Cunningham was originally recruited from Golden Point in Ballarat on match permits, but was given a clearance to play the 1978 VFL season.
Originally wearing number 25 for St Kilda, he was asked to give it up for former Carlton great, Alex Jesaulenko, who had left the Blues in 1980 – after coaching the 1979 premiership – to captain-coach the Saints.
His rivalry with the young Swan, David Rhys-Jones, was highly anticipated in the days of one-on-one match-ups.
With champion Trevor Barker regularly missing games through chronic injury, Cunningham was often the only Saint selected to play for Victoria.
It coincided with coach and legend, Darrel Baldock's decision to step aside after battling health problems.