Almanac Teams: What’s six times nine? Obscure 42s (1980- )

 

 

 

 

A team of more obscure/lesser known players to wear the Number 42 jumper since 1980.

 

 

Here’s my second team of players to wear the Number 42, mostly from 1980 onwards but I have made exceptions, such as Mark Alves in Number 39.

 

 

It is a light-hearted team based on cult figures, forgotten/lesser known players or stats/cameos associated with them, players known for other deeds, sons, fathers & brothers and forgotten players.

 

My criteria, similar to my previous efforts was:

 

• Attempt to include one player per club
• I have tried to create as balanced side as possible but this was not a priority

 

 

Stats are based on their time in that number

 

 

 

 

FB:         David Buttifant (Rich)                  Justin Clarke (Bris)                   Alex Keath (Adel/WB)

 

CHB:     Jamie Barham (Melb)                   Tom Jonas (PA)                         Jake Stein (GWS)

 

C:           Marcus Allan (Bris)                       Wade Chapman (Syd)               Darren Millane (Coll)

 

CHF:     Daniel Archer (St.K)                      David Honybun (Rich)             Xavier Richards (Syd)

 

FF:         Russell Robertson (Melb)            Anthony Russell (Coll)             Shane Strempel (Bris)

 

Ruck:     Brett Cook (St.K)                           Simon Arnott (Syd)                   Darren Williams (Ess)

 

Interchange: Bret Hutchinson (Melb), Darren Ogier (NM), Adam Saad (GCS/Ess/Carl), Shayne Stevenson (Haw)

 

No players from Fremantle, Fitzroy, Geelong or the West Coast Eagles.

 

 

 

Games in Number 42 (Years played)

David Buttifant 2 (1987)

Justin Clarke 56 (2013-2015)

Alex Keath 30 at Adelaide (2017-2019) 55 at the Western Bulldogs (2020-2022)

Jamie Barham 4 (1981)

Tom Jonas 139 (2011-2019)

Jake Stein 20 (2019- )

Marcus Allan 5 (2006-2007)

Wade Chapman 9 (1994)

Darren Millane 147 (1984-1991)

Daniel Archer 1 (2011)

David Honybun 55 (1988-1992)

Xavier Richards 12 (2013-2016)

Russell Robertson 3 (1997)

Anthony Russell 8 (1982-1984)

Shane Strempel  3 (1991)

Brett Cook 17 (1997-1998)

Simon Arnott 19 (1995-1996, 1998)

Darren Williams 10 (1983)

Bret Hutchinson 1 (1985)

Darren Ogier 2 (1988)

Adam Saad 48 at Gold Coast (2015-2017) 61 at Essendon (2018-2020) 43 at Carlton (2021- )

Shayne Stevenson 7 (1994)

 

 

 

David Buttifant – Buttifant joined Richmond from Koroit in 1986 and debuted aged 23 in Round 9, 1987. He played both Rounds 9-10 and averaged twelve disposals. Post football Buttifant was Fitness Advisor at North Melbourne from 1994-1998 but is best known for his association with Mick Malthouse. Buttifant was Sports Science director at Collingwood from 2000-2013 and High Performance Manager at Carlton with Malthouse from 2013-2015. In 2011 Buttifant co-authored a book with Mick Malthouse called ‘The Ox is Slow but the Earth is Patient’ on how to prepare a football side.

 

 

Justin Clarke – Clarke was picked by Brisbane with Pick 4 in the 2012 rookie draft from Booleroo/Melrose/Wilmington in the Flinders Rangers. Football was Clarke’s second love as he wanted to join the Air Force but at 195cm he was considered too tall. Clarke debuted in Round 5 for Brisbane and only missed six games in three seasons, he held down a key defence post in this period. Clarke looked like he was going to be a long term key defender who was hard to kick goals against but after a severe concussion in 2016 preseason Clarke announced his retirement at age 21. Since retirement Clarke has worked as an assistant coach for Western Magpies in the QAFL and has graduated from University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering) and Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. In 2021 Clarke was selected as a Rhodes Scholar and will compete a Doctor of Philosophy at Oxford in Engineering Science.

 

 

Alex Keath – Keath was originally selected by Gold Coast in 2009 as one of twelve 17-year-olds, however he declined to commit to the Suns and instead prefered to focus on cricket. Keath was an all-rounder who made his first class debut in December 2010 against a touring England side where he made 46 runs. Keath played seven first class games for Victoria from 2010/2011 to 2014/2015 – he averaged 17 with the bat and 18 with the ball. Keath moved to South Australia in 2015 to try for more cricket opportunities but also signed on to the Crows as a Category B rookie having not played footy at any level for over three years. He made his AFL debut in Round 18, 2017 aged 25 and played the last six home and away games before he was dropped for the finals. Keath played six more games in 2018 and then eighteen in 2019 before he requested a trade to the Bulldogs for 2020 where he has been a mainstay in defence since his arrival.

