AFL 2019: Find out who is your club’s great survivor
It’s tough winning a spot on an AFL list but while few players become club greats and most come and go, there are some who survive the list manager’s axe each season despite many setbacks.
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While most AFL careers are short-lived, there are some players who stick around despite limited opportunities, either through injuries or list depth.
There’s at least one at every club.
Here are the players at your club who have forged lengthy careers without playing many games.
Do you agree? Who have we missed? Have your say in the comments section below.
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ADELAIDE: ANDY OTTEN
Drafted: 2007, Games: 106
In his 12th year at the Crows, Andy Otten’s career has been disrupted by two knee reconstructions which wiped out three complete AFL seasons (2010, 2015 and 2016).
After his second knee injury in Round 20, 2014, Otten waited 960 days for his next match in Round 1, 2017.
He finally reached his 100th game the following season (against Gold Coast in Round 6, 2018), nine years and 317 days after his debut in Round 12, 2008 against Hawthorn, the longest time to reach the 100 milestone in Adelaide’s history.
Ottens, 30, finished runner-up in the 2009 AFL Rising Star award after playing every game that season but he’s played 10 or fewer matches in seven of his previous 11 seasons.
BRISBANE: LINCOLN McCARTHY
Drafted: 2011, Games: 41
The 25-year-old was traded to the Lions after seven injury-riddled seasons at Geelong, which included missing all of 2013 and 2015 to foot injuries.
A combination of groin, back, quad and hip injuries restricted McCarthy to just 27 games at the Cats and the South Australian considered quitting before he offered the move to Brisbane, where he’s played every game this season — his longest uninjured streak — after enjoying an uninterrupted pre-season.
McCarthy booted a career-best four goals in his Lions debut and earned a mark of the year nomination with a spectacular leap against Port Adelaide in Round 3.
CARLTON: ANDREW PHILLIPS
Drafted: 2011, Games: 39
The 203cm ruckman was a member of Greater Western Sydney’s inaugural squad but struggled for regular opportunities.
After 14 games in four seasons at the Giants, Phillips relished a move to Carlton where he managed 16 games working in tandem with Matthew Kreuzer.
Unfortunately, his 2017 pre-season was compromised with a stress reaction in his left foot. He was dropped after playing his sole game in Round 5 before succumbing to the foot injury, and a hamstring injury ended his 2018 campaign.
Although he played just five senior games in 2018, Phillips was leading the Northern Blues’ best-and-fairest before the hamstring setback.
He played the first two games this year after strong pre-season form before he was a late withdrawal with a corked quad, adding just one more game in Round 7 before he was dropped.
He is out of contract at the end of the year.
COLLINGWOOD: MATTHEW SCHARENBERG
Drafted: 2013, Games: 31
The Magpies defender is only 23 but has just recently returned from his third knee reconstruction in the VFL.
Scharenberg has also had operations on both feet which has limited him to just 31 AFL games in six seasons, 17 of which came last year where he displayed outstanding kicking skills and became an intercept marking specialist before his latest career-threatening injury.
ESSENDON: SHAUN McKERNAN
Drafted: 2008, Games: 67
McKernan completed a stunning career revival last year with 16 goals in 10 games, including two hauls of four, as he stood up in the absence of Joe Daniher.
A hamstring injury ended his season but the 28-year-old was rewarded with a two-year contract extension.
His career looked to be on the scrapheap at the end of 2017 after just three games, the sixth straight season in which he played less than nine.
McKernan has been on a rollercoaster at Essendon after he was delisted by Adelaide in 2014.
Given a second chance by the Bombers as a rookie, McKernan was elevated to the senior list in 2016 before he delisted a second time but redrafted as a rookie before starting 2019 on the primary list.
FREMANTLE: HARLEY BENNELL
Drafted: 2011, Games: 83
The Dockers are still praying their persistence with the former Gold Coast midfielder will pay off.
His initial three-year contract returned just two games because of persistent calf injuries and off-field indiscretions, which included being banished to the WAFL after a nightclub incident last year and being kicking off a flight for being intoxicated in 2017 — but Freo kept the faith and handed Bennell a one-year contract extension.
Bennell is closing in on a long-awaited AFL comeback with some outstanding form in the WAFL.
GEELONG: JORDAN CUNICO
Drafted: 2014, Games: 15
The hard-running wingman can’t catch a break after he underwent an ankle reconstruction in April in his latest injury setback.
Knee injuries forced Cunico to wait until his third season for his AFL debut in 2017 before an ankle injury wrecked his year.
He played 10 consecutive games for a total of 14 in 2018, showing enough to potentially earn another contract after this season.
