Darren Millane

Darren Millane (9 August 1965 – 7 October 1991) was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Millane died in a car accident at the age of 26, only a year after starring in the Magpies' drought-breaking premiership.

Early life Darren Millane was one of three sons born to Robert Joseph Millane and his wife Denise. His brothers, John and Sean, also played football for Dandenong.

He grew up in the suburb of Noble Park and attended Coomoora Secondary and Chandler High (both now part of Keysborough Secondary College).

Football career Millane debuted for Dandenong in the VFA in 1982. Millane was considered by both Sydney and St Kilda for a spot on their club list. Yet it was Hawthorn that won the chance, with Millane initially training at Glenferrie Oval with the Hawks, but did not like the atmosphere and went back to captain Dandenong in the Victorian Football Association. Collingwood snapped him up and Millane liked what he saw, and his football career came along nicely, debuting in 1984, aged 19.

In 1987, Millane won the best-and-fairest award. He found his place on the wing and was a footballer known for his toughness and attitude towards the game. He was most likely the recipient on the end of the kick-outs because of his strength. Although his skills were occasionally poor, at his best he found and used the football well, becoming a favourite to fans at Victoria Park.

In 1990, the premiership-drought-breaking year for the Magpies, Millane was at his peak. He won the AFL Players Association MVP Award, was selected in the AFL Team of the Year for the first time; and came second in Collingwood's best and fairest; but it was his finals campaign that was recognised. He broke his thumb just before the series, but continued to play with painkillers during the campaign. In the 1990 Grand Final, against Essendon, he had 24 touches and ended up throwing the ball up in the air as the siren went at 5:11 pm to end Collingwood's 32-year drought on 6 October.

Career highlights

Collingwood best and fairest 1987 Collingwood runner-up best and fairest 1990 AFL Team of the Year 1990 Leigh Matthews Trophy 1990 Collingwood premiership side 1990 Collingwood Team of the Century member

Death

On 7 October 1991, Millane was killed in a car crash while intoxicated. In the early morning of the day, he was driving on Queens Road, near Albert Park Lake, before he clipped a semi-trailer and rolled his car, being killed instantly. The autopsy revealed his blood alcohol content was 0.322 — almost six-and-a-half times the legal driving limit of 0.05. However, as of 2023, the number has remained unused.