Lynden Dunn yearns to play finals with Collingwood after holding unwanted record

COLLINGWOOD defender Lynden Dunn has carved out 171 matches in a career defined by hard work and determination. But there’s an itch he needs to scratch.

Collingwood defender Lynden Dunn needs to scratch that finals itch. Pic: Michael Klein

LYNDEN Dunn can see the funny side of the debate he was inadvertently drawn into during the week, but it is one he hopes to change in the future.

His Collingwood teammate Taylor Adams said on radio that Dunn was relishing his new club because “he had not been a part of a successful team”. His former Melbourne teammate Bernie Vince fired back, saying the Magpies had missed the past three finals series.

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The banter amused Dunn ahead of the Queen’s Birthday clash where his football present and past collide, and where his first AFL coach, Neale Daniher, will continue to inspire, with the Big Freeze.

“‘Tay’ was trying to look after me and pump me up a bit, and maybe his words came out wrong. Then ‘Bern’ had his say, but it was all in good fun,” Dunn said. “It will be nice to get out there and play some footy.”

Dunn doesn’t escape the reality that finals football is the itch he needs to scratch after 13 seasons and 171 matches in a career defined by hard work and determination.

Lynden Dunn at Pies training with Queen’s Birthday debutant Callum Brown. Picture: David Caird

No current AFL player has played as much footy as he has without playing a final.

The closest he came was as an emergency in Melbourne’s last finals appearance in 2006.

“It’s not a stat I am proud about, but it is a reality,” the 30-year-old said. “I really want to play finals footy, and that is a goal we can still achieve this year.”

“I wouldn’t change a thing about my time at Melbourne. It helped shape the man I have become today and I will always be proud to call myself a Melbourne person for life. But having come across the road to the Holden Centre, everyone has embraced me and my family.

“We’ve got players here at the moment who have tasted the ultimate success and want to taste it again. We have players who have never played finals and that is what drives them every day.”

Dunn was on the winning side of the ledger at Melbourne only 43 times from his 165 games. But since coming into the Collingwood side against Geelong in Round 6, and shutting down Tom Hawkins, Dunn has enjoyed four wins from his six 2017 games.

Lynden Dunn wouldn’t change his time at the Dees. Picture: Colleen Petch.

His accurate use of the ball in general play and kick-ins have been important, and his ability to win one-on-one contests sees him ranked second in the AFL this season. His booming voice and leadership has also shored up a defence crying out for more experience.

That’s not bad for a player sidelined for all but four games last year by Melbourne’s desire to go with younger players. He may have been stranded at Casey, but remains proud he never spat the dummy, and that he kept playing good VFL football.

Dunn had a year to run on his Melbourne contract, but knew he would have to move to keep his AFL dream alive.

On one of his early visits to the Holden Centre he found that success — and finals — were not far removed from the Collingwood Football Club. His induction came with a close encounter with the 2010 premiership cup and an estimated 47 renditions of Good Old Collingwood Forever — all for the sake of his six-year-old son Emmett.

Collingwood defender Lynden Dunn has added to the Pies’ back six. Pic: Michael Klein

“One of the things about being traded was telling my son that we needed to find a new footy team,” Dunn said. “I brought him into the club on the Monday after the trade and they were cleaning the trophy cabinet and we put the 2010 premiership cup in his hands.

“Then we listened to the Collingwood theme song about 47 times on the way to his school.”

One of Dunn’s favourite moments came when his son ran out on the ground after his first game for Collingwood.

“Eddie (McGuire) sent him out, and I had no idea it was going to happen,” he said. “To see Emmett running out on the ground was one of the great moments of my career.”

He hopes there are more moments like it this year, and beyond.

“Footy doesn’t last forever ... (but) I’m contracted until the end of 2018, and I have no intention of retiring any time soon,” he said. “I still believe I have a good four or five years of footy left. Hopefully there will be some success there as well.”

Originally published as Lynden Dunn yearns to play finals with Collingwood after holding unwanted record