THERE’S always an air of excitement whenever a former AFL player takes the field back at the grassroots level.
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Over recent years there has only been a smattering of players throughout central Victoria who have played at least one AFL game, but the numbers have increased significantly this season:
BENDIGO
Damien Lock.
Club: Eaglehawk.
Age: 35.
AFL club: Carlton (1998-99).
Games: 18. Goals: 0.
Brownlow votes: 0.
Corey Jones.
Club: Golden Square.
Age: 33.
AFL club: North Melbourne (2001-10).
Games: 157. Goals: 216.
Brownlow votes: 12.
Rick Ladson.
Club: Golden Square.
Age: 30.
AFL club: Hawthorn (2003-11).
Games: 125. Goals: 45.
Brownlow votes: 0.
Nathan Thompson.
Club: Kyneton.
Age: 36.
AFL clubs: Hawthorn (1998-2004), North Melbourne (2005-08).
Games: 179. Goals: 327.
Brownlow votes: 43.
Stephen Milne.
Club: Strathfieldsaye.
Age: 34.
AFL club: St Kilda (2001-13).
Games: 275. Goals: 574.
Brownlow votes: 37.
Steven Baker.
Club: Strathfieldsaye.
Age: 33.
AFL club: St Kilda (1999-2011).
Games: 203. Goals: 35.
Brownlow votes: 4.
Shane Robertson.
Club: Castlemaine (coach).
Age: 50.
AFL club: Carlton (1983-91).
Games: 80. Goals: 23.
Brownlow votes: 3.
HEATHCOTE DISTRICT
Jonathan Hay.
Club: LBU.
Age: 34.
AFL clubs: Hawthorn (1997-2005), North Melbourne (2006).
Games: 157. Goals: 12.
Brownlow votes: 5.
LODDON VALLEY
Andrew Collins.
Club: Bridgewater.
Age: 25.
AFL clubs: Richmond (2007-10), Carlton (2011-12).
Games: 36. Goals: 29.
Brownlow votes: 2.
Will Thursfield.
Club: Bridgewater.
Age: 27.
AFL club: Richmond (2005-11).
Games: 77. Goals: 0.
Brownlow votes: 0.
Daniel Connors.
Club: Bridgewater (VFL alignment).
Age: 25
AFL club: Richmond (2007-12).
Games: 29. Goals: 11.
Brownlow votes: 3.
MARYBOROUGH-CASTLEMAINE DISTRICT
Darren Jolly.
Club: Lexton.
Age: 32.
AFL clubs: Melbourne (2001-04), Sydney (2005-09), Collingwood (2010-13).
Games: 237. Goals: 122.
Brownlow votes: 17.
NORTH CENTRAL
Travis Baird.
Club: Charlton.
Age: 27.
AFL clubs: Brisbane (2005), Western Bulldogs (2006).
Games: 5. Goals: 5.
Brownlow votes: 0.
Ross Funcke.
Club: Donald.
Age: 36.
AFL clubs: Richmond (1996-99), Melbourne (2001-02).
Games: 40. Goals: 5.
Brownlow votes: 0.
Andrew Welsh.
Club: Boort.
Age: 31.
AFL club: Essendon (2002-11).
Games: 162. Goals: 32.
Brownlow votes: 8.
Jesse Smith.
Club: Boort.
Age: 28.
AFL club: Carlton (2006).
Games: 2. Goals: 0.
Brownlow votes: 0.
