List Player been on a club list but played very few games

[Bunk Moreland]

Five seasons with Sydney (2007-2011), a year in the SANFL with North Adelaide, then three seasons with North Melbourne (2013-2015), and a year with the Gold Coast (2016). Was always a main list played (never rookie listed), but didn't make his AFL debut until his 7th season on a list. Not contracted for next year, but was probably the Suns' best ruckman this year in the limited exposure he got, so might go around again next year.

I made a thread a long time ago called 'Players Who Missed Numerous Games Through Injury or Poor Form', which tries to document some of the great list-cloggers and injury-prone hangers-on the game has seen, but I haven't updated it in ages, and there's certainly a lot of names that could be added to it now.

One that always gets me is Dean Wallis. Played 127 of a possible 353 games (including finals) (35.98% of club games) in 15 seasons with Essendon (1987-2001). Played in two flags (1993, 2000), and was known for being a tough "enforcer", but never amassed 20 disposals in a single game, and it took beyond half way into his 13th season for his only 4 goal performance. Also had five separate seasons where he played two or less senior games (1990, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2001), and another three where he played less than 10 senior games (1989, 1991, 1993), and played more than 13 games in a season just twice (1999, 2000), in his 13th and 14th seasons. Bizarre career at senior level, to say the least. Would love to know how many games he racked up at Reserves level (or what major injuries he had that held him back), and what his form was like there, but obviously this info is nearly non-existent.

Very much a Sheedy favourite. There would’ve been plenty of times he could (should) have been delisted but Sheedy liked his agricultural tough defenders and always kept him around.

He was dropped often, a bit of a “horses for courses” player. Sheedy would bring him in when he thought there was a bit of a harder edge required against teams. A good example is 93 grand final... it’s the only final he played and he probably didn’t have much business being in the side, though he pretty clearly had a job to do - ironing out Mil Hanna and giving away 4 frees tells the story - and he did it.

Also, much of his career was before the AFL really restricted list sizes, so clubs could afford to be more generous with keeping players around.

 

[Aeglos]

Brad Smith spent two years on Richmond's list (1996-1997) then the next three years on Collingwood's list. After 5 years he finally cracked it for his debut in Round 12 2000 and was never seen at senior level again.

Iirc ended up on WC list as well at some stage? (Unless there’s another Brad Smith).

Surely this should be called the Daniel McAlister thread.
Sheedy special taken with pick 5 that played 6 games in 6 years.

 

[Teagueeee15]

Iirc ended up on WC list as well at some stage? (Unless there’s another Brad Smith).

Surely this should be called the Daniel McAlister thread.
Sheedy special taken with pick 5 that played 6 games in 6 years.

Different Brad Smith. The Collingwood/Richmond is remembered for playing at full back on Fevola in the millennium match and not much else in the AFL.

The Eagles one won the goal kicking in the WAFL, but kept doing his ACL once the Eagles drafted him. I don’t think he ever played a game and they actually changed to rookie list rules after he finished up to remove the under 23 age restriction. West coast tried to seek approval to rookie him, but the AFL said no and changed the rules shortly after anyway.

 

[Aeglos]

Different Brad Smith. The Collingwood/Richmond is remembered for playing at full back on Fevola in the millennium match and not much else in the AFL.

The Eagles one won the goal kicking in the WAFL, but kept doing his ACL once the Eagles drafted him. I don’t think he ever played a game and they actually changed to rookie list rules after he finished up to remove the under 23 age restriction. West coast tried to seek approval to rookie him, but the AFL said no and changed the rules shortly after anyway.

Yup, turns out it was the Richmond/Collingwood Smith that ended up at Balwyn (which is where I recognised the name)