Almanac Teams: Last Game Debuts

Coming up to the last round, this week’s team is based on players making their debut in the last game of the home and away season. I have included players that debut in the last round that would play finals that year in which Collingwood had three players. Often a last round debut is a reward for player who is in a team that cannot play finals and they get a chance to show their wares. Some players only played one career game so maybe it was their chance just to at least say they played one game. Some of the interesting names on here are the AFL games holder and a set of brothers who would later captain each of their clubs, but also two players that played for either Sydney and Western Bulldogs and have shared the same name – Sam Reid.

FB       Dylan Grimes (Rich)                   Matthew Scarlett (Geel)            Jack Grimes (Melb)

CHB   Ang Christou (Carl)                     Leo Barry (Syd)                            Ethan Hughes (Frem)

CE      Tom Sheridan (Frem)                 Gary O’Donnell (Ess)                  Carl Steinfort (Geel)

CHF    Adrian Hickmott (Geel)              Adam Hunter (WCE)                   Brad Plain (Ess)

FF       Ian McMullin (Coll)                    Sam Reid (Syd)                            Mason Wood (NM)

RUCK Justin Longmuir (Frem)             Brett Ratten (Carl)           Brent Harvey (NM)

Int      Riley Bonner (PA), Ray Hall (Rich) Patrick Lipinski (WB) Harry Morrison (Haw)

Emg   Michael Kennedy (Carl), Ben McKay (NM), Andrew Raines (Rich), Sam Reid (WB)

Coach – Peter Rohde (WB)

Dylan Grimes
Debut 2010, 5 Disposals
227 Games 2010-

Grimes was pick #2 in 2010 preseason draft and was back in the Richmond side for Round 3 2011, playing seven games for the year having been restricted by injury. Grimes would become a three time premiership player, All Australian, Best & Fairest and co-captain since 2022.

Matthew Scarlett
Debut 1998, 6 Disposals
284 Games 1998-2012

Scarlett’s first game was on Matthew Lloyd who would kick six goals. Scarlett’s second game was Round 11 1999, again against Essendon and Lloyd, who kicked five. Scarlett played five games in 1999 but from 2000 he would become a regular. Scarlett won three premierships, six All Australians and won a Best & Fairest.

Jack Grimes
Debut 2008, 8 Disposals
100 Games 2008-2016

Grimes would return in Round 7 2009, and play eleven games for the year. Grimes was co-captain with Jack Trengove from 2012-2014 but had to retire due to back injury aged 27.

Ang Christou
Debut 1991, 12 Disposals & 1 Goal
151 Games 1991-2002

Christou played the last five home & away games in 1992, but from 1993 became a regular playing in the Grand Final and was a premiership player in 1995, he then went on to play in his third Grand Final in 1999. Christou was an All Australian in 1995 and missed all of 1998 and most of 1997 with a back injury.

Leo Barry
Debut 1995, 8 Disposals and 1 Goal
237 Games 1995-2009

Barry would debut in Ron Barassi’s last game as coach. Barry would play five games in 1996 and then 10 games for 12 goals in 1997 before becoming a regular in the Sydney side from 1998. Barry would be a premiership player in 2005 where he took that mark at the end. He was an All Australian in 2004 & 2005 and captain 2005-2008.

Ethan Hughes
Debut 2015, 22 Disposals
101 Games 2015-

Hughes was one of 12 changes in for Fremantle including four debutants (Jacob Ballard, Connor Blakely & Brady Grey) as Fremantle rested players before their finals campaign. The AFL would bring in a bye round before the finals from 2016 onwards. Hughes played five games in 2016 but would be regular in Fremantle side since, except for 2021-22, where he played just 14 games.

Tom Sheridan
Debut 2012, 5 Disposals
81 Games Fremantle 2012-2018 & 2 Games GWS 2019-2020

In 2012 Fremantle made the finals but only made 3 changes this year with Sheridan bought in to start as the sub. Sheridan was replaced by Matt de Boer in the Elimination Final. Sheridan came back into the side in Round 14 in 2013 and would play the next ten games before being dropped after the Qualifying Final.

Gary O’Donnell
Debut 1987, 7 Disposals
243 Games 1987-1998

O’Donnell played from Round 3 in 1988 playing the remaining 20 games of the season. O’Donnell would become a premiership player and Best & Fairest in 1993 and captain from 1996-1997.

Carl Steinfort
Debut 1996, 5 Disposals
65 Games Geelong 1996-2000 & 27 Games Collingwood

Steinfort would be picked the following week in the final against North Melbourne where he had 7 disposals. Steinfort followed up with 22 out of 24 games in 1997. Steinfort would be traded to Collingwood in 2001 and his last game would be in the 2002 Grand Final.

