Tony Zappia (Makin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I take this opportunity to pay tribute to Don Lindner, a legendary Australian Rules footballer and a South Australian icon. Sadly, Don Lindner passed away suddenly on New Year’s Eve while celebrating with his wife Jan and some friends. He was 73 years of age. Don Lindner began his league football career in 1954, aged 19, with the North Adelaide Football Club. He retired from league football in 1970 and at that stage had played around 289 league games, including having represented South Australia 16 times. Amongst his many football achievements, he was a joint winner of the 1967 Magarey Medal. He was selected for the all-Australian side of 1961, he captained North Adelaide from 1963 to 1969 and he also coached the team from 1963 to 1966. In 2002, Don was an inaugural inductee into the South Australian Football Hall of Fame.

Don Lindner was particularly renowned for his sensational high marking. In speaking at his funeral, South Australia’s greatest footballer, Barrie Robran, remarked that, in his opinion, Don Lindner was the best high marker to play the sport. I know that anyone who has seen Don Lindner play would not disagree with that statement.

Football today has changed markedly from the way it was played in the 1950s and 1960s, so it is very difficult to draw comparisons between footballers of that era and footballers of today. I have no doubt, however, that if there had been a national football competition similar to the AFL when Don Lindner was playing, his would be a household name not only in South Australia but throughout Australia. Don Lindner was a dominant character both on the field and off the field. To quote Graham Cornes in the Adelaide Advertiser on 3 January 2009:

Never was there a character larger than life itself, more confident in his ability and more striking in his persona … You knew when Don was in the room.

People looked up to Don Lindner, both literally and metaphorically. To many he was affectionately referred to ‘Sir Donald’ or simply ‘the Don’. Off the field, Don Lindner was a successful livestock agent, managing the family business known as the House of Lindner. Through that business, he also became a South Australian identity in the livestock and farming communities. He continued to manage the business until the end. It became clear from listening to the many speakers at his funeral service that Don Lindner enjoyed life to the full and, equally, brought so much enjoyment to others. He entertained football fans and inspired young footballers, including the great Barrie Robran, who I understand went to North Adelaide from Whyalla in 1966 as a young, promising footballer to play with his then football hero.

On Friday, 9 January, Don Lindner was given a fitting send-off with around 1,500 people, including many distinguished South Australians, attending his funeral service at Immanuel College. To his wife Jan, his family members and his colleagues and supporters at the North Adelaide Football Club, I extend my sympathies and express my personal sadness at the passing of Don Lindner.