Ernie Coward

Ernie "Sonny" Coward was an Australian rules footballer who played for Essendon in the Victorian Football League.
Coward was originally from West [Perth Football Club|West Perth] and along with his teammate Wally Buttsworth had to spend the 1938 season on the sidelines while waiting for a clearance to Essendon.
He soon established himself as a wingman in Dick Reynolds's strong Essendon side of the early 1940s and appeared in three consecutive VFL Grand Finals in 1941, 1942 and 1943, with a premiership in 1942.
The Western Australian was runner-up in the 1944 Essendon W. S. [Crichton Medal|Best and Fairest] count.
A VFL representative in 1945, Coward played a total of 11 finals matches with Essendon during his career.
Tasmanian club Scottsdale secured his services as captain-coach in 1949, after he had played three seasons at Maryborough.