 

 

Jamie Barham – Jamie is the youngest brother in his family to play; two years behind Ricky and eight behind Bill. Jamie started at Hamilton before he relocated to Gisborne where he attracted the attention of Melbourne before the 1981 season. Jamie debuted at age 20 in Round 8, 1981 against South Melbourne where he gathered ten disposals and a goal. He played Rounds 8-10 and Round 16 before he was delisted at the end of season. In 1982 Jamie joined Footscray but played just one game. Jamie was the first player since the 1940s to play in two different wooden spoon teams in successive seasons.

 

 

Tom Jonas – Jonas joined Port Adelaide from Norwood as Pick 16 in the 2011 Rookie Draft. He made his debut in Round 21, 2011 and played the last four games of the season. From there Jonas became a regular in the seniors. In his 44^th game in Round 14, 2014 he kicked the only goal of his career so far of over 200 games. Port Adelaide’s tradition is that their captain wears the Number 1 jumper, however with co-captains in 2019 both Jonas and Ollie Wines wore their original jumpers. In 2020 Jonas was appointed sole captain and moved to Number 1, he then led the club to two preliminary final appearances in 2020-2021.

 

 

Jake Stein – Stein joined GWS for the 2017 season as a Category B Rookie having come from an athletics background. Stein won gold in the 2011 World Youth Championships in the octathlon and then silver in 2012 World Junior Championships in the decathlon. He was selected to represent Australia at the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Glasgow where he finished 14^th in the decathlon but was disqualified from the 100 metres of the decathlon which may have cost him a top five position. Stein debuted in Round 13, 2019 and played the last three home and away games before he was dropped for the finals. After no games in 2020, Stein played six games including both finals in 2021 and nine in 2022.

 

 

Marcus Allan – Marcus is the son of ex-Fitzroy and Collingwood player Graeme who was football manager of Brisbane at the time. Allan was drafted with Pick 62 in the 2005 Rookie Draft from the Northern Eagles in the QAFL. He debuted in Round 19, 2006 and played just one game for the year. Allan played four games in 2007 but never two in a row and was delisted at the end of the year. He joined Claremont in 2008.

 

 

Wade Chapman – Chapman was drafted with Pick 20 in 1993 from North Shore/Geelong Falcons. Chapman debuted in Round 4, 1994 and played nine games for the year. In 1995 he moved to Number 27 and played eleven games before his best season in 1996 with 15 games. Chapman played Round 22 but was dropped for the Qualifying Final before earning a recall for the Preliminary Final for Simon Arnott. Chapman had 16 disposals in the prelim but is best remembered for his last kick where he gathered the ball in the middle and passed to Tony Lockett 50 metres out from goal with scores level and the siren sounding. He then played in the 1996 Grand Final but had just seven disposals. From 1997 Chapman had significant groin injuries and played sixteen more games with just three in 1998-1999. Chapman was rookie listed by Port Adelaide in 2000 but did not play again and finished with 51 games.

 

 

Darren Millane – Millane was originally zoned to the Sydney Swans but did not want to move to Sydney. He had a trial at Hawthorn but preferred to stay at Dandenong. Millane joined Collingwood mid-1984 and after two reserves games he was selected aged 18 in Round 18, 1984 against Richmond. He played the last eight games of the year including all finals with his best game in the Preliminary Final with 25 disposals. Millane became a star for Collingwood; he won the Best & Fairest in 1987 and had his best year in 1990 – he represented Victoria, won the AFL MVP, came second in the Best & Fairest and made the wing in the team of the year (there was no ‘All-Australian’ side in 1990). Millane was a premiership player and had fantastic finals series in general with 34 disposals in the Qualifying Final and 28 in the Grand Final. The fact Millane played in the finals was a minor miracle; he had broken his thumb just prior. He is best remembered as holding the ball when the final siren sounded on that one day in October. Sadly twelve months and one day after the premiership Millane lost his life in a motor vehicle accident aged 26.

 

 

Daniel Archer – Archer was drafted by St Kilda with Pick 36 in the 2010 Rookie Draft. Archer debuted aged 19 against Richmond in Round 2, 2011, where he would gathered eight disposals and kicked 0.1. This proved to be an important behind as it was at 33 minute mark of the last quarter and brought St Kilda to within a point (Stephen Milne kicked another behind one minute later to make the scores level). Archer was named in Round 3’s starting eighteen but was later withdrawn and did not play another game. Archer is one of a only 13 footballers (as per Paul at AFL Tables – a great website) that played one VFL/AFL game for one draw.

