Chris Yarran
Encyclopedia
Christopher "Chris" Yarran (born 19 December 1990) is an Australian rules football
er with the Carlton Football Club
in the Australian Football League
(AFL).
Yarran is an indigenous
footballer who played his junior years in Western Australia. He was primarily a small forward in his junior days, but he occasionally spent time in the midfield and defence. As a seventeen-year-old, Yarran gained selection into the Swan Districts
senior team, where he played thirteen games and scored 39 goals, including seven on debut and eight in three finals matches. He played with Western Australia in the Under 18s championships and scored eight goals in four games. He was also a member of the AIS/AFL Academy Squad and captained a team from the Clontarf Football Academy in a game against a visiting South African Under 19's
side in February 2007.
Yarran was a noted talent and was expected to be drafted high, with some considering him to be the one of most talented players available in the draft. He would ultimately be selected by the Carlton Football Club
with its first round selection (#6 overall) in the 2008 AFL National Draft
. At draft time, Carlton coach Brett Ratten
said that Yarran could assist fellow small forward Eddie Betts
, and help to reduce the defensive pressure on then full-forward Brendan Fevola
.
Yarran played his first senior game for Carlton in Round 7, 2009 against Fremantle. He played sporadically for Carlton during the season, managing six games, but played most of his games with Carlton's , the Northern Bullants
, including a five-goal performance in the VFL preliminary final. In 2010, Yarran played sixteen games for Carlton, and earned a AFL Rising Star nomination. Throughout that season, Yarran formed part of a short-lived forward-line structure consisting of tall full-forward Setanta Ó hAilpín
, and three small forwards (Betts, Yarran, and Yarran's former Swan Districts team-mate Jeff Garlett
) who became known as "Setanta's Little Helpers".
In 2011, coach Brett Ratten abandoned the tactic of playing three small forwards in favour of two: Betts and Garlett. Yarran was moved onto the half-back line, and within the year became a damaging rebounding defender, able to use his speed, agility and accurate disposal to set up much of Carlton's rebound play.
Yarran featured in the award-winning 2010 documentary film, Three Boys Dreaming, which follows the lives of three young indigenous footballers over a four-year period.
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...
er with the Carlton Football Club
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
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...
(AFL).
Yarran is an indigenous
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
footballer who played his junior years in Western Australia. He was primarily a small forward in his junior days, but he occasionally spent time in the midfield and defence. As a seventeen-year-old, Yarran gained selection into the Swan Districts
Swan Districts Football Club
The Swan Districts Football Club, nicknamed the Swans, is an Australian rules football club playing in the West Australian Football League . The club is based at Bassendean Oval, in Bassendean, an eastern suburb of Perth, Western Australia...
senior team, where he played thirteen games and scored 39 goals, including seven on debut and eight in three finals matches. He played with Western Australia in the Under 18s championships and scored eight goals in four games. He was also a member of the AIS/AFL Academy Squad and captained a team from the Clontarf Football Academy in a game against a visiting South African Under 19's
Australian rules football in South Africa
Australian rules football in South Africa is a fast growing team sport, having grown in participation by 160% between 2005–07.Since 1996, the sport has been growing quickly amongst indigenous communities, beginning in the North West province and later spreading to Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Western...
side in February 2007.
Yarran was a noted talent and was expected to be drafted high, with some considering him to be the one of most talented players available in the draft. He would ultimately be selected by the Carlton Football Club
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
with its first round selection (#6 overall) in the 2008 AFL National Draft
2008 AFL Draft
The 2008 AFL Draft consisted of four opportunities for player acquisitions during the 2008/09 Australian Football League off-season. These were Trade Week , the National Draft , the Pre-Season Draft and the Rookie Draft...
. At draft time, Carlton coach Brett Ratten
Brett Ratten
Brett "Ratts" Ratten is a former Australian rules footballer and the current coach of the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League....
said that Yarran could assist fellow small forward Eddie Betts
Eddie Betts
Eddie Betts is an Australian rules footballer playing for Carlton in the Australian Football League .-Early life:Betts grew up in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia and played for the Mines Rovers Football Club...
, and help to reduce the defensive pressure on then full-forward Brendan Fevola
Brendan Fevola
Brendan Fevola is a professional Australian rules footballer. He played with the Carlton and Brisbane Lions football clubs in the Australian Football League....
.
Yarran played his first senior game for Carlton in Round 7, 2009 against Fremantle. He played sporadically for Carlton during the season, managing six games, but played most of his games with Carlton's , the Northern Bullants
Northern Bullants
Northern Blues Football Club is a long-established Australian rules football club based in Preston and currently playing in the Victorian Football League representing the central and outer areas of Melbourne...
, including a five-goal performance in the VFL preliminary final. In 2010, Yarran played sixteen games for Carlton, and earned a AFL Rising Star nomination. Throughout that season, Yarran formed part of a short-lived forward-line structure consisting of tall full-forward Setanta Ó hAilpín
Setanta Ó hAilpín
Setanta "Carlos" Ó hAilpín is an Australian-Irish sportsman. He was a hurler with the Cork senior team before becoming a professional Australian Rules footballer. He is of mixed Irish and Rotuman background...
, and three small forwards (Betts, Yarran, and Yarran's former Swan Districts team-mate Jeff Garlett
Jeff Garlett
Jefferey "Jeff" Garlett is an Indigenous Australian rules footballer at the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League. He is the first cousin of Coleman Medallist Lance Franklin from Hawthorn.-Early football:...
) who became known as "Setanta's Little Helpers".
In 2011, coach Brett Ratten abandoned the tactic of playing three small forwards in favour of two: Betts and Garlett. Yarran was moved onto the half-back line, and within the year became a damaging rebounding defender, able to use his speed, agility and accurate disposal to set up much of Carlton's rebound play.
Yarran featured in the award-winning 2010 documentary film, Three Boys Dreaming, which follows the lives of three young indigenous footballers over a four-year period.