Shinboner number: 6
Guernsey number: 5
Born: April 3, 1904
Died: January 22, 1942
Occupation: Striker/ Labourer
North Melbourne games: 7 (1925-26)
Goals: 12

The youngest of seven children born to Emma (nee Williams) and William Goonan. Born in Hotham, he joined North Melbourne Juniors and then had two games with North Melbourne VFA in 1924, kicking two goals.

Playing his first game for North in the forward pocket in the club's first VFL game in Round 1, 1925 against Geelong, Goonan has the distinction of kicking the first-ever goal at League level for North. He followed that up two weeks later by kicking four goals against Fitzroy and was named as the best of the forwards.

He had a further five games in 1925 but was only selected once in 1926, in Round 3 against Melbourne FC at the MCG, when five players were injured or rested.

Living in Red Cliffs, Victoria, working as a labourer in a co-op yard, at the age of 36 in 1940 he enlisted in the Army in World War Two in Mildura, Victoria, ranked as a Private. He was posted to Singapore and after being involved in fierce fighting on the west coast of Malaya, Goonan was reported as missing. Injured, he surrendered and was killed in what was known as the Parit Sulong Massacre, one of 110 men whose bodies were never found.

He is memorialised on the Singapore Memorial, Column 130.