 

 

David Honybun – Honybun started at Carlton in 1983 and took over the Number 3 from Mike Fitzpatrick. He debuted aged 21 in Round 1, 1984 and played five games for the year before he was delisted at end of 1985. Honybun then joined North Melbourne but did not play a game. In 1988 he went to Richmond as a ruck/forward and played 19 games in 1988. Injuries restricted to him to just the first seven games in 1989 and he did not reappear until Round 9, 1990. Honybun came back with a bang: four goals against Sydney in his first game and then 6.3 against Carlton the following week to finish with 21 goals from 11 games. After just two games in 1990 he played 16 in 1992 but retired at the end of the end of the year due to ongoing back injuries. Honybun is perhaps best known for travelling in the back of Benny Gale’s Holden station wagon lying down to Geelong games. David’s daughter Esther is on Carlton’s AFLW list.

 

 

Xavier Richards – Xavier is ten years younger than Ted and was picked up by Sydney with Pick 29 in the 2013 Rookie Draft. He debuted in Round 14, 2013 as a sub against Carlton where he gathered one kick. This was the only game Xavier played with Ted as Xavier did not play again until Round 17, 2015 and once again it was his only game for the season. 2016 was Ted’s last year and he played his last career game in Round 17. The following year Xavier was recalled for his third ever game – he kicked two goals and stayed in for the remainder of the year. Xavier played ten games including the Grand Final and kicked thirteen goals. At end of the season he requested a trade from the Swans but did not find a new club and was delisted.

 

 

Russell Robertson – Robertson came under notice when playing for the Tasmania U18s by taking a speccy that won Channel 9’s Footy Show segment ‘Almost Football Legends’. He was then rookie listed by Melbourne with Pick 48 in 1997 and debuted in Round 20 the same year; he played the last three games for five goals. In 1998 Robertson moved to Number 24 and went on to play 228 games for 428 goals with a best of 73 in 2005 and seven goals in a match. Robertson was known for his high marking; he won multiple mark of the week nominations though never claimed mark of the year. Robertson claimed a Best & Fairest in 2003 and led Melbourne’s goalkicking four times. Robertson is also a talented musician and appeared on Channel 7’s ‘It Takes Two’ with Kate Ceberano where he came second.

 

 

Anthony Russell – Russell joined Collingwood from their Zone of Hamilton and debuted in Round 17, 1982 – he kicked 4.3. Russell played three games in 1982 for seven goals and in 1983 played in Round 10, was dropped after no goals but was recalled in Round 20 where he kicked six goals against Sydney. Russell played two games in 1984 but crossed to Preston mid-year to finish his VFL career with eight games and 17 goals. In 1986 he moved to South Warrnambool in the Hampden League. After a career from 1986-2001 with three clubs and 247 games he finished on 1,020 goals; a Hampden League record. Russell also played for two clubs in the Warrnambool District League and retired in 2004 aged 43 with in excess of 2,000 goals with a best of haul of 25 goals – he also won nine premierships from fifteen grand finals.

 

 

Shane Strempel – Strempel was drafted by Brisbane from Swan Districts with Pick 4 in the 1990 Preseason Draft. Strempel made his debut in Round 5, 1991 and the next week he kicked two goals. He played just three for two goals but is best remembered for an incident with coach Robert Walls. In a video released by former player and filmmaker Robert Dickson in 2001 several players spoke about a training incident that was supposed to teach Strempel some discipline and respect. Walls got eight players to form a circle around Strempel, each took turns in boxing with him until the exercise was stopped by the last player in line Brad Hardie who was concerned for Strempel’s wellbeing as he had chipped teeth, blood nose and a freely bleeding mouth.

 

 

Brett Cook – Cook was drafted by Fitzroy from Broken Hill with Pick 20 in the 1991 draft and waited until 1994 to make his debut – he then played 25 games in three seasons. Cook moved to St Kilda after Fitzroy’s merger and played the first five games of 1997. After just one more game in Round 14 Cook was recalled for the Preliminary Final after St Kilda lost talls Peter Everitt and Lazar Vidovic in the first game of the finals to injury. He played a solid game in the prelim and then Grand Final as first ruck. Cook played nine games in 1998 and once again was ruck in the finals. After he moved to Number 9 in 1999 he played just one more game and was delisted at the end of the year.

