William Gordon "Cocker" Strang (10 February 1908 – 8 October 1951) was an Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football League for the Richmond Football Club between 1931 and 1936.
Family He was the son of Bill Strang, who played for South Melbourne between 1904 and 1913 (and was South Melbourne's leading goal-kicker in 1913)AFL Statistics: Bill Strang
He was the brother of Richmond premiership player Doug Strang and uncle of dual Richmond premiership player Geoff Strang and 1967 Tiger's premiership player John Perry. His (and Doug's) other brothers, Colin Strang and Allan StrangAFL Statistics: Allan Strang. also played VFL football: for St Kilda (2 games, 1933), and South Melbourne (15 games, 1947–1948),Former N.S.W. Rules Stars, The Sydney Morning Herald, (Saturday, 19 June 1948), p.9.South Player at Williamstown, The Argus, (Monday 11 April 1949), p.13. respectively.
Football Strang first came under notice when he kicked 10 goals for Jindera FC in the Albury & Border Football Association, in 1927.
After a year in Tasmania as captain-coach of North Launceston, he returned to Richmond, and played all of Richmond's 18 matches in the 1938 season, scoring 6 goals.
He then transferred to Wodonga as captain-coach in 1939.
Richmond Along with his brother Doug (who was selected at full-forward), he made his debut for Richmond in the first round of the 1931 season, on 2 May 1931, at centre half-back; The Argus commented that, on debut, he had "showed grit" and had "kicked well".Football: Great Last Quarter: Richmond's Recovery at Carlton, The Argus, (Monday, 4 May 1931), pp.
North Launceston In 1937 he coached North Launceston to runner-up position in the Northern Tasmanian Football Association; and, despite rumours to the contrary, he did not apply for the position of coach in the 1938 season.Strang in Melbourne: Probably Available to Play with Richmond, The Mercury, (Wednesday, 16 February 1938), p.13.Football: Strang Was Not Applicant, The Mercury, (Tuesday, 25 January 1938), p.9.
Richmond He returned to play for Richmond in 1938;Strang, Crowe Cleared, The Argus, (Saturday, 23 April 1938), p.15. and he played in each of Richmond's 18 games that season.
Wodonga In May 1939, Strang took over the Railway Hotel in Wodonga and Richmond cleared him to Wodonga.League and V.F.A.: Question of Clearances, The Argus, (Thursday, 18 May 1939), p.26.
Strang polled the most votes in the 1939 Ovens and Murray Football League Best & Fairest Award, the Morris Medal, but was suspended by the O&MFL Tribunal during the season. He went onto win the Morris Medal in 1940. He also won Wodonga's best and fairest in 1939 and 1940.Senior Best & Fairest
In 1939 he coached Wodonga in a losing Grand Final against an Albury team that was coached by his brother, Doug.Jones, H., "Footy club pays tribute to hero", The Border Mail, (25 April 2006).
The Ovens and Murray Football League premiers in 1939 was the Albury Football Club.
Death He collapsed at his residence in Wodonga on 8 October 1951 and, later that day, died at Albury Hospital."Gordon Strang Collapses and Dies", The Border Morning Mail, (8 October 1951) p. 1."Death of Gordon Strong Saddens Admirers", The (Emerald Hill) Record, (13 October 1951), p. 3."Funeral of Mr W. G. Strang", The Border Morning Mail, (16 October 1951), p. 2.
Footnotes
References Hogan P: The Tigers of Old, Richmond FC, Melbourne 1996
External links
1930 - East Albury FC team photo