Jeff White (Australian footballer)

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For those of a similar name, see Jeffrey White and Geoff White (disambiguation).

Jeff White
White in Melbourne's away strip at the MCG in 2007
Personal information
Full name Jeffrey Newman White
Date of birth (1977-02-19) 19 February 1977 (age 47)
Original team(s) Dandenong Stingrays
Frankston Rovers
Draft 1st overall,
1994 – Fremantle
Height 195 cm (6 ft 5 in)
Weight 95 kg (209 lb)
Position(s)
Ruck
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1995–1997 Fremantle 032 0(18)
1998–2008 Melbourne 236 0(95)
Total 268 (113)[1]
Representative team honours
Years Team Games (Goals)
1998–1999, 2008 Victoria 001 00(?)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of Rnd 22, 2008.
2 State and international statistics correct as of 2008.
Career highlights
  • State of Origin Victoria 1998, 1999, 2008 (Squad)
  • Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Medal
    2004
  • All-Australian Team
    2004
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Jeffrey Newman "Jeff" White (born 19 February 1977) is an

All-Australian in 2004, and was selected for Victoria several times. He was an important member of the Melbourne sides which made the 2000 AFL Grand Final and qualified for six finals series from 1998 to 2006
.

White's career was punctuated by serious injuries to his shin and face, in

AFL Queensland State League.[5]

Personal life

White grew up in

Champions Tour was a potential aim once his football career is finished.[4]

Playing career

White played for the

Teal Cup—the national under 18 championships—in 1994. Following his performances for Vic Metro, he was named as an All-Australian at Under 18 level.[13]

Fremantle

White was drafted by the

AFL Rising Star award in Round 19 in a 24-point win against Collingwood. He had 22 disposals, 11 marks, kicked a goal and received three Brownlow Medal votes for his stand-out performance for the season.[15] In his final season at Fremantle, White took on greater responsibility of the ruck-work, and averaged 10 hit-outs per game for the season.[16] He played the first 12 matches of the season, but was then dropped for nine matches until the final match of the season—and of his Fremantle career.[17] Fremantle's performances were largely consistent during White's three seasons with them, as they finished 13th in both 1995 and 1996, and 12th in 1997.[18]

White was handed the number 34

1999 draft
to Fremantle.

White (in red with arm raised) rucking for Melbourne against Peter Street and Luke Darcy of the Western Bulldogs

Melbourne

Early seasons

Melbourne traded their two highest selections in the

preliminary final, where they lost to North Melbourne. He received 11 votes in the Brownlow Medal for the season.[23] After a promising start to his career in Melbourne, 1999 was less successful. White's disposals and scoring statistics dropped significantly, and he tellingly failed to record any votes in the Brownlow Medal. In 2000, he was a key member of the Melbourne side that reached the Grand Final, with many pundits seeing White as the best Melbourne player on the ground in the loss to Essendon,[3] as he had 24 hit-outs and 14 disposals.[24] He kicked 16 goals and averaged 21 hit-outs per game for the season, and as in 1998, he recorded 11 Brownlow Medal votes.[16] He effected the most number of hit-outs in the league for the season, with 499.[2]

White played all but one of Melbourne's matches in 2001, and after a commanding performance against his former club in Round 21 where had 33 possessions, kicked two goals, and received three Brownlow Medal votes,[25] then-Fremantle coach Ben Allan responded to a suggestion that White may leave Melbourne at the end of the season by saying "we'll have him back".[26] White recorded the most hit-outs in the league in 2002, with 561, playing in all of Melbourne's matches in a run that saw them narrowly lose to Adelaide by two goals in a semi-final.[2][27] The 2003 season was disappointing for both Melbourne, and White personally. His average number of hit-outs dropped by more than six per game, he averaged fewer than eight kicks per match, and did not receive any Brownlow Medal votes.[2]

Consistent form

The

best-and-fairest, receiving All-Australian selection, and ranking second in the league for total number of hit-outs.[2] He reached the top ten in the 2004 Brownlow Medal with 15 votes, including four best-on-ground displays,[28] with dominant performances against North Melbourne and Fremantle among them. His most productive period came between Rounds 9 and 16, where he recorded three best-on-ground displays, averaged 25 hit-outs and received 13 Brownlow Medal votes.[29] His Round 6 performance against Carlton is also noted as one of his career-best performances, with Melbourne winning by more than 100 points, as White recorded 26 disposals, took eight marks, kicked one goal, and received the three Brownlow votes for his influential display.[2] Coinciding with White's career-best form, Melbourne sat atop the AFL ladder after Round 18,[30] but in the final month of the season, the team lost its last five matches, finishing fifth after Round 22, and losing to Essendon in the Elimination Final. The 2005 season was less successful for both White and Melbourne, with the club struggling to cement a place in the top eight during the year, although they managed to finish seventh after a strong finish to the minor round,[31] and qualify for the club's second consecutive finals series—the first time it had competed in consecutive finals series since 1991.[32][33] Melbourne again lost in the Elimination Final, this time to Geelong
. It was during this match that White sustained his career-threatening facial injury.

