Nick Sautner
Encyclopedia
Nicholas 'Nick' Sautner (born 19 June 1977) is an Australian rules football
er, best known for his Victorian Football League
(VFL) football career with the Sandringham Zebras. He has also spent time at Preston
in 2003, and Frankston in 2001 and 2002.
Throughout his career, Sautner cemented a reputation as one of the VFL's most prolific goal-kickers. Through his career, he won the Jim 'Frosty' Miller Medal
for leading goalkicker in the VFL a record nine times, breaking the record held by the eponymous Jim Miller
of six. He was league leading goal-kicker a record six years in a row from 1999–2004, breaking the record of four in a row held by G. Taylor (1920–1923) and Miller (1968–1971), and won the award nine times in eleven years from 1999–2009.
, playing as a defender in the reserves, but he never managed a senior game for Springvale. He moved to Sandringham in 1997 and arrived at the Trevor Barker Oval to take his place at centre half back as the youngest player in its premiership side of that year, playing every game for the season (one of only three players to do so). Two years later Sautner switched to the forward line, and was immediately successful, kicking 89 goals and winning the Jim "Frosty" Miller Medal as the competition's leading goal kicker.
The 2000 season saw the VFL become affiliated with the professional Australian Football League
, and saw Sandringham affiliated with the Melbourne Football Club
. Sautner kicked 70 goals and won the Frosty Miller Medal again, as part of the Zebras' premiership team.
Sautner switched teams in 2001 when he moved to bayside rival Frankston and again in 2003 when he was lured to the Northern Bullants. He played a total of 58 games with those clubs, and was the league's leading goal kicker again in all three seasons, including his career-best 93 goals in the 2002 season with Frankston.
He returned to Sandringham in 2004 and won the Frosty Miller medal for the sixth consecutive time, a VFL record, as well as winning a third premiership with the Zebras. In the following two seasons, Sautner won two more premierships, bringing his total to five (a Sandringham record), but his streak of Frosty Miller medals was broken, by James Podsiadly
in 2005 and Aaron Edwards
in 2006.
Between 2007 and 2009, Sautner won another three Frosty Miller Medals, bringing his total to nine, a VFA/VFL record.
Despite his success at VFL level, Sautner has never been recruited by an AFL team; he trialled with St Kilda and Melbourne, but was unsuccessful with each.
Sautner announced his retirement from VFL football in January 2011 when he was unable to meet the training schedule set down by Brett Lovett as stated in the VFL record on June 12th 2011. Sautner has signed to play with Collegians in the VAFA for season 2011.
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, best known for his Victorian Football League
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
(VFL) football career with the Sandringham Zebras. He has also spent time at Preston
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...
in 2003, and Frankston in 2001 and 2002.
Throughout his career, Sautner cemented a reputation as one of the VFL's most prolific goal-kickers. Through his career, he won the Jim 'Frosty' Miller Medal
Jim 'Frosty' Miller Medal
The Jim 'Frosty' Miller Medal is awarded to the leading goalkicker in the Victorian Football League . The Medal was named in 1999 in honour of Jim Miller who was the VFL leading goalkicker on six occasions. Nick Sautner currently holds the record for most medals with nine, his most recent coming in...
for leading goalkicker in the VFL a record nine times, breaking the record held by the eponymous Jim Miller
Jim Miller (Australian footballer)
Jim 'Frosty' Miller is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Carlton in the Victorian Football League and had a noted career with Dandenong in the Victorian Football Association ....
of six. He was league leading goal-kicker a record six years in a row from 1999–2004, breaking the record of four in a row held by G. Taylor (1920–1923) and Miller (1968–1971), and won the award nine times in eleven years from 1999–2009.
Career overview
Sautner began his VFL career in 1996 with the Springvale Football ClubCasey Scorpions
The Casey Scorpions Football Club is an Australian rules football club in the Victorian Football League . The club was founded in 1903 as the Springvale Football Club and played under the name Springvale. In its history it has won 21 premierships...
, playing as a defender in the reserves, but he never managed a senior game for Springvale. He moved to Sandringham in 1997 and arrived at the Trevor Barker Oval to take his place at centre half back as the youngest player in its premiership side of that year, playing every game for the season (one of only three players to do so). Two years later Sautner switched to the forward line, and was immediately successful, kicking 89 goals and winning the Jim "Frosty" Miller Medal as the competition's leading goal kicker.
The 2000 season saw the VFL become affiliated with the professional 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 saw Sandringham affiliated with the Melbourne Football Club
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
. Sautner kicked 70 goals and won the Frosty Miller Medal again, as part of the Zebras' premiership team.
Sautner switched teams in 2001 when he moved to bayside rival Frankston and again in 2003 when he was lured to the Northern Bullants. He played a total of 58 games with those clubs, and was the league's leading goal kicker again in all three seasons, including his career-best 93 goals in the 2002 season with Frankston.
He returned to Sandringham in 2004 and won the Frosty Miller medal for the sixth consecutive time, a VFL record, as well as winning a third premiership with the Zebras. In the following two seasons, Sautner won two more premierships, bringing his total to five (a Sandringham record), but his streak of Frosty Miller medals was broken, by James Podsiadly
James Podsiadly
James Podsiadly is an Australian rules footballer for Geelong in the Australian Football League . He was drafted as a mature-aged rookie in the 2010 Rookie Draft.-Early life:...
in 2005 and Aaron Edwards
Aaron Edwards
Aaron Edwards is an Australian rules footballer for the North Melbourne Football Club.-Early life:Edwards was born in Samoa to a Samoan mother and New Zealander father. He migrated with his family to Australia at the age of two and played rugby union until the age of 13...
in 2006.
Between 2007 and 2009, Sautner won another three Frosty Miller Medals, bringing his total to nine, a VFA/VFL record.
Despite his success at VFL level, Sautner has never been recruited by an AFL team; he trialled with St Kilda and Melbourne, but was unsuccessful with each.
Sautner announced his retirement from VFL football in January 2011 when he was unable to meet the training schedule set down by Brett Lovett as stated in the VFL record on June 12th 2011. Sautner has signed to play with Collegians in the VAFA for season 2011.