Dave Anderson began rowing with the Leichhardt Rowing Club in Sydney in 1949. Just one year later Anderson was part of the crew that became state champions in the senior fours, repeating the feat in 1951. His impressive performances earned him a place on the Australian rowing team for the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, where he won bronze in the eight. Two years later he went to Vancouver for the British Empire and Commonwealth Games, winning gold in the coxed fours and bronze in the coxless pairs. Anderson, who was now a mainstay for the NSW team at the King’s Cup, was again selected for the Olympics in 1956. This time he rowed in the coxless fours at the Melbourne Games, reaching the semi-finals via the repêchage. His daughter Wendy Laidlaw represented Australia in basketball at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
Australia