Following the 2005 season, he signed a three-year deal with Melbourne—his last contract with the club—worth A$1.4m.[7] He was an integral part of Melbourne's strong 2006 form, as the team won 11 out of 12 games after losing the first three matches of the season. He was named among the best Melbourne players in the side's come-from-behind victory against St Kilda in the Elimination Final. Melbourne lost to Fremantle the following week, ending their third consecutive finals series. During 2006, White effected fewer hit-outs than in 2005, although his total number of disposals, marks and goals were all significantly improved.[34] He played all of Melbourne's matches that season,[35] as he did for four seasons from 2004[2]—a consistent run which saw him play more than 100 consecutive matches after he missed games in 2003 due to a serious shin injury and a knee injury, until Round 12, 2008.[3][6][36] In both 2005 and 2006, he ranked third in the league in number of hit-outs.[2]

Final years

"[White's] integrity and dignity is beyond reproach. He's been an outstanding person and an outstanding player for the Melbourne Football Club."
-Dean Bailey reflecting on White's career, August 2008.[4]

Melbourne's poor form throughout the

Paul Johnson to play the second-ruckman role. It was the first time in 20 years that anyone other than White or Jim Stynes had been the first-choice ruckman at Melbourne for an extended run of matches. Coach Dean Bailey said that 2008 was the most difficult season that White and team-mate Adem Yze had experienced at the club—the side finished bottom and won just three games. Bailey praised both White and Yze on their professionalism and attitude at the end of the season—the pair's last at Melbourne.[4] White played 15 games in 2008—his lowest total in a season with Melbourne. He finished his career at Melbourne in Round 22 against Richmond, kicking two goals and having 17 possessions.[38] He received 53 Brownlow votes throughout his career—47 with Melbourne and six with Fremantle. He reached double-figures in Brownlow votes on three occasions, with his highest being the 15 votes he received in 2004. He received his final Brownlow vote in Round 7, 2008, in Melbourne's win over Fremantle. He received Brownlow votes in nine of his 14 AFL seasons.[2]

He was named as one of Melbourne's 150 Legends during the club's 150th anniversary celebrations, and finished his career with the seventh-highest number of appearances for Melbourne with 236.[3] He was made a life member of the Melbourne Football Club during 2008.[8] White was delisted from Melbourne following the 2008 season, but has stated that he hopes to play on for one or two more seasons at another AFL club: "From a personal point of view, I still feel like I've got some time left." His preference would have been to continue at Melbourne, saying, "I love the club and would love to play on"[6] but that he "totally understands" his delisting.[39] Dean Bailey spoke highly of White's leadership at Melbourne, saying that White will leave a lasting legacy at the club.[3]

Season 2009

Gold Coast Football Club as a coach[42]

Victoria

White (right) contesting an overhead mark against former understudy Darren Jolly

During

Dream Team in the AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match in 2008—White was selected in the initial 40-man squad for Victoria, but once again did not make the final 22. He was Melbourne's only representative in the squad.[44]
Playing for Victoria in 1998 was his only representative appearance.

Playing style

White's kicking accuracy was of particular note for a

ruckman—his goal-kicking accuracy finished at slightly less than 60%.[16] He was a consistent exponent of the spectacular mark, preferring to take chest marks high over packs. He was nominated on several occasions for the Mark of the Year, but he never won the award.[45][46] His ball-skills and work around the ground remained one of his greatest strengths throughout his career.[38] He effected 5000 hit-outs in his AFL career, the most by any one player since records began in 1987, with a career-high game total of 47 during a resounding round-22 win over West Coast Eagles in 2000.[16] Testament to his durability and consistency, he was ranked in the top five in the AFL in total number of hit-outs for nine consecutive seasons from 1999.[2] At 195 cm, White is relatively short for a ruckman, and operated more as a ruck-rover than as a traditional ruckman.[6] He was noted for his athleticism and vertical-leap,[3] which helped him overcome his lack of height in comparison to other ruckmen.[22] His approach to ruck-work—with greater emphasis on possessing the ball and working around the ground—helped him adapt to the changed centre-circle rules, and compensated for his lack of height and diminished ability at stoppages.[38] Following the departure of Jim Stynes from Melbourne, White later worked on his game with former ruckman Sam Newman. Percy Johnson, Stynes and finally Newman guided and influenced White's ruck-work during his career.[19]

Injuries

Throughout the latter stages of his career, he wore special thigh- and shin-pads to protect himself from injury in the ruck—his specially-designed shin-pad was required to protect a problematic shin injury which had threatened his career.[3][47] During a match in 2003, he was kicked in the shin, causing his shin-pad to crack and split the skin, leaving a laceration about the size of a tablespoon. Once the wound had healed, White's surgeon told him that if it split open again, he would have to stop playing. White has said that this "reality check" helped to strengthen his focus and helped him deal with injuries more effectively.[36] He said that the specially-designed shin-guard and those who designed it "saved his career".[4] (The shin-guard can be seen on White's right-leg in the photos on this page.)

