COWARD, Ernie

Ernie "Sonny" Coward was a talented and speedy wingman from West Perth where he played in 1936 and 1937.

He stood out of football in 1938, with Wally Buttsworth, so that he could play with Essendon.

Coward was runner-up in Essendon's Best and Fairest award in 1944. He was also one of Essendon best players on the wing in the 1942 premiership victory.

He was selected in the State side in 1945.

A very consistent performer, Coward was third top Essendon vote scorer in the Brownlow Medal in 1940 and won Essendon Most Serviceable Player award in 1943.

When he left Essendon, he played with Maryborough from 1946 to 1948 and was captain-coach of Scottsdale in Tasmania in 1949.

Coward later returned to live in Western Australia and died there on 5th April, 1985.