Tasmania’s top 20 AFL/VFL players in 50 years: 5-1
WE finish our coundown of the top 20 AFL/VFL Tasmanian footballers in the past 50 years. Today’s top five are legends of the game. SEE THE VIDEOS
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WE finish our coundown of the top 20 AFL/VFL Tasmanian footballers in the past 50 years. Today’s top five are legends of the game.
5 Nick Riewoldt: Southport, St Kilda. 336 games, 718 goals. Six-time St Kilda Best and Fairest. Five-time All-Australian. AFL Rising Star 2002. AFL MVP Award 2004. St Kilda captain: 2005, 2007—2016.
Hobart-born Riewoldt moved to Queensland with his family as a nine-year-old although he still identifies as a proud Tasmanian, with property and family in the Apple Isle. Marked as a prolific junior talent, he was picked up as the No. 1 draft pick by St Kilda in 2000 and quickly lived up to his reputation, winning the Rising Star Award in 2002. His breakout year was in 2004 where he took a record 256 marks and finished in the top-10 for both the Coleman and Brownlow medals. He also won his first All-Australian selection and the league’s MVP award.
For then on Riewoldt established himself as one of the superstars of the game, known for his remarkable running power, fearless marks and damaging forward play.
In a long career with the Saints he has won nearly every honour but missed out on an elusive premiership, playing in the losing Grand Final of 2009, won by Geelong, and the agonising draw with Collingwood in 2010. The Pies comfortably won the replay a week later.
4 Peter Hudson: New Norfolk, Hawthorn, Glenorchy. 129 games, 727 goals. Four-time Coleman medallist. Hawthorn premiership player. Two-time Hawthorn best and fairest. Two-time All-Australian. Named in the Team of the Century for the AFL, Hawthorn and Tasmania.
Hudson was recruited to the Hawks in 1966 as a 20-year-old and by that time had already notched up a remarkable 378 goals in 78 games for New Norfolk. The goalkicking record continued for the Hawks, topping his team’s tally for the next five years.
“Huddo” was a remarkable performer with an uncanny ball and goal sense. He made brilliant use of the body, was deadly accurate and had an amazing ability to read the play.
His 5.59 goals per game average is still the best strike rate in VFL/AFL history. He injured a knee at the height of his powers in Round 1, 1972 and missed almost four seasons, most of them spent in Tasmania. He returned to Hawthorn in 1977 and kicked 110 goals in 24 games. Hudson shares the VFL season’s most goals record (150 in 1971) and famously kicked into the mark trying to break the record in the 1971 Grand Final. Hudson kicked 16 goals in one game against Melbourne in 1969.
3 Royce Hart: Clarence, Richmond. 187 games, 369 goals. Four-time premiership player with Richmond. Named in the Team of the Century for the AFL, Richmond and Tasmania. Richmond captain 1972-1975. Two-time Richmond best and fairest. All-Australian, 1969.
Hart was natural athlete who held a junior high school high jump record for 20 years. He was invited to play in the Clarence under-17s in 1964 but because of a mix-up ended up training with the under-19s team where he played against bigger bodies. His performances won the attention of Richmond scouts. The Tigers deal was sealed in 1966 with a new suit and six shirts, after his mother complained he didn’t have enough proper clothing for work.
Hart was a gifted and courageous player with superb pack-marking skills and a trademark of leaping in from the side. He was a long left-foot kick and was quick and agile on the ground. He was a wonderful centre half-forward who played in four flags.
Injuries struck towards the end of his career. Named in Australian football’s Team of the Century, Hart played for Victoria just a few weeks after his VFL debut and kicked seven goals. Won the 1969 flag year best and fairest despite national service posting interstate.
2 Ian Stewart: Hobart, St Kilda, Richmond. 205 games, 80 goals. Triple Brownlow Medallist. Premiership player with St Kilda and Richmond. Two-time St Kilda best and fairest. Best and fairest with Richmond. All-Australian. St Kilda Captain. Team of the Century for AFL, St Kilda and Richmond. Hall of Fame for AFL, St Kilda and Richmond.
Despite his decorated career with St Kilda, Stewart had paid his own way to Melbourne in an attempt to get into the VFL. St Kilda believed he needed another year in Tasmania to develop but he leveraged the interest of the other clubs and St Kilda signed the 19-year-old in 1963.
A player with a blend of skill, concentration and bravery, Stewart was a deadly left-foot kick with great poise. He was strong overhead, and backed into packs with great courage. Stewart had a marvellous understanding with Darrel Baldock and regarded ‘The Doc’ as the pinnacle of footballers.
1 Darrel Baldock: East Devonport, Latrobe, St Kilda. 119 games, 237 goals. AFL Hall of Fame legend. AFL, St Kilda, Tasmanian Teams of the Century. Three-time St Kilda best and fairest. Premiership captain with St Kilda. All Australian captain, 1966.
Baldock debuted as 16-year-old for East Devonport and won best and fairest award in his first year. He later coached Latrobe at age 20 and played for Tassie at 18. He did not play his first game for St Kilda until the age of 23 years seven months and by then he had already been a national carnival All-Australian and dominated in interstate and intrastate matches. Baldock, known as ‘Mr Magic’ and ‘The Doc’, he possessed unbelievable ball control, balance, strength and anticipation. He distributed efficiently on both sides of his body and was a great mark.
In 1966 he won a premiership, was Victorian and All-Australian captain, won most major media awards and finished third in the Brownlow Medal.
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