GOLD COAST: TOM NICHOLLS
Drafted: 2010, Games: 45
Forgotten ruckman Nicholls hasn’t been sighted at senior level in more than two seasons, with Jarrod Witts’ arrival from Collingwood and injuries stopping him from adding to his 45-game tally — the last was in Round 20, 2016.
Witts, meanwhile, has already tallied 52 games out of a possible 56 games at the Suns.
Nicholl’s contract ends this season.
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY: MATT BUNTINE
Drafted: 2011, Games: 57
The popular backman finally reached 50 games in his eighth season in last year’s semi-final loss to Collingwood.
Since his return from an ACL injury midway through the 2018 season, Buntine has been a reliable contributor in the the Giants’ defence when called upon.
Sam Reid, meanwhile, has become a key member of the Giants side 11 years after he was first drafted by the Western Bulldogs. He was delisted and joined GWS as an uncontracted player in 2011, then retired at the end of 2013. After two years playing in the VFL and working as a development coach, he was put back on the rookie list. He has played every game this year.
HAWTHORN: RYAN SCHOENMAKERS
Drafted: 2008, Games: 121
Schoenmakers is arguably the greatest survivor of them all and has rebuffed offers from rival clubs to stay loyal to the Hawks, even though he’s had to fight for every game in brown and gold.
After missing the 2014 premiership and despite James Frawley’s arrival, Schoenmakers claimed a much-deserved premiership the following year.
He even fought back from an achilles strain last season to play the seven of Hawthorn’s last eight games, including the semi-final loss to Melbourne.
MELBOURNE: JAY KENNEDY-HARRIS
Drafted: 2013, Games: 35
Kennedy-Harris secured a one-year contract extension after a strong end to 2018 and was unlucky to miss the Demons’ finals campaign.
But after 20 games in the past three season, Kennedy-Harris endured a frustrating start to the year after suffering a nasty leg injury in the JLT Series.
NORTH MELBOURNE: TAYLOR GARNER
Drafted: 2012, Games: 37
The promising forward has battled hamstring injuries for most of his AFL career.
After just 14 senior games from 2014-16, Garner had a breakout season in 2017 with 18 games but his body let him down again last year and he played just six VFL games.
Garner is contracted until the end of 2020.
PORT ADELAIDE: JACK TRENGOVE
Drafted: 2009, Games: 89
The former Melbourne co-captain was given a lifeline by Port Adelaide after the 2017 season, but despite only three games last year was retained for another season.
He’s been a prolific ball winner in the SANFL but is currently out with a leg injury.
Trengove, the No.2 draft pick in the 2009 draft, was burdened with the captaincy at a young age as foot injuries cruelled his Melbourne career.
He is only 27.
RICHMOND: JACOB TOWNSEND
Drafted: 2011, Games: 48
The hard-bodied forward was delisted by the Tigers just 12 months after securing a fairytale premiership.
He was squeezed out of the Tigers’ team before last year’s finals series and then broke his leg in the last VFL game of the season.
Townsend was traded to Richmond from GWS in 2015 for pick 70 in the draft and got his chance in Round 22, 2017, kicking six goals in an unlikely forward role against Fremantle. He kicked five the next week and another five in his three finals as the Tigers made an amazing run to the premiership.
At the end of last season he explored his options as a delisted free agent but the Tigers assured him a spot on their rookie list if no other club signed him.
He had just one kick and two handballs in last week’s loss to Geelong, his only match this year.
ST KILDA: LEWIS PIERCE
Drafted: 2012, Games: 5
The fringe ruckman is fighting for his career in 2019 but was dropped after Round 1 — a total of just five games in his seventh season.
He was delisted by the Saints after 2017 but redrafted as a rookie, then given a one-year contract after playing the last three games of 2018.
SYDNEY: SAM NAISMITH
Drafted: 2013, Games: 28
Started 2017 as the Swans’ he Swans’ No.1 ruckman but his season was hampered by knee and hip injuries.
Naismith missed all of last season after a knee reconstruction and is unlikely to play until the second half of 2019.
WEST COAST: FRASER McINNESS
Drafted: 2011, Games: 14
Can play in the ruck and up forward but has found it difficult breaking in a strong West Coast line-up.
However, his form in the WAFL has been exceptional.
Redrafted as a rookie after the 2017 season.
WESTERN BULLDOGS: LIN JONG
Drafted: 2012, Games: 61
Jong made headlines in 2016 when he toured Collingwood’s facilities mid-season.
Since starring in the VFL grand year that year — and missing out on selection in the AFL decider — Jong has had a wretched run with injuries.
He ruptured his ACL midway through 2017, then broke his collarbone last year and his 2019 season was delayed with a serious hamstring tear which was then followed by having his appendix removed.
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