Nathan Chapman (1993 - 1997)

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Pick 2 in the 1992 National Draft (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992_AFL_Draft)

http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/8004/nathanchapman1.jpg

Merrett-Murray medal results:

1997: 25th (4 votes)

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Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Chapman_%28footballer%29)

Nathan Chapman (born 7 May 1975) was a former Australian rules footballer who had a short career in the Australian Football League before a brief stint as an American Football punter. At the time, he was one of few Australians to be contracted at the top level in both the AFL and NFL.

Chapman was selected in the 1992 AFL Draft at pick 2 by the struggling Brisbane Bears, from Kangaroo Flat. The Bears outfit, short of key defenders used the lightly built 188 cm tall Chapman at full back against many of the game's power forwards in his first few seasons. Having been occasionally humiliated in key positions and taking some time to bulk up his body, Chapman was often tried in the forward line with some success.

After injury and inconsistent form, he was traded in 1997 to the Hawthorn Hawks having played just 49 games for the Bears and 11 with the Lions.

http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/3705/nathanchapman.jpg

Career statistics:

afl tables (http://stats.rleague.com/afl/stats/players/N/Nathan_Chapman.html)
footywire (http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pg-hawthorn-hawks--nathan-chapman?year=1994)

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Coodabeens (http://www.coodabeens.com.au/chapman.html)

A junior champion with Kangaroo Flat in the Bendigo League. Brisbane won the race to draft NC with 1992 national draft pick 2. Second only to Drew Banfield. The Queensland club gave their exciting import the number 5 guernsey previously worn by Brad Hardie and Rod Owen. Chappie was 188 centimetres and 78 kilograms, a wiry physique similar to Michael Tuck.

The Brisbane youngster was thrown into the deep end during his debut season. Because he could play tall Nathan held down full back lining up against heavyweight full forwards such as 'Plugger' and Dunstall and Ablett. The Chap often backed his judgement and ran down the ground to supply goals or sometimes score them himself.

Injuries robbed Chapo of his best years as a footballer. Like the legendary NASCAR driver the late 'Fireball' Roberts he hit the proverbial wall.

http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/3705/nathanchapman.jpg

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Trade to Hawthorn (http://www.lions.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/5085/newsid/103664/default.aspx)

1997

Brad Scott and draft selection 51 (Scott Ralph)
from Hawthorn for John Barker, Nathan Chapman and draft selection 42 (Matthew Dennis)

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/8915/nathanchapman2.jpg

[Dylan12]

And now a prominent American Football punting coach for budding Australian punters.

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Prokick Australia (http://prokickaustralia.com/the-prokick-team)

Nathan Chapman’s history includes 8 years as a professional AFL player with two teams - Brisbane and Hawthorn. In 2004 he signed a contract with the Green Bay Packers.
Nathan prides himself on providing the best technical coaching program in Australia that will give his students an edge in this highly competitive industry.

He fully assesses each student and tailors the program to benefit each one and fully maximise their ability – to make them the best punter they can be and enable them to confidently compete for those college or NFL roster spots.

Training a young man from Australia and developing him to be the best first year player in America in College, after training him for 12 months, shows the quality of our training.

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/8915/nathanchapman2.jpg

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[/URL][URL="http://www.afana.com/netpaper/mar30-70677.html"]Chapman signs with Green Bay (http://www.afana.com/netpaper/mar30-70677.html)

Chapman's signing, in part due to Hawthorn's visit to the Packers late last year, was announced on the Packers' website, which described him as a "6-foot-2, 190-pound (188cm, 86kg) punter . . . with control, leg strength and hand-eye co-ordination." Already they have assigned him jumper No. 2.

Chapman, 28, born in Kangaroo Flats near Bendigo in northern Victoria, was picked at No.2 by Brisbane in the 1992 AFL draft. He was considered one of the sport's brightest young prospects, winning the Rising Star Award.

Chapman played 60 games with Brisbane from 1993 to 1997 before struggling with a series of injuries. He then switched to Hawthorn, where he played another 16 games from 1998 to 2000 before retiring. In 2001, he began serious pursuit of an NFL audition. In the meantime, he played from 2000-02 for an Australian Rules club team, Mt. Gravatt. A prodigious kicker of the ball -- he won the Sunkick final in the early '90s.

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/3705/nathanchapman.jpg

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Link (http://www.footystamps.com/orig_america.htm) ....

Nathan Chapman, signed a contract with the Green Bay Packers for 2004 but did not play any games.

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Link (http://www.lions.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/5085/newsid/53904/default.aspx)

Brisbane Lions' first ever team (1997):

B: Ben Robbins Richard Champion Danny Dickfos
HB: Michael McLean Jarrod Molloy Andrew Gowers
C: Matthew Kennedy Adrian Fletcher Nigel Lappin
HF: Scott McIvor Dion Scott Michael Voss (c)
F: Darryl White Alastair Lynch (c) Chris Johnson
R: Matthew Clarke Marcus Ashcroft Shaun Hart
I/C: Justin Leppitsch Clark Keating Tristan Lynch

Emer: Nathan Chapman Simon Hawking
Scott Bamford Shane Clayton

Brisbane Lions' first ever finals team (1997):

B: Chris Johnson Alastair Lynch (c) Danny Dickfos
HB: Andrew Gowers Dion Scott Darryl White
C: Scott Bamford Adrian Fletcher Tristan Lynch
HF: Steven Lawrence Justin Leppitsch Nigel Lappin
F: Nick Trask Daniel Bradshaw Jason Akermanis
R: Matthew Clarke Shaun Hart Marcus Ashcroft
I/C: Craig Lambert Ben Robbins Nathan Chapman

Emer: Brett Voss Chris Scott Shane Clayton

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Rising Star nomination: Nathan Chapman (http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/133811)
Footy Record 1993
Round 4, page 46

The good judges have been barking Nathan Chapman's name for a couple of years. There was no doubting he'd make it into league football. So it was no surprise that Chapman was the No. 2 pick at the National Draft last December — chosen by the Brisbane Bears with their first selection.

In his third game with the Bears last Sunday, Chapman was one of the best in the club's win Against Melbourne at the Gabba. Chapman, cool and balanced and well suited to a half-back role, is only 17. He has played in the Victorian Country Commonwealth Bank Teal Cup team for the past two years — and before that played in the National Schoolboys' Championships at under-15 level. Last year he played with Kangaroo Flat in the Bendigo League in country Victoria.

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/8915/nathanchapman2.jpg