Adrian Hickmott
Debut 1992, 10 Disposals
50 Games Geelong 1992-1995 & 134 Games Carlton 1996-2003

Hickmott would play in the 1992 Qualifying and Semi Final where he kicked a goal before being dropped for the Preliminary Final for Russell Merriman. Hickmott played in Round 1 in 1993 and played in eight games. Hickmott would be regular in 1994 & 1995 playing in both Grand Finals. After being a Grand Final opponent in 1995, Hickmott would become team mates with the Carlton players in 1996 and played in 1999 Grand Final. Since retirement Hickmott has been an assistant coach at Essendon=n, West Coast and now works at Hawthorn.

Adam Hunter
Debut 2000, 3 Disposals
151 Games 2000-2009

Hunter next game was Round 2 2001, where he played nine games for the year. Hunter would become a regular from 2002 and was capable of playing either end. Hunter was a premiership player for West Coast in 2006.

Brad Plain
Debut 1988, 9 Disposals and 1 Goal
46 Games Essendon 1988-1993, 9 Games Collingwood 1994 & 1 Game North Melbourne

The following year 1989 would prove to be Plain best year playing 19 games with his next best being 11 games in his eight year career. Plain was a highly skilled but injury prone half forward whose personal best game was his first in 1991 Round 5 against Sydney where he kicked 8 goals.

Ian McMullin
Debut 1984, 13 Disposals and 1 Goal
25 Games Collingwood 1984-1987 & 1992-1993 and 24 Games Essendon 1990-1992

McMullin would keep his spot for the finals where he kicked 5 goals against Fitzroy in the Elimination Final and then two goals in the semi final against Carlton, before being kept goalless in the Preliminary Final. McMullin would play Round 1 in 1985 but would play just nine games. After just one game in 1987 McMullin would not be seen again until being drafted by Essendon in 1990 where he had his best year in 1991 with 18 games before being delisted mid-year in 1992 and drafted midyear again by Collingwood in 1992.

Sam Reid
Debut 2010, 13 Disposals and 1 Goal
181 Games 2010-

Reid would be in for Round 1 2011 and would only miss one game for the year. Reid would be a regular for Sydney from 2011 but unfortunately has had an injury prone career. Reid though would be a premiership player in 2012 and would play in 2014 and 2022 Grand Final but missed 2016 Grand Final when he missed the whole season due to a knee injury.

Mason Wood
Debut 2014, 7 Disposals and 3 Goals
65 Games North Melbourne 2014-2020 & 49 Games St Kilda 2020- 

Wood would start 2015 in Round 2 as a sub but played just eight games for 1 goal. Wood would not become a regular until 2019 where he played 18 games but after 8 games in 2019 Wood would join St Kilda. At St Kilda Wood has become a wingman and in last two years has play 40 games.

Justin Longmuir
Debut 1999, 5 Disposals, 1 Goal and 4 Hit Outs
139 Games 1999-2007

Longmuir would play Round 1 2000 and would play 12 games for the season. From the 2001 season Longmuir was a mainstay in the Fremantle side unless injured. After a premature retirement Longmuir would be an assistant coach at West Coast and Collingwood before being appointed senior coach at Fremantle from 2020.

Brett Ratten
Debut 1990, 14 Disposals and 1 Goal
255 Games 1990-2003

Ratten played Round 2 1991 and would play 20 games for the season. Ratten was a mainstay in the Carlton side from debut with a career best year in 1995 as premiership player and Best & Fairest that year. Ratten would win three Best & Fairest awards adding 1997 & 2000 and be All Australian in 2000 & 2001. Ratten captain Carlton in 2002-03 and coach Carlton from 2007-2012, St Kilda from 2019-2022 and North Melbourne when Alistair Clarkson was ill for 10 games in 2023.

Brent Harvey
Debut 1996, 1 Disposal
432 Games 1996-2016

Harvey was dropped for the 1996 Premiership Finals campaign for Glenn Freeborn. Harvey next game would be Round 5 1997 and would go on to play 17 games for the year. Harvey holds the AFL record for most games played. Harvey is a 1999 premiership player, North Melbourne captain from 2009-2011, four time All Australian, five time Best & Fairest winner, EJ Whitten medal winner in 1999 and inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame. His son Cooper made his debut in 2023.

