Remove this Banner Ad

Oldest Player in the AFL

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

Log in to remove this Banner Ad

Dustin Fletcher will make the top 20 oldest players of all time this year but he won't beat Paul Salmon, falls short by a hundred odd days..

If Essendon happened to reach the Preliminary Final, he'd go past Jock McHale into #16. If he plays the R23 match he'll be just behind him at #17.
 
I wouldn't think there'd be too many times in the past where a player is older than a non-playing coach.

Dustin Fletcher is nearly a year older than both Brad and Chris Scott (Fletcher was born on 7/5/1975, and Brad and Chris were both born on 3/5/1976).
 
I wouldn't think there'd be too many times in the past where a player is older than a non-playing coach.

Fletcher has been younger than a coach involved in the same game 7 times - Michael Voss (3 occurrences), Brad Scott (2), Chris Scott and Jade Rawlings. Prior to this, both Brett Kirk and Michael O'Loughlin were older than Richmond caretaker coach Rawlings in 2009.

Total occurrences: 4104

2000+ 49
1990's 107
1980's 375
1970's 65
1960's 248
1950's 117
1940's 234
1930's 580
1920's 1696
1910's 589
1900's 44

Most occurrences for player: Barry Round (61, WB/Sy), Paddy Scanlan (56, Sy/WB), Kevin Bartlett (51, Ri), Mark Tandy (50, Sy), Jack Williams (45, Ge).

Most occurrences for coach: Charlie Pannam (672, Sy), Bert Taylor (390, Ge), Gordon Rattray (265, Me/Fi), Allan Jeans (177, St/Ha/Ri), George Holden (162, Fi).

(NB Players can accrue two occurrences in one game, while coaches might be younger than several players in the same game.)

There are 156 occurrences of a player being older than both non-playing coaches, the last in R14 1984 in the case of the Bulldogs' Bruce Duperouzel/Mick Malthouse & Robert Walls.

Bert Taylor (Ge) was younger than 27 players v Carlton in R9, 1923. Gerry Donnelly (NM) was younger than 27 players v Essendon in R12, 1926.
 
What are recent examples of a player being older than his own coach?

Richo/Rawlings?

Richo didn't play under Rawlings.

There are 9,840 known cases in all (birthdates are unknown for a handful of early VFL players and coaches), of which 7,949 involved a playing coach. The most recent examples are:

Code:
Year Rd Cb Player            Age   Coach          Age
-------------------------------------------------------
2001 21 Fr Kickett, Dale   33y114d Allan, Ben   32y315d
2001 20 Fr Kickett, Dale   33y107d Allan, Ben   32y308d
2001 19 Fr Kickett, Dale   33y100d Allan, Ben   32y301d
2001 18 Fr Kickett, Dale   33y 92d Allan, Ben   32y293d
2001 17 Fr Kickett, Dale   33y 85d Allan, Ben   32y286d
2001 16 Fr Kickett, Dale   33y 78d Allan, Ben   32y279d
2001 15 Fr Kickett, Dale   33y 71d Allan, Ben   32y272d
2001 14 Fr Kickett, Dale   33y 65d Allan, Ben   32y266d
2001 13 Fr Kickett, Dale   33y 57d Allan, Ben   32y258d
2001 12 Fr Kickett, Dale   33y 43d Allan, Ben   32y244d
2001 11 Fr Kickett, Dale   33y 37d Allan, Ben   32y238d
2001 10 Fr Kickett, Dale   33y 30d Allan, Ben   32y231d
1993  5 Sy Carroll, Dennis 32y168d Scott, Brett 31y 14d
1991  9 St Krakouer, Jim   32y218d Sheldon, Ken 31y139d
1991  8 St Krakouer, Jim   32y211d Sheldon, Ken 31y132d
1991  6 St Krakouer, Jim   32y196d Sheldon, Ken 31y117d
 
2012 will be Fletcher's fourth season as the AFL's oldest player. The others who've held this title for four seasons are Robert Harvey, Craig Bradley, Michael Tuck, Kevin Murray, Ted Whitten and Charlie Forbes. Forbes was the oldest in 1898 and 1900-02, but was pipped in 1899 by Joe Kerrigan's solitary appearance.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

2012 will be Fletcher's fourth season as the AFL's oldest player. The others who've held this title for four seasons are Robert Harvey, Craig Bradley, Michael Tuck, Kevin Murray, Ted Whitten and Charlie Forbes. Forbes was the oldest in 1898 and 1900-02, but was pipped in 1899 by Joe Kerrigan's solitary appearance.

I will miss the "old boy" when he goes, when he is playing my team The Swans, I am always saying "bloody Fletcher"... yes I will miss those long arms and legs. Very good player. Felt the same about Richo for Richmond "bloody Richo", even the Richmond supporters said it..lol. Great blokes.
 
I will miss the "old boy" when he goes, when he is playing my team The Swans, I am always saying "bloody Fletcher"... yes I will miss those long arms and legs. Very good player. Felt the same about Richo for Richmond "bloody Richo", even the Richmond supporters said it..lol. Great blokes.

I think his official coaching role this year is a strong indication it might be his last go at it this year.

Geez I'll miss him; I'm over thirty years old and only have those vague, kid memories of when he wasn't playing.
 
I think his official coaching role this year is a strong indication it might be his last go at it this year.

Geez I'll miss him; I'm over thirty years old and only have those vague, kid memories of when he wasn't playing.

I did not know about the coaching role, then I would say you are right about this being his last year. He is like an institution you are reassured that he is always there. I will miss yelling at him and then laughing.
 
He was still on the list at the time though.

Sure, but my data only relates to senior match days, i.e. the player's and coach's age on the day. There'd be no way of knowing exactly when some past players retired after playing their final game mid-season, and thus whether they were technically "coached" by a caretaker coach.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Oldest Player in the AFL


Write your reply...

Remove this Banner Ad

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

Back
Top