Almanac Teams: Round 1 debuts since 1980 (Part 2 – 1990 to 2000)

March 14, 2023 by Rodney Leave a Comment

1990

Round 1 1990 saw West Coast under new coach Mick Malthouse play Collingwood at Subiaco. Little did we know what 1990 had in store for matches between these clubs after their 1989 seasons with them playing a tie in the Qualifying Final.

West Coast would debut four players including two Norm Smith Medallists in Peter Matera who had nine disposals and would play just five games in 1990 before becoming an AFL great. Dean Kemp with 20 disposals would stay in all season. Dean Irving was a ruckman who played 16 games in 1990 and 66 games in eight seasons and Brad Gwilliam who played 8 games for West Coast and Richmond. Collingwood would finally get two gun onballers it had being craving in premiership rovers Tony Francis who had 13 disposals and Scott Russell who had 22 disposals. The match was a hiccup for Francis who was reported for kicking Murray Rance and suspended for six matches.

Sydney beat Carlton in Round 1 at Princess Park with 22 year old Shane Fell kicking five goals. Fell would just play one season with 15 games and 30 goals. Sydney had three other debutants in 26 year old ruck Brad Tunbridge (50 games in total), 23 year old Jim West (37 games in total) and a 20 year old from Wagga in Paul Kelly who would captain the club in a Grand Final and win a Brownlow.

Footscray would introduce a 17 year old full forward Chris Grant who kicked two goals in ten goal loss to St Kilda

Other notable Round 1 debuts are Dale Kickett (Fitz), Andrew Obst (Melb), Shaun Hart (Bne & 3^rd Norm Smith Medallist to debut in Round 1 1990), Brendon Gale & Chris Naish (Rich)

Roger Delaney was a 24 year old state of origin defender when he joined Fitzroy and he only played one game due to injury for 3 kicks.

Some forgotten Round 1 debuts are Sean Bowden older brother of Joel & Patrick who played six games in two seasons at Richmond and Mark Brayshaw father of Angus and Andrew who played 32 games for North Melbourne in three seasons. Brayshaw would kick two goals on debut.

1991

Adelaide played Hawthorn in Round 1 1991 at Football park winning by 86 points. Hawthorn had on debut two famous South Australian who would end up being Adelaide premiership players in Darren Jarman who would kick two goals and Matthew Robran who had 16 disposals. Adelaide’s 17 debutants were Darrel Hart, Eddie Hocking, Rod Jameson, Andrew Jarman, John Klug, Scott Lee, Bruce Lindsay, David Marshall, Rodney Maynard, Chris McDermott, Peter McIntyre, Romano Negri, Nigel Smart, Darren Smith, Robert Thompson, Simon Tregenza and Tom Warhurst. From this list captain McDermott was knocked out by Brereton. Klug and McIntyre kicked four goals and Maynard kicked 3. Andrew Jarman with 29 disposals and one goal got three Brownlow votes, 30 year old David Marshall on a wing had 29 disposals and 2 goals and two Brownlow votes and Nigel Smart with 15 disposals got one Brownlow vote. Reigning premiers Collingwood beat Footscray by 70 points with debutant 17 year old Paul Williams having 18 disposals and kicking a goal while Bulldogs debut 20 year old Jamie Grant older brother of Chris who had three disposals but would only play five games. Also on debut was Allen Jakovich who had six disposals but did not kick a goal and was dropped for eight matches and 1990 Number 1 draft pick 21 year old ruck Stephen Hooper who had ten disposals and four hit outs.

Notable Round 1 debuts in 1991 were Gilbert McAdam (St.K), Tony Evans (WCE), David Schwarz (Melb), Richard Champion (Bne), Peter Mann (NM) Scott Turner (Rich) and Gavin Wanganeen (Ess)

18 year old Jason Smith of Richmond had six disposals in his only AFL game and Jason Millar for Brisbane had eight disposals and six hit outs.

Some forgotten Round 1 debuts are Mark McQueen who played 34 games for Richmond in four seasons and David Ogg who played 9 games for Brisbane in one year

1992

Brisbane debut Number 1 draft pick 25 year old Full Forward John Hutton who kicked three goals but would be moved on from Brisbane at the end of the year after 18 games and 43 goals. Brisbane had two more debutants in Nigel Palfreyman who played 16 games in two seasons and triple premiership player 18 year old Darryl White who had 13 disposals and nine hit outs. Carlton would unveil four debutants in Paul McCormack (14 career games), Ron Delulio (104 games), Brett Sholl (35 games and father of current Crow Lachlan) and reluctant country recruit from Castlemaine Stephen Oliver who would play 13 Games in three years while sometimes still at Castlemaine. St Kilda defeated Essendon by 17 points but Essendon would lose before the game Terry Daniher who was injured and he would be replaced by 19 year old James Hird who would receive 14 disposals and kick one goal. Essendon other debutant would be 26 year Willie Dick who would kick 2 goals but play only 7 games. Andrew Lamprill was 22 year old on debut and spent all bar the last 16 minutes on the bench, once on he kicked ‘Goal of the Week’ with his first and only kick of the game within 3 minutes and would put Melbourne up by seven points (in a game they won by 8 points).

