Darryl Cowie, the 6ft 4 ruckman and defender who played at Tigerland from 1986-1987, has died. He was 62.
Cowie died on December 19 after a long illness. His death was announced by the St Kilda Football Club.
After 40 games with Central District (1979-81) and 56 games with St Kilda (1982-85), Cowie transferred to Richmond midway through the 1986 season.
In his two seasons at Tigerland, Cowie played seven senior games and 13 reserves games, interrupted with hamstring and knee injuries.
Cowie was on Richmond’s radar as early as April 1986 when, according to the club minutes, he was “a strong recommendation from the Match Committee” to be recruited.
He was elevated into our senior team after just one game in the Reserves.
“Being put off the list by St Kilda is not the greatest reference for a footballer, but Daryl (sic) Cowie has fought back from that ignominious position to get a game with Richmond,” The Age newspapers wrote on May 30 1986.
Cowie’s Richmond debut was a baptism of fire. Wearing number 26, his opponents included Gary Ablett in Geelong’s 16-point victory in the high-scoring Round 10 clash at Kardinia Park.
Cowie's Richmond debut. Footy Record from Rhett Bartlett collection.
In 1987 he played against West Coast in their first match in the then VFL, and in the return game in Round 14 at the MCG received a Brownlow Medal vote for his 16 possessions and one goal. The vision of his goal is below.
Off-field Cowie was a designer and installer of major public works of art, memorials and lighting features including the Australian Corps Memorial in France, the James Turrell Skyspace in Roxbury, Connecticut, the National Police Memorial in Canberra, and the Indian Ocean Tsunami Memorial in Kings Park.
