It’s nearly 20 years since Gavin Wanganeen played for Essendon.
But time hasn’t diluted the 300 game champion’s love for the Club where he first made his name.
The South Australian’s time at Essendon was brief but brilliant.
The Bombers recruited Gavin Wanganeen with the number 12 pick in the 1989 draft. He made his debut against Richmond in round one, 1991. He played 18 games that year and won Essendon’s best first year player award.
“It’s just special and really warm memories and memories I’ll take with me and never ever forget,” Wanganeen told Bomber Radio.
“I came over to Windy Hill as a 17 year old, as a young boy and grew up into a young man.”
In 1992 Wanganeen became an All-Australian for the first time, but it was the 1993 season that was his most prolific.
He was awarded the Michael Tuck Medal as Essendon’s best player in the 1993 Foster’s Cup Grand Final victory against Richmond.
Wanganeen played 18 home and away matches that season as the Bombers won through to the Grand Final after a thrilling come from behind preliminary final win against Adelaide.
The Brownlow Medal count kick started the Grand Final week festivities but, after seven rounds, it was shaping as a quiet night for Wanganeen.
The 20 year old picked up his first votes in round eight and had just seven votes to his name by round 15.
Then a stellar month of football where he picked up 11 votes catapulted him into the lead and he held on to win by one vote from Garry Hocking and Greg Williams.
By the end of the week, Wanganeen had a premiership medal to add to his collection.
He was named in the All-Australian side that year and again in 1995.
A year later, after 127 games with Essendon, Wanganeen decided to return home.
“I went back to play with Port Adelaide being my original club … but I’m grateful to the Essendon Football Club for giving me my first crack at it,” he said.
“I felt like I gave my all for those six years – played in a premiership, won a Brownlow and All-Australians – so I gave my heart and soul.
“I’ve still got red and black blood in me.
“I just love watching the Bombers and always hope they can be up the top there where they should be.
“This Club is one of the great clubs of all time so they really need to get back up there winning premierships where they belong.
“I look forward to those times and I’ll be one of the proudest going around to see that happen – I hope it’s within the next three or four years.”
Wanganeen’s still loves the game and closely follows the progress of the clubs he represented with such distinction.
But during the week painting is where he devotes his energy.
Just like his early years in the AFL, Wanganeen has adapted quickly to the demands of the job and his design was chosen to feature on the Bombers Dreamtime jumper this season.
“I’ve been painting seriously probably over the last six months – I’ve been pretty much full-time," he said.
“I’ve got an exhibition at Federation Square on the 25th of May – that’ll be held there for a week.
“It’s pretty exciting, I’m enjoying my work – it’s new for me but it feels natural with my Indigenous background on my Mum’s side.
“My Grandfather and Great-Grandfather’s journey’s and stories – that’s something I’m looking forward to putting on canvas.”