Notable Round 1 debuts are Ben Hart & Anthony Ingerson (Adel), Rohan Smith (Foots), Shane Watson (Coll), Nick Daffy (Rich), Marcus Seecamp (Fitz) and Jason Ball (WCE)

1993

1993 was the First year of the Rising Star Award and had some of the best names ever nominated which some of the can be seen here. North Melbourne 24.22.166 best Brisbane 22.11.143 in which Brisbane played four first game players. These included high profile and reluctant Bears player Nathan Buckley who was 20 year old and had 17 disposals and two goals. Other debutants were 19 year old ruckman Matthew Clarke who would play 258 games, 17 year old defender Nathan Chapman who would play 76 games and 17 key forward at the time Justin Leppitsch who had 13 disposals and one goal and would go on to become a three time premiership defender. Fitzroy beat Carlton by six points at Princess Park with debutant 22 year old Michael Dunstan kicking two goals with his first two kicks and his third goal being the match winner that gave Fitzroy victory. Dunstan would play 43 games in 3 years at Fitzroy and West Coast.

Notable Round 1 debuts are Scott West (Foots), Andrew McKay (Carl), Shane Crawford (Haw), David Neitz & Martin Pike (Melb), Paul Bulluss (Rich) and Matthew Connell (Adel)

Round 1 debuts that played only one game are Nathan Irvin (Syd) who had two kicks and 24 year old Scott Spalding brother of Earl, played one game with Earl and had ten disposals in his only game.

Some forgotten Round 1 debutants are Leigh Willison who played three in 1993 for Geelong and Wayne Hernaman who played 20 games in two seasons at Richmond.

1994

19 year old Che Cockatoo-Collins was the big recruit for the reigning premier Essendon in their 3 point win over West Coast. Cockatoo-Collins would set the forward line alight with 21 disposals and 3 goals. Essendon other debutant was 17 year old Robert Stevenson who had 10 disposals and played 6 games in 1994 and 5 games in 1997. West Coast had 18 year old Shane Bond on debut who had 4 disposals and one goal and a premiership medal at the end of the year. His older brother Troy who was 20 years old debut for Carlton the next day and had 20 disposals and kicked 3 goals. Hawthorn would bring out its newest player in the Number 23 jumper in 19 year old Simon Crawshay who had 8 disposals and 13 hit outs. Crawshay would play 19 games in three seasons.

1994 rising star 17 year old Chris Scott would have 11 disposals and a goal on debut.

Notable Round 1 debuts in were David King (Nth), Brett James (Coll), Daniel Southern (Foots), Matthew Rogers (Rich), Brett Spinks (WCE), Shayne Breuer (Geel)

Forgotten Round 1 debuts are Doug Bailey who played 11 games in two seasons for St Kilda

1995

Fremantle introduced ten players on debut against Richmond in 1995. These players were Winston Abraham, Peter Bell, Craig Burrows, Matthew Burton, Scott Chisholm, Gary Dhurrkay, Scott Edwards, Quenton Leach, Jamie Merillo and David Muir. Peter Bell kicked two goals and Matthew Burton had 21 disposals and 13 hit outs in a 5 point loss. Traditional rivals Carlton played Collingwood in front of 87000 with 19 year old Scott Camporeale having 19 disposals while for Collingwood Scott Burns 13 disposals, Stephen Patterson 11 disposals and Chad Liddell 1 goal were upstaged on debut by 22 year old Lee Walker who looked a promising mobile CHF who had sadly bad knees, Walker showed what he was capable of 19 disposals and 1 goal. 23 year old Nick Hider also debut but would only play 2 games.

Notable Round 1 debutants in are Luke McCabe & Jonathon Robran (Haw), Craig McRae (Bne), Jeff Farmer (Melb), Shannon Grant (Syd), Fraser Gehrig (WCE), Austinn Jones, Stephen Sziller and Darryl Wakelin (St,K)

Forgotten Round 1 debuts are Shawn Lewfatt Essendon who had 14 disposals and kicked a goal but played just three games and Luke Norman who would 16 games in two years at Melbourne.

