Full Name: JOHN PITURA
Date of Birth: 21/09/1950
Height: 185 cm ( 6-1 )
Weight: 86 kg ( 13-7 )
Guernsey: 3
Debut: 24/05/1975, Round 8, North Melbourne
Last Game: 10/09/1977, Round SF, North Melbourne
RICHMOND SENIORS
Seasons: 1975-77
Total Games: 40
Total Goals: 24
Honours:
RICHMOND RESERVES
Seasons: 1975, 1977
Total Games: 8
Total Goals: 8
Honours:
BIOGRAPHY
John was a ruck-rover, half-forward and half-back-flanker. He was an outstanding athlete who could have chosen Rugby League, soccer or Australian Rules as his preferred sport. A natural talent, he didn’t play Australian Rules until his mid-teens; however, he quickly picked the game up. He was an exceptionally long kick, possessed excellent ball skills and had very good balance and poise. He played just one season of football with Wagga Tigers before he was recruited by South Melbourne.
He then spent six seasons with South and represented Victoria twice. In 1975 he came to Richmond as part of the much-publicised swap for Francis Jackson, Graham Teasdale and Brian Roberts. He spent three seasons with Richmond where he played his best football in 1976. In 1978, he moved to Sydney team North Shore as playing-coach and immediately made an impact, leading them to Premierships in 1978 and 1979 as well as representing the New South Wales State team. He later moved to Brisbane where he played with Coorparoo for three seasons, before finishing as coach of Mount Gravatt. He now lives in Christchurch, New Zealand. He is the father of Mark Pitura.
PRE RICHMOND
Wagga Tigers 1968, Games 16 ; South Melbourne 1969-74, Games 100, Goals 71 ( Honours - Victorian Representative Team, Games 2 ) ; South Melbourne Reserves 1969, Games 3, Goals 9.
POST RICHMOND
North Shore 1978-80, Games 34, Goals 131 ( Honours - Premiership 1978-79, Captain/Coach 1978-79, Leading Goalkicker 1978 Goals 64, NSW Repesentative Team ) ; Cooparoo 1981-83 ; Mount Gravatt Coach 1984-85, 1987-88.
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