Dylan dipierdomenico
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“I was born to play in Grand Finals,” says Robert DiPierdomenico, somewhat humbly. And play in Grand Finals he surely did. After an inauspicious debut with the Hawks back in 1975, The “Big Dipper”, as he likes to be known, was best afield in the 1978 Grand Final against North Melbourne.
The 20-year-old from Kew had been kicking around the club since 1975, but on September 30, 1978, he hit the big time when he was named on the bench for the Grand Final. He gathered 15 kicks, shot out six handpasses and took six marks – eclipsing the performance of Leigh Matthews.
The legend had been born. He patrolled the wings with flair and with a toughness that became folklore at Glenferrie. He was one of football’s great characters of the 1980’s and one of its fieriest customers.
He will be remembered for his trips to the VFL tribunal just as he will be remembered for winning the 1986 Brownlow Medal with Greg Williams. His courage was underlined in the 1989 Grand Final win over Geelong. He played out the match with a punctured lung, broken ribs and a
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Robert ‘Dipper’ Dipierdomenico
Biography
TOPICS: MC, SPEAKER, MOTIVATIONAL, LIFESTYLE, SPORT After an inauspicious debut with the Hawks back in 1975, Dipper as he likes to be known, was best afield in the 1978 Grand Final against North Melbourne. Dipper developed into a national media personality via his work on Channel 7. He is well known for his role as ‘boundary rider for the network and now continues his work with the network as a panel member of The Sunday Footy Panel with Rex Hunt.
Dipper is also heavily involved with the AFL as the ambassador for their junior development program, Auskick. Dipper’s role includes educating Australia’s youth about Australian Rules Football – a role that takes him to every corner of the nation. Dipper’s energy and enthusiasm will delight all ages. His stories will inspire, motivate, enlighten and will be a talking point at any function. He is a highly recognised speaker and MC. Based in Melbourne, but travels Australia wide.
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Robert DiPierdomenico
Berto "Robert" DiPierdomenico (born 5 May 1958) is a retired Australian rules footballer who represented Hawthorn in the Australian Football League (AFL) from the 1970s to the 1990s. Popularly known by his nickname "Dipper", DiPierdomenico is one of the most successful Italian Australians to play Australian football, and his contribution to the game was recognized by selection in the VFL/AFL Italian Team of the Century.
DiPierdomenico was born in Hawthorn to parents Stefano and Antonietta, who had emigrated to Australia from Abbateggio, Italy. A hyperactive child who suffered from stuttering, Dipper attended numerous schools in Hawthorn and neighbouring areas, including Kew High, where he met his future wife Cheryl Bayley, and Swinburne Tech, where his headmaster was his future Hawthorn coach, John Kennedy Senior. DiPierdomenico began playing football in his early teens for local clubs East Hawthorn and North Kew before signing for VFL club Hawthorn as an eighteen-year-old.