Chris Grant
Encyclopedia
Christopher Lee "Chris" Grant (born 13 December 1972) is a former Australian rules football
player in the Australian Football League
, and a legend of the Western Bulldogs Football Club. He was born in Daylesford
, Victoria, Australia
.
Grant was recruited by the Footscray Football Club (now Western Bulldogs
) in the 1988 VFL Draft
at pick number 105, and played his first AFL game in 1990 at the age of 17. Grant kicked 51 goals that season, the youngest player in VFL-AFL history to achieve this feat, to be the leading goalkicker for the club.
Over the following years, Grant established himself as a respected player in the half-forward position. He earned All-Australian
honours in 1994 and 1996. He polled 27 votes in the 1997 Brownlow Medal, one more than winner Robert Harvey
; however, he was ineligible to win the award due to a one-match suspension for striking Hawthorn's Nick Holland
.
In 2001 he was named team captain, and was selected as a member of the Footscray & Western Bulldogs 'Team of the Century' in 2002. He missed the 2003 season to an ACL injury sustained in Round 1. He relinquished the captaincy at the end of the 2004 season.
Grant has played over 300 games and scored more than 500 goals throughout his career, an astonishing feat considering he spent much of his career at centre half back, playing on the game's best key forwards. He won the club best-and-fairest award
in 1994 and 1996 (and came second in 1997, 1998, and 1999, and third in 2001). He gained third place in the 1996 Brownlow Medal. He received All-Australian Honours in 1997, 1998, and 1999. He was the club's leading goal-kicker in 1990 and 1994.
In playing his 330th game on 5 August 2006, Grant broke Doug Hawkins' record for most number of games played for the Western Bulldogs. He held the club games record until 2009, when he was passed by Brad Johnson
.
Near the end of 1996 Grant was offered a large amount of money to move to Port Adelaide
, but one factor which changed his mind was when a little boy, Ryan Adams, sent him a letter with an attached 20-cent coin saying it was all he had and that Grant could keep it if he stayed with the Western Bulldogs.
Grant announced his retirement from senior football at the Bulldogs' best-and-fairest
presentation on 2 October 2007, following a career that spanned 18 seasons and 341 games.
Chris Grant came out of retirement to represent his old club in Daylesford and in his first game of the season kicked 11 goals.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
player in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
, and a legend of the Western Bulldogs Football Club. He was born in Daylesford
Daylesford, Victoria
Daylesford is a town located in the Shire of Hepburn, Victoria, Australia. It is a former goldmining town about 115 kilometres north-west of Melbourne, in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range. At the 2006 census, Daylesford had a population of 3,073...
, Victoria, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Grant was recruited by the Footscray Football Club (now Western Bulldogs
Western Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
) in the 1988 VFL Draft
1988 VFL Draft
The 1988 VFL National Draft was the third annual National draft held by the Victorian Football League . It consisted of a pre-season draft and a national draft....
at pick number 105, and played his first AFL game in 1990 at the age of 17. Grant kicked 51 goals that season, the youngest player in VFL-AFL history to achieve this feat, to be the leading goalkicker for the club.
Over the following years, Grant established himself as a respected player in the half-forward position. He earned All-Australian
All-Australian Team
The All-Australian Team is an all star team of Australian rules footballers, selected by a panel at the end of each season. It represents a complete team, including interchange players and a coach, of the best performed during the season....
honours in 1994 and 1996. He polled 27 votes in the 1997 Brownlow Medal, one more than winner Robert Harvey
Robert Harvey (footballer)
Robert Jeffrey Harvey is a former Australian rules football player for the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League...
; however, he was ineligible to win the award due to a one-match suspension for striking Hawthorn's Nick Holland
Nick Holland
Nick Holland is a former Australian rules football player. He played 179 games for the Hawthorn Football Club between 1994 and 2005, serving as Vice Captain between 1999 and 2003. He is a previous winner of the AFL Rising Star, Hawthorn's Best & Fairest award, Hawthorn's leading goal kicker in...
.
In 2001 he was named team captain, and was selected as a member of the Footscray & Western Bulldogs 'Team of the Century' in 2002. He missed the 2003 season to an ACL injury sustained in Round 1. He relinquished the captaincy at the end of the 2004 season.
Grant has played over 300 games and scored more than 500 goals throughout his career, an astonishing feat considering he spent much of his career at centre half back, playing on the game's best key forwards. He won the club best-and-fairest award
Charles Sutton Medal
The Charles Sutton Medal is awarded to the player adjudged Best and Fairest for the Western Bulldogs. Scott West holds the record at the club, winning seven medals, followed by Gary Dempsey, with six...
in 1994 and 1996 (and came second in 1997, 1998, and 1999, and third in 2001). He gained third place in the 1996 Brownlow Medal. He received All-Australian Honours in 1997, 1998, and 1999. He was the club's leading goal-kicker in 1990 and 1994.
In playing his 330th game on 5 August 2006, Grant broke Doug Hawkins' record for most number of games played for the Western Bulldogs. He held the club games record until 2009, when he was passed by Brad Johnson
Brad Johnson (Australian rules footballer)
Brad Johnson is a former Australian rules footballer who was the captain of Australian Football League team Western Bulldogs...
.
Near the end of 1996 Grant was offered a large amount of money to move to Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide Football Club
The Port Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, which plays in the Australian Football League and the South Australian National Football League...
, but one factor which changed his mind was when a little boy, Ryan Adams, sent him a letter with an attached 20-cent coin saying it was all he had and that Grant could keep it if he stayed with the Western Bulldogs.
Grant announced his retirement from senior football at the Bulldogs' best-and-fairest
Charles Sutton Medal
The Charles Sutton Medal is awarded to the player adjudged Best and Fairest for the Western Bulldogs. Scott West holds the record at the club, winning seven medals, followed by Gary Dempsey, with six...
presentation on 2 October 2007, following a career that spanned 18 seasons and 341 games.
Chris Grant came out of retirement to represent his old club in Daylesford and in his first game of the season kicked 11 goals.