Riley Bonner
Debut 2016, 22 Disposals
93 Games 2016-

Bonner played the last three games including Elimination Final in 2017 where he averaged 18 disposals. Apart from 2020 & 2023 Bonner has been a regular in the Port Adelaide side.

Ray Hall
Debut 1999, 0 Disposals
99 Games 1999-2006

Hall first game was the night the scoreboard caught on fire at the MCG. Hall did not play a game in 2000 but in 2001 he played 17 games including all three finals. Hall was a regularly picked in Richmond from 2001 bar injury.

Patrick Lipinski
Debut 2017, 18 Disposals
56 Games Western Bulldogs 2017-2021 & 34 Games Collingwood 2022-

Lipinski came into the side in Round 5 2018 and would play 17 games. In 2020 & 2021 Lipinski was in and out of the side and was traded to Collingwood where he was being a regular when not injured.

Harry Morrison
Debut 2017, 21 Disposals
89 Games Hawthorn 2017-

Morrison’s debut was against Lipinski as hawthorn played Western Bulldogs. Morrison would come in for Round 3 2018 and played 21 games including two finals.

Michael Kennedy
Debut 1984, 6 Disposals
59 Games Carlton 1984-1989 & 15 Games Sydney 1990

Kennedy played Round 2 & 3 in 1985 and 3 Games in 1986. In 1987 Kennedy played 22 games and was a premiership player. After 17 games in 1989 Kennedy was a surprise delisting but just had one season in Sydney.

Ben McKay
Debut 2017, 9 Disposals
70 Games 2017-

McKay did not play a game in 2018 and just the first three game in 2019. Since 2021 McKay has been a regular in the North Melbourne side but has never played a game against twin brother Harry

Andrew Raines
Debut 2004, 9 Disposals
56 Games Richmond 2004-2009, 67 Games Brisbane 2010-2014, 6 Games Gold Coast 2015

Raines came in for Round 3 2005 and played 6 games that year. In 2006 Raines played 22 games finishing second in Rising Star and Best & Fairest that year.

Sam Reid
Debut 2008, 12 Disposals
10 Games Western Bulldogs 2008-2011 & 98 Games GWS 2012-2021

Reid came into the Bulldogs side in Round 14 2009 but played just four games that year. Reid struggled for games and fitness due to his diabetes but after two years retirement he came back and had his best year in 2018 with 21 games.

Coach – Peter Rohde
Debut, 2002
45 Games as coach for 9 wins and 1 draw.

I chose Rohde ahead of Goodwin as coach as Rohde would continue to coach Bulldogs for the next two seasons. Rohde took over as coach for the last round in 2002 after Terry Wallace announced he would leave at the end of the year which did not go down well with the Bulldog board who said he would not get a farewell game. Bulldogs would win that match by 41 points over Collingwood.

Players who made their debut in the last round that would go on to play finals:

Stuart Atkin – Collingwood
Debut 1980, 3 Disposals & 1 Goal
18 Games 1980-1983

Atkin would play in Elimination Final the next week and in 1981 he would play 12 games including four finals.

Jan Smith – Geelong
Debut 1980, 20 Disposals
2 Games Geelong 1980, 7 Games Fitzroy 1982

Smith came into the side as a tall defender with Gary Malarkey unavailable but was dropped for the semi-final with Malarkey back in. Smith came back in for Sam Newman or Ray Card for the Preliminary Final. Smith did not play a game in 1981 and went to Fitzroy in 1982.

Ian McMullin
See above.

Terry Hecker – Collingwood
Debut 1989, 15 Disposals
6 Games 1989-1992

Hecker played in the Elimination Final and would not play another game until Round 1992 where he played four games in a row.

Adrian HickmottSee above.

Paul Geister – North Melbourne
Debut 1995, 10 Disposals
4 Games North Melbourne 1995 & 1 Game Port Adelaide 1997

Geister played in Qualifying and Semi final but was dropped for Darren Crocker in the Preliminary Final

Carl SteinfortSee above.

Linden Stevens – Adelaide
Debut 1998, 5 Disposals
2 Games 1998

Stevens played in Qualifying Final and had two disposals but was dropped for Andrew Eccles the following week.

Andrew McDougall – West Coast
Debut 2002, 8 Disposals & 4 Hit Outs
38 Games West Coast 2002-2006 & 5 Games Western Bulldogs 2007

McDougall played in Elimination Final and had two disposals. McDougall best season was 2004 with 21 Games.

James Gwilt – St Kilda
Debut 2005, 11 Disposals
126 Games St Kilda 2005-2014 & 26 Games Essendon 2015-2016

Gwilt kicked two goals in the Qualifying Final and played the next game in the Preliminary Final. Gwilt took a while to establish himself playing two games in 2006 but was a regular defender by 2010 playing every game including both Grand Finals.

