Simon Madden
Encyclopedia
Simon Madden was an Australian rules football
er for the Essendon Football Club
from 1974 until 1992. He was also president of the AFL Players Association
from 1985 until 1989.
Simon Madden was one of the greatest ruckman to play the game, and certainly the most durable. In all he played 378 senior matches, the most by any Essendon player, and fourth most league history (Behind Michael Tuck
, Kevin Bartlett and Robert Harvey
). In addition to playing in the ruck, Madden was a handy part-time forward, kicking 575 goals in his career, a club record that stood until it was broken in 2003 by full-forward Matthew Lloyd
.
Madden won four Essendon best and fairest awards (1977, 1979, 1983 and 1984) and captained the side in the 1980 and 1981 seasons. He played in the back-to-back premiership sides in 1984 and 1985, winning the Norm Smith Medal
for best on ground in the 1985 Grand Final
. He was also named in the All-Australian Team
on three occasions (1983, 1987 and 1988). In 1986 he rejected an offer of a $500,000 contract by the Sydney Swans
to remain with Essendon for his entire career.
He was named in the ruck in Essendon's "Team of the Century" and named as the fifth best player ever to play for the club in the "Champions of Essendon" list.
Simon's brother Justin
was also a top class ruckman for Essendon and Carlton
, and they are the only set of brothers to both play 300 games of league football. Both brothers had their secondary schooling at St Bernard's College Essendon a school renowned for its sporting prowess. (The school is the only to ever produce three 300-game players, with Simon and Justin Madden joining former Bomber Garry Foulds
in this achievement)
Simon became head coach of St. Bernards Old Collegians Football Club Seniors (Essendon, VIC, Australia) in 2005.
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 for the Essendon Football Club
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
from 1974 until 1992. He was also president of the AFL Players Association
AFL Players Association
The AFL Players Association, or AFLPA, is the representative body for all current and past professional Australian Football League players....
from 1985 until 1989.
Simon Madden was one of the greatest ruckman to play the game, and certainly the most durable. In all he played 378 senior matches, the most by any Essendon player, and fourth most league history (Behind Michael Tuck
Michael Tuck
Michael Tuck is a seven time premiership winning player, Australian rules footballer with the Hawthorn Football Club in the Victorian Football League / Australian Football League , where he is the games record holder....
, Kevin Bartlett and 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...
). In addition to playing in the ruck, Madden was a handy part-time forward, kicking 575 goals in his career, a club record that stood until it was broken in 2003 by full-forward Matthew Lloyd
Matthew Lloyd
Matthew James Lloyd is a former Australian rules footballer who played for and was the captain of the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League...
.
Madden won four Essendon best and fairest awards (1977, 1979, 1983 and 1984) and captained the side in the 1980 and 1981 seasons. He played in the back-to-back premiership sides in 1984 and 1985, winning the Norm Smith Medal
Norm Smith Medal
The Norm Smith Medal is the award given in the AFL Grand Final to the player adjudged by an independent panel of experts to have been the best player in the match.-History:The Norm Smith Medal is named after former Melbourne player and coach, Norm Smith...
for best on ground in the 1985 Grand Final
1985 VFL Grand Final
The 1985 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Essendon Football Club and Hawthorn Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 28 September 1985. It was the 89th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
. He was also named in the All-Australian Team
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....
on three occasions (1983, 1987 and 1988). In 1986 he rejected an offer of a $500,000 contract by the Sydney Swans
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
to remain with Essendon for his entire career.
He was named in the ruck in Essendon's "Team of the Century" and named as the fifth best player ever to play for the club in the "Champions of Essendon" list.
Simon's brother Justin
Justin Madden
Madden was 206 cm tall, and one of the tallest men ever to play Australian Rules football, and his potential in this area was fully utilized by Carlton, who used him as their main ruckman. Over the next fifteen seasons, Madden became a mainstay of the Carlton side, and one of the most...
was also a top class ruckman for Essendon and Carlton
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...
, and they are the only set of brothers to both play 300 games of league football. Both brothers had their secondary schooling at St Bernard's College Essendon a school renowned for its sporting prowess. (The school is the only to ever produce three 300-game players, with Simon and Justin Madden joining former Bomber Garry Foulds
Garry Foulds
Garry Foulds is a former Australian rules footballer who played 300 games for the Essendon Football Club between 1974 and 1989. Described as "a ball magnet", Foulds spent the majority of his career playing on the wing or floating across the half-back line...
in this achievement)
Simon became head coach of St. Bernards Old Collegians Football Club Seniors (Essendon, VIC, Australia) in 2005.