 

 

Simon Arnott – Arnott had the great nickname of ‘Biscuits’ and was drafted with Pick 87 by Sydney in 1994. Arnott made his debut in Round 10, 1995 and played five games. The following year he played ten games including Qualifying Final but was dropped for the Preliminary Final and remained an emergency for the Grand Final. Arnott wore Number 2 in 1997 and played eleven games including another qualifying final before he went back to Number 42 in 1998 as Wayne Schwass joined the side and wore Number 2. After 30 games in four seasons Arnott was traded to Geelong and played every game in 1999 as an onballer; he finished seventh in the Best & Fairest. His best game was three Brownlow votes 21 disposals and four goals against North Melbourne. Arnott suffered from injuries in 2000 but was bought in for Round 9 where he got 27 disposals and three goals but two weeks later he played his last game and was delisted surprisingly at the end of the year aged 24 with 56 games.

 

 

Darren Williams – Darren ‘Daisy’ Williams was recruited from Vermont and won a Morrish Medal in 1977; he made his VFL debut in 1979 in Number 45 for one game in Round 5. Williams moved to East Fremantle from 1980 until mid-1983. In his second stint he donned Number 42 for his second VFL game in Round 17, 1983. He held his spot for the remainder of the year including all of Essendon’s four finals. Williams moved to Number 13 in 1984 and his career developed, he played for Victoria in 1984-1985, was a premiership player in the same years and kicked four goals in the 1984 Preliminary Final and two goals in the 1985 Grand Final. Williams broke his leg in Round 5, 1986 and missed the rest of the year but returned to full health in 1987 when he ran third in the Best & Fairest before he retired at end of 1989 with 109 games.

 

 

Bret Hutchinson – Hutchinson joined Melbourne in 1982 and played in an U19s Premiership in 1983 and reserves flag in 1984. He made his senior debut aged 21 in Round 15, 1985 against Footscray and gathered 12 disposals. The following week Hutchinson was unable to play after his face was splashed with battery acid from his car which caused chemical burns. Hutchinson won the Reserves Best & Fairest in 1985 but transferred to VFA side Frankston in 1986 and the WAFL’s Subiaco in 1987. Hutchinson was selected by West Coast in the 1990 Preseason Draft with Pick 38 but did not play a game for the Eagles.

 

 

Darren Ogier – Ogier joined Carlton in 1982 and won the reserves goalkicking in 1984. He made his senior debut in Number 49 aged 22 with another player in Round 7, 1985 – Stephen Silvagni. Ogier had one disposal but played the next two weeks and kicked two goals in each game. Ogier played ten games in two seasons before he was traded to North Melbourne in 1988 where he wore Number 42 and played two games for three goals. Swans coach and former Carlton reserves coach Col Kinnear recruited Ogier in 1989 when he started to show some form – he then played eight games for sixteen goals. In his last two games Ogier kicked nine goals but got injured and never played another; he finished with 23 games for 34 goals. Post football Ogier has coached the Murray Bushrangers from 2010-2015 and worked for Melbourne in 2016 and the Northern Bullants in 2017.

 

 

Adam Saad – Saad was selected with Pick 25 in the 2015 Rookie Draft from Coburg. Saad debuted in Round 1, played sixteen games and earned a Rising Star nomination. He played 48 games for Gold Coast in three seasons before he requested a trade to Essendon due to homesickness. Saad had three seasons at Essendon for 61 games (he only missed one). Saad requested another trade, this time to Carlton in 2021 and has again only missed one game in two seasons. Saad is known for his run and carry from the half back line and has led the league in bounces in 2017, 2018, 2021 and had nearly twice as many as the second player in 2022. Saad earned his first All Australian jumper this year.

 

 

Shayne Stevenson – Stevenson was drafted by Fitzroy with Pick 37 in the 1990 Draft from Sandy Bay. Stevenson debuted in Round 2, 1991. His fifth game was against Hawthorn in his home state at North Hobart. Hawthorn won by 157 points, though Stevenson kicked three goals. He played eleven games in three seasons without a win at Fitzroy and after he was delisted at end of 1993 Stevenson was drafted by Hawthorn in the 1994 Preseason Draft. His first game for Hawthorn was in Round 19, 1994 – another loss. Stevenson though held his spot for the rest of the year, which included an elimination final. In 1995 Stevenson moved to Number 21 and played nine games, the last was in Round 11 against Sydney where Stevenson got injured but was forced back on due to other injuries. Stevenson hobbled to the forward pocket and kicked a goal after it spilled to the back of the pack. He played 34 games at Hawthorn until the end of 1997 for 45 in total and 39 goals.

 

 

Some of the forgotten Number 42s are: Justin Cicolella (Adel), Adam Kerinaiua (Bris), Callan Beasy (Carl), David Rankin (Fitz), Josh Head (Freo), Ray Sarcevic (Geel), Kyal Horsley (GCS), Ben Kane (Haw), Bradley Sparks (Melb), Tom Carr (PA), Daniel Donati (Rich), Greg Jones (St.K), Cory Young (WCE), Lynton Fitzpatrick (Foots).

 

 

 

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