the cross to crucify me without even contacting me.”

St Mary's Dennis Dunn grabs the ball before Darwin's David Atkinson can punch it out of his reach during an NTFL match held at the Gardens Oval in 1994.

The removal of Dunn’s name has sparked outrage from the community with many Hall of Fame and Life members coming out in support of the player.

Former NT News sport editor Grey Morris, the instigator behind Dunn’s place on the award which celebrates the league’s best goal kickers, said it was “very sad” his name had been pulled.

“Dunn is an icon on the islands, kids everywhere wanted to be like him,” Morris said.

“It was always spectacular watching him play the game, he was just a magnificent footballer and a terrific fella who loved having that award named after him.”

Fellow hall of famer Brian Long and St Mary’s captain for three years of Dunn’s tenure also got behind his long time teammate who he said had “never done anything bad on the field”.

“What they’re doing is not right, he’s always been a terrific footballer and is a legend in Darwin,” Long said.

“I’m disgusted at the way he’s been treated, he’s just lost his son, and the way they’ve gone about it, they’ve taken away what he’s achieved in his lifetime.”

AFLNT life member Joy Cardona often got front row seats to his exploits in many of her hundreds of games as a goal umpire.

“He was one of the best full forwards I’ve ever seen, I used to get sore arms from waving the flag watching him play,” Cardona said.

“But what they’re doing to him now his so wrong, he made a mistake but he’s back on his feet and looking after his country and family over there at Garden Point.

NTFL legend Dennis Dunn said he had to take the fight to AFLNT after his name was stripped from the goal kicking medal. Picture: Nathaniel Chambers

AFLNT said the decision to remove Dunn’s name from the leading goal kicker award had come as a result of a broader review.

“The decision was conveyed to Mr Dunn last week and an offer was extended to meet with AFLNT to discuss the outcome,” a spokeswoman said.

“The decision was based on the need for consistency around respecting and upholding AFLNT values while considering the important role footy plays in the NT, particularly in remote communities.”

It is the second NTFL award to be stripped of its name in as many years after Colleen Gwynne’s name was taken off the Women’s Best and Fairest accolade.

Gwynne is a huge ambassador for NT footy, and after her years of success coaching Waratah she was called up as the inaugural coach of the Tiwi Bombers women for a set of exhibition matches.

The former Children’s Commissioner also coached the Arnhem Crows women to their first ever Big Rivers premiership.

However, while facing the Supreme Court for an abuse of office charge, which was thrown out, it was revealed she made a racist comment during an illegally tapped private conversation.

Gwynne apologised for the comment, but the league stripped her name from the best and fairest accolade shortly after.

Incidentally the Dunn family are some of Gwynne’s biggest supporters and said without question that “she is not a racist person”.

Gwynne declined to comment at this point.

Originally published as Dennis Dunn’s name removed from NTFL goal kicking award