Past player - Alex Ishchenko (1987 - 1988)

[Miguel Sanchez]

Alex Ishchenko​

​

DOB: 20/4/1964

Height: 201cm

Weight: 110 kg

Playing number: 26

Arrived: As a foundation pick in 1986, from East Perth

Debut: Round 1, 1987 vs Richmond – 8th Eagles player.

Games: 30

Goals: 10

Departed: Traded to Brisbane at the end of the 1988 season for pick 2 (Todd Breman).

A man-mountain of a ruckman, Alex Ishchenko was recruited from East Perth as part of West Coast’s inaugural squad, and played in the club’s first ever game against Richmond. He played 18 games in that first season, splitting the ruck duties with Laurie Keene.

The following year he played 12 games, missing the second half of the season. At the end of the season he was traded to the Brisbane Bears for the second pick in the national draft.

The big Russian played 42 games in three seasons at Brisbane before shifting to North Melbourne, where he played another 70 games before retiring in 1995. He finished his career on 142 games.

Where is he now? Ishchenko remained in Melbourne where he is a director of a brand agency.

 

[UpForGrabs]

Awesome.

Big Alex was my favourite 1987 Eagle. Since he was an East Perth man and knew my Mum (who worked for the Royals), he took me onto the ground during warm-ups of the 1987 match at the WACA vs Carlton. Got me a heap of signatures that night.

Gutted when he left, hindsight suggests we were mad to get rid of him, especially since Todd Breman did 2/10ths of stuff all for us and Laurie Keene was always injured, leaving us with the mighty ruck combo of David O'Connell and Peter Higgins backing up Phil Scott for chunks of 1989.

 

[kane249]

I though him and Zanotti were moved on due to their wild party boy reputations though?

 

[UpForGrabs]

Probably not far from the truth.

Strange if true, considering one Chris Mainwaring stayed well and truly on the list.

 

[Father Jack]

Was shattered when he and Zanotti left.

 

[The Speaker]

 

[mattyc75]

Was shattered when he and Zanotti left.

yep they were awesome.I prefer a lot of the players we had back then to todays mob