Gordon Maffina Explained

Gordon Maffina
Fullname:Gordon Louis Charles Maffina
Birth Date:10 January 1926
Birth Place:Boulder, Western Australia
Death Place:Nedlands, Western Australia
Originalteam:Boulder City
Statsend:1958
Years1:1948–1958
Club1:Claremont
Games Goals1:114 (29)

Gordon Louis Charles 'Sonny' Maffina (10 January 1926 – 10 September 1991) was an Australian rules footballer who played 114 games for Claremont in the West Australian National Football League (WANFL) from 1948 to 1958.

Centreman Gordon Maffina, nicknamed Sonny, arrived at Claremont from Goldfields National Football League club Boulder City. He made an immediate impact at Claremont with a Sandover Medal win in 1949 as well as being awarded his club's Best and fairest.[1] [2] [3] [4]

He represented Western Australia at the 1950 Brisbane Carnival where he was a Simpson Medalilst and appeared in a total of eight interstates matches for his state.

Appointed captain-coach of Claremont in 1952 after captaining them the previous year, Maffina remained in the role until the end of the 1953 season. He continued on as a player, returning briefly as captain-coach in 1957, but suffered from niggling injuries towards the end of his career and retired in 1958. When Claremont took out the 1964 premiership he was the assistant coach.[5]

Notes and References

  1. Book: John P. Devaney. Full Points Footy's WA Football Companion. 22 May 2013. 2008. Lulu.com. 978-0-9556897-1-0. 178.
  2. News: Stars of the league . . LXVIII . 23,519 . Western Australia . 29 August 1950 . 22 June 2021 . 15 (Final) . National Library of Australia.
  3. News: Another in our series of Football Stars . . Western Australia . 20 August 1953 . 22 June 2021 . 1 (Supplement - "Another in the series of football stars - "Sonny" Maffina") . National Library of Australia.
  4. News: FOOTBALL NARROW MEDAL WIN FOR MAFFINA . . 65 . 19,708 . Western Australia . 15 September 1949 . 22 June 2021 . 18 . National Library of Australia.
  5. Book: East, Alan. The Sandover Medal Men. 163–168. 0-9775813-0-6. 2006. Alan East .