Shane Biggs – Sydney
Debut 2013, 18 Disposals
6 Games Sydney 2013-2014 & 57 Games Western Bulldogs 2015-2018

Biggs came in for Jed Lamb for the last round and was dropped from Qualifying Final but would earn a recall for semi-final where he had 21 disposals. Biggs would play in the 2016 Premiership.

Players that played just 1 Game:

Malcolm Smith – St Kilda
Debut 1982, 9 Disposals

Peter Maloni – Sydney
Debut 1983, 6 Disposals

Paul Earley – Melbourne
Debut 1984, 9 Disposals & 1 Goal

Greg Sizer – Melbourne
Debut 1986, 15 Disposals & 1 Goal

Sean King – West Coast
Debut 1987, 21 Disposals & 2 Goals

Paul Mifka – West Coast
Debut 1987, 14 Disposals

Shane Burgmann – Melbourne
Debut 1992, 6 Disposals

Dwayne Griffin – Collingwood
Debut 1997, 0 Disposals

Michael Clark – Melbourne
Debut 2002- 4 Disposals & 1 Goal

John Williams – Essendon
Debut 2008, 5 Disposals

Casey Sibosado- Fremantle

Debut 2011, 12 Disposals & 1 Goal

Patrick McCarthy – Carlton
Debut 2012, 10 Disposals

Luke Mitchell – Carlton

Debut 2012, 8 Disposals & 1 Goal

Alex Forster – Fremantle
Debut 2013, 9 Disposals

Craig Moller – Fremantle

Debut 2013, 5 Disposals

Jacob Ballard
Debut 2015, 6 Disposals

Kayle Kirby- Collingwood
Debut 2017, 4 Disposals

Tom Jok – Essendon
Debut 2019, 12 Disposals

Jack Saunders – Hawthorn
Debut 2022, 7 Disposals & 1 Goal

Players that made their debut and sole appearance for that club but played more games at another club afterwards:

Peter Melesso
Debut 1981 South Melbourne
7 Games St Kilda 1983-1985
6 Games West Coast 1989-1990

Cameron O’Brien
Debut 1985 Collingwood
44 Games Brisbane 1987-1991

Julian Kirzner
Debut 1994 Essendon
3 Games North Melbourne 1987

Jake Barrett
Debut 2015 GWS
22 Games Brisbane 2017-2018

Will Snelling
Debut 2016 Port Adelaide
63 Games Essendon 2019-

Hugh Dixon
Debut 2019 Fremantle
10 Games West Coast 2022

Others that made their debut in the last round:

Geoff Everett – Fitzroy
Debut 1980, 6 Disposals
15 Games Fitzroy 1980-1982

Bryan Edwards – Footscray
Debut 1980, 11 Disposals
2 Games 1980-1981

Michael Blees – St Kilda
Debut 1981, 4 Disposals
14 Games 1981-1983

Geoff Amoore – St Kilda
Debut 1983, 11 Disposals
5 Games 1983-1984

Andrew Jobling – St Kilda
Debut 1983, 3 Disposals
24 Games 1983-1987

Darren Troy – Geelong
Debut 1983, 7 Disposals
46 Games 1983-1990

Peter Curtain – St Kilda
Debut 1984, 6 Disposals
2 Games 1984-1985

Tim Barling – Richmond
Debut 1984, 0 Disposals
14 Games Richmond 1984-1985 & 13 Games Sydney 1989-1990

Paul Morrish – Richmond
Debut 1986, 8 Disposals
4 Games Richmond 1986-1989, 7 Games Essendon 1991, 20 Games Fitzroy 1992-1993

Brendon Moore – Essendon
Debut 1987, 2 Disposals
7 Games 1987-1990

Robert Bolzon – Fitzroy
Debut 1987, 12 Disposals & 1 Goal
5 Games 1987-1988

David Strooper – Fitzroy
Debut 1987, 11 Disposals
43 Games Fitzroy 1987-1991, 32 Games Sydney 1992-1993 & 6 Games St Kilda 1994

Gordon Fode – St Kilda
Debut 1988, 10 Disposals
52 Games 1988-1995

Glenn Page – Sydney
Debut 1989, 0 Disposals
18 Games Sydney 1989-1991 & 5 Games North Melbourne 1992

Robert Walker – Richmond
Debut 1990, 7 Disposals
5 Games 1990-1992

Robert West – West Coast
Debut 1991, 16 Disposals & 1 Goal
13 Games West Coast 1991-1993 & 7 Games Footscray 1994

