John Platten
Encyclopedia
John Patrick "The Rat" Platten (born 17 March 1963 in South Australia
) is a former Australian rules football
er. With his unruly tangle of curls he was a distinctive figure on the field with tremendous tenacity and the ability to accumulate possessions week after week.
in the SANFL competition. A junior with Centrals, he commenced in the junior ranks in 1979 and made his league debut in 1981. Platten immediately made an impact with Centrals, becoming a full State Representative in 1982 and continued to be a regular in the State Team throughout his career. Platten's greatest achievement at Centrals was his 1984 Magarey Medal
triumph along with two best and fairest awards.
Platten was recruited to the Hawthorn Football Club
for the 1986 season. He went on to play for the Hawks between 1986 and 1997, playing 258 games and kicking 228 goals. He was a gutsy rover who won a Brownlow Medal
in 1987, tying with Tony Lockett
. He won All-Australian selection in 1985 (with Centrals), 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1992 (with Hawthorn), as well as playing in the Hawks' premiership sides in 1986, 1988, 1989, and 1991.
In 1998, Platten retired from the Hawthorn Football Club, and made a dramatic return to Central District along with Gilbert McAdam, another of the Bulldogs' all-time greats. Platten kicked the match winning goal of his comeback match against Glenelg at Elizabeth Oval, however injury plagued his long-awaited comeback and he retired from football altogether after sustaining a knee injury mid-season. His return to Elizabeth Oval wasn't the success it was hoped for, but was a joyous event for long-time Centrals fans regardless. Platten has been a notable attendee at Centrals recent premiership successes, an achievement he was unfortunately never to enjoy with his boyhood club.
Platten now coaches country football in South Australia. He played 113 games for Central District in the SANFL and was the club's best and fairest in 1984 and 1985, and its leading goalkicker in 1981 and 1985.
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
) is a former Australian rules football
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 his unruly tangle of curls he was a distinctive figure on the field with tremendous tenacity and the ability to accumulate possessions week after week.
Career
Platten began (and ended) his career with the Central District BulldogsCentral District Bulldogs
Central District Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in the city of Elizabeth about 25 km to the north of Adelaide, South Australia.-Origins and Background:...
in the SANFL competition. A junior with Centrals, he commenced in the junior ranks in 1979 and made his league debut in 1981. Platten immediately made an impact with Centrals, becoming a full State Representative in 1982 and continued to be a regular in the State Team throughout his career. Platten's greatest achievement at Centrals was his 1984 Magarey Medal
Magarey Medal
For the biography award of the same name, see Magarey Medal for biography. For a list of winners, see List of Magarey Medallists.The Magarey Medal is an Australian rules football honour awarded annually since 1898 to the fairest and most brilliant player in the South Australian National Football...
triumph along with two best and fairest awards.
Platten was recruited to the Hawthorn Football Club
Hawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
for the 1986 season. He went on to play for the Hawks between 1986 and 1997, playing 258 games and kicking 228 goals. He was a gutsy rover who won a Brownlow Medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
in 1987, tying with Tony Lockett
Tony Lockett
Anthony Howard "Tony" Lockett is a former Australian rules football player. Lockett is the highest goal scorer in the history of the VFL/AFL with 1,360 goals in a career of 281 games, that commenced in 1983 with the St Kilda Football Club, and finished in 2002 with the Sydney Swans...
. He won All-Australian selection in 1985 (with Centrals), 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1992 (with Hawthorn), as well as playing in the Hawks' premiership sides in 1986, 1988, 1989, and 1991.
In 1998, Platten retired from the Hawthorn Football Club, and made a dramatic return to Central District along with Gilbert McAdam, another of the Bulldogs' all-time greats. Platten kicked the match winning goal of his comeback match against Glenelg at Elizabeth Oval, however injury plagued his long-awaited comeback and he retired from football altogether after sustaining a knee injury mid-season. His return to Elizabeth Oval wasn't the success it was hoped for, but was a joyous event for long-time Centrals fans regardless. Platten has been a notable attendee at Centrals recent premiership successes, an achievement he was unfortunately never to enjoy with his boyhood club.
Platten now coaches country football in South Australia. He played 113 games for Central District in the SANFL and was the club's best and fairest in 1984 and 1985, and its leading goalkicker in 1981 and 1985.
External links
- Central District Football Club website
- Hawthorn team of the Century
- Player stats (from 1993)
- John Platten's printing business http://www.theprintinghub.com.au/