1996

Melbourne played Geelong in the first game of the season and would debut 17 year old twins David & Donald Cockatoo-Collins. David would have 5 disposals and Donald 6 disposals in 127 point loss. David would play two games and Donald nine games. For Geelong 18 year old Jason Snell kicked three goals on debut and 23 year old Ronnie Burns kicked 1 goal. Fitzroy in what would be their last season had top draft pick 21 year old Matthew Primus have 16 disposals and 13 hit outs and Scott Bamford also 21 had 20 disposals on the wing in a 21 point loss

Notable Round 1 debuts in are Danny Dickfos (Bne) and Chad Morrison (WCE)

19 year old Scott Taylor for Footscray played his one and only game in 87 point loss to Brisbane, gathering 5 disposals

Forgotten 1996 debuts are Steven Pitt who played 16 games for Collingwood in 1996 and then five games for Melbourne in 2000-2001.

1997

Port Adelaide played Collingwood in their First AFL match with ten debutants in Peter Burgoyne, Stephen Carter, Donald Dickie, Josh Francou, Adam Kingsley, Brendon Lade, Darren Mead, Darryl Poole, Damian Squire and Michael Wilson. Port Adelaide would go down by 79 points with Darryl Poole kicking two goals and Donald Dickie 26 disposals and Michael Wilson with 22 disposals who would later win the Rising Star. In the season opening game reigning premier North Melbourne would lose by 15 points to eventual wooden spooners Melbourne. On debut for Melbourne would be 20 year old pre season draftee Shane Woewodin who would have 9 disposals but become one of the finds of the year and win a Brownlow three years later. In the match of the round Essendon beat Carlton by 7 points however Carlton found a 17 year old forward Lance Whitnall who would kick 4 goals. Aaron Keating would debut for Adelaide aged 22 against Brisbane and have 2 disposals and 10 hit outs, his second game of AFL would be preliminary final and third game would be a premiership.

Notable debuts in Round 1 are Nathan Brown (WB), Max Hudghton & Andrew Thompson (St.K), Brad Scott (Haw), Simon Goodwin (Adel), Paul Licuria (Syd) and Darren Milburn (Geel)

1998

In 1996 the Bulldogs opened their season to Brisbane in 14 goal loss at the Gabba, in 1998 the Bulldogs would win by 46 at the Gabba with debutant 22 year old Paul Dooley (14 career goals) kicking one goal. The Lions despite the loss would debut future Brownlow and Norm Smith medallist Simon Black who would 8 disposals. Reigning wooden spooners Melbourne would have four debutants with Number 1 draft pick Travis Johnstone having six disposals and kicking one goal. Mature aged recruit from Myrtleford 23 year old Guy Rigoni would have 23 disposals. Melbourne other debutants would be Hayden Lamaro (2 games) who would have 1 handball in game one and one kick in game two and Craig Smoker (17 games). Fremantle would debut Brad Dodd (50 games) and son of WAFL legend Clem Michael who was reduced to 43 games due to injury.

Notable debuts in Round 1 are Trent Croad (Haw), Brad Ottens (Rich), Mark Bolton (Ess) and Nathan Bassett (Adel)

Forgotten 1998 debut is 22 year old Brady Anderson at North Melbourne who had won 1997 Sandover Medal, he would have 13 disposals and play 27 games and Frankie Raso who in debut for Collingwood had limited game time to have just one free kick against but would go on to play 19 career games.

1999

Sydney unveiled future Brownlow Medallist Adam Goodes on debut against Port Adelaide. Goodes would have 11 disposals, 1 hit out and 1 goal. Port Adelaide. Opponents Port Adelaide would have 23 year old Barnaby French (133 games) and 21 year old Jared Poulton (88 games) on debut. Melbourne played Richmond in the opening round and on debut for Melbourne was 22 year old Luke Ottens older brother of Brad. Luke at 194cm may have spent time on his brother and had 3 disposals but would play just 4 career games. Also on debut was Chris Lamb who would play 21 games.

Notable Round 1 debuts in are Mark Johnson & Mark McVeigh (Ess), Brett Burton (Adel), Nick Davis (Coll), Kris Barlow (Haw) and Andrew Embley (WCE)

20 year old Ben Thompson for Carlton played his one and only game in Round 1 getting 4 disposals against Essendon.

2000

Round 1 2000 saw the reigning premier North Melbourne lose to West Coast by 43 points at the MCG with Ryan Pagan son of the coach playing his first game. Ryan would have 11 disposals but play the just the 3 games.

Paul Haselby would win the Rising Star award in 2000 and started his career with a bang having 30 disposals and kicking a goal, fellow high draft pick Leigh Brown had 12 disposals.

Collingwood who won the wooden spoon in 1999 would under new coach Mick Malthouse unveil 4 debutants in a 54 point win against Hawthorn. Number 1 draft pick Josh Fraser would have 12 disposals and kick one goal. There was also 2010 premiership players Leon Davis 5 disposals and Ben Johnson 18 disposals and 3 goals and Damien Adkins who played 22 disposals and kicked two goals who would go on to play 54 games at Collingwood and West Coast.

Other notable Round 1 were Cameron Bruce (Melb) and Craig Bolton (Bne)

Part 1: 1980 – 1989 can be read Here.