Nathan Bower – Richmond
Debut 1991, 4 Disposals & 1 Goal
74 Games 1991-1998

Ty Esler – Richmond
Debut 1991, 10 Disposals & 7 Hit Outs
12 Games 1991-1993

Trent Ormond-Allen – Melbourne
Debut 1995, 0 Disposals
8 Games Melbourne 1995-1996 & 42 Games Adelaide 1997-1999

Glen Bowyer – Hawthorn
Debut 1999, 15 Disposals
35 Games Hawthorn 1999-2001 & 20 Games Carlton 2004-2005

Ben Cunningham – Fremantle
Debut 2000, 9 Disposals
33 Games 2000-2004

Tim Callan – Geelong
Debut 2003, 6 Disposals
15 Games Geelong 2003-2006 & 19 Games Western Bulldogs 2007-2009

Tom Murphy – Hawthorn
Debut 2005, 4 Disposals
95 Games Hawthorn 2005-2012 & 18 Games Gold Coast 2013 & 2014

Ryan Jackson – Carlton
Debut 2006, 12 Games
9 Games 2006-2008

Ryan Gamble – Geelong
Debut 2006, 8 Disposals
24 Games Geelong 2006-2010 & 11 Games St Kilda 2011

Mark Austin – Carlton
Debut 2007, 4 Disposals
15 Games Carlton 2007-2011 & 29 Games Western Bulldogs 2012-2014

Jay Neagle – Essendon
Debut 2007, 6 Disposals & 1 Goal
28 Games 2007-2010

Brock O’Brien – Fremantle
Debut 2007, 15 Disposals
3 Games 2007-2008

Jacob Gilbee – Gold Coast
Debut 2011, 8 Disposals & 1 Goal
6 Games 2011-2013

Jack Fitzpatrick – Melbourne
Debut 2011, 11 Disposals & 1 Goal
22 Games Melbourne 2011-2015 & 4 Games Hawthorn 2016-2017

Josh Simpson – Fremantle
Debut 2013, 14 Disposals & 1 Goal
2 Games 2013-2014

James Stewart- GWS
Debut 2013, 2 Disposals
18 Games GWS 2013-2016 & 60 Games Essendon 2017-

Jordon Bourke – Brisbane
Debut 2014, 14 Disposals
6 Games 2014-2015

Corey Gault – Collingwood
Debut 2014, 7 Disposals & 2 Goals
6 Games 2014-2016

Cameron McCarthy- GWS
Debut 2014, 5 Disposals & 1 Goal
21 Games GWS 2014-2015 & 49 Games 2017-2020

Sam Naismith – Sydney
Debut 2014, 6 Disposals & 16 Hit Outs
30 Games 2014-2020

Connor Blakely – Fremantle
Debut 2015, 12 Disposals
78 Games 2015-2021

Brady Grey – Fremantle
Debut 2015, 20 Disposals
21 Games 2015-2018

Mitch White – Melbourne
Debut 2015, 16 Disposals
4 Games 2015-2017

Mabior Chol – Richmond
Debut 2016, 2 Disposals
31 Games Richmond 2016-2021 & 28 Games Gold Coast 2022-

Brandon White – St Kilda
Debut 2016, 13 Disposals & 1 Goal
11 Games 2016-2019

Elliott Himmelberg – Adelaide
Debut 2018, 13 Disposals & 1 Goal
41 Games 2018-

Billy Frampton- Port Adelaide
Debut 2018, 7 Disposals, 1 Goal & 15 Hit Outs
3 Games Port Adelaide 2018-2019, 21 Games Adelaide 2020-2022 & 14 Games Collingwood 2023-

Jy Farrer – Gold Coast
Debut 2020, 6 Disposals & 1 Goal
34 Games 2020-

Luke Foley – West Coast
Debut 2020, 3 Disposals
32 Games 2020-

Lachlan Gollant – Adelaide
Debut 2021, 11 Disposals & 1 Goal
12 Games 2021-

Alex Davies – Gold Coast
Debut 2021, 16 Disposals
24 Games 2021-

Phoenix Spicer – North Melbourne
Debut 2021, 7 Disposals
12 Games 2021-

Ben Miller – Richmond
Debut 2021, 6 Disposals
25 Games 2021-

Ned Long – Hawthorn
Debut 2022, 11 Disposals
4 Games 2022-

Josh Goater – North Melbourne
Debut 2022, 21 Disposals
10 Games 2022-

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