In 2005, he was involved in a horrific on-field incident with Geelong's Steven King. As King attempted to kick the ball out of mid-air, he missed and collected White's face at the height of his leg's swing, causing facial injuries that required extensive surgery, inserting five metal plates and 14 screws into White's jaw and face.[8] It was viewed as an accident by the AFL tribunal and no action was taken against King. As the incident took place in Melbourne's final match of the season—Geelong winning the match and knocking Melbourne out of the finals—White was able to recover during the off-season and did not miss a match, despite the severity of the injury.[3] White's wedding to his fiancée Stacy was postponed until later in the year due to the injury.[11]

Statistics

[48]

Legend
  G  
Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
Behinds
 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
Marks
H/O
 Hit-outs
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T H/O G B K H D M T H/O
1995 Fremantle 34 6 3 1 25 12 37 12 4 16 0.5 0.2 4.2 2.0 6.2 2.0 0.7 2.7
1996 Fremantle 34 13 13 5 80 39 119 54 8 70 1.0 0.4 6.2 3.0 9.2 4.2 0.6 5.4
1997 Fremantle 34 13 2 4 88 51 139 65 2 131 0.2 0.3 6.8 3.9 10.7 5.0 0.2 10.1
1998 Melbourne 34 25 17 16 184 129 313 140 15 409 0.7 0.6 7.4 5.2 12.5 5.6 0.6 16.4
1999 Melbourne 34 19 7 7 119 115 234 93 17 371 0.4 0.4 6.3 6.1 12.3 4.9 0.9 19.5
2000 Melbourne 34 24 16 8 218 175 393 148 37 499 0.7 0.3 9.1 7.3 16.4 6.2 1.5 20.8
2001 Melbourne 34 21 3 6 202 121 323 98 28 398 0.1 0.3 9.6 5.8 15.4 4.7 1.3 19.0
2002 Melbourne 34 24 3 5 236 123 359 133 50 561 0.1 0.2 9.8 5.1 15.0 5.5 2.1 23.4
2003 Melbourne 34 16 9 1 127 107 234 83 17 277 0.6 0.1 7.9 6.7 14.6 5.2 1.1 17.3
2004 Melbourne 34 23 8 5 222 177 399 127 38 523 0.3 0.2 9.7 7.7 17.3 5.5 1.7 22.7
2005 Melbourne 34 23 7 4 169 145 314 92 56 532 0.3 0.2 7.3 6.3 13.7 4.0 2.4 23.1
2006 Melbourne 34 24 11 4 214 187 401 135 54 481 0.5 0.2 8.9 7.8 16.7 5.6 2.3 20.0
2007 Melbourne 34 22 7 7 186 170 356 127 41 461 0.3 0.3 8.5 7.7 16.2 5.7 5.8 21.0
2008 Melbourne 34 15 7 4 135 143 278 93 21 271 0.5 0.3 9.0 9.5 18.5 6.2 1.4 18.1
Career 268 113 77 2205 1694 3899 1400 388 5000 0.4 0.3 8.2 6.3 14.5 5.2 1.4 18.7

References

  1. ^ FinalSiren.com Jeff White 2008 AFL Statistics Archived 5 April 2007 at the Wayback Machine, FinalSiren.com, 10 June 2008.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l FootyWire.com Jeff White of the Melbourne Demons Player Profile and AFL Stats Archived 7 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine, FootyWire, 12 August 2008.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Burgan, M. Brilliant Big Man[dead link], Melbourne Football Club, 28 August 2008.
  4. ^ a b c d e BigPond TV R22: White and Yze Press Conference Archived 5 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine, BigPond Video, viewed 3 September 2008.
  5. ^ a b "Redland Bombers FC website: Bombers sign AFL star". Archived from the original on 8 October 2012. Retrieved 8 March 2009.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Gleeson, M. White is looking to the future, wherever it may be[permanent dead link], Real Footy – TheAge.com.au, 20 August 2008.
  7. ^ a b McLure, G. Why it's war on Waugh book: Damn the expense Archived 6 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, TheAge.com.au, 25 October 2005.
  8. ^ a b c O'Brien, S. Mummy's little Demon, Herald Sun, 12 May 2007.
  9. ^ SponsorThem [1] Archived 31 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine SponsorThem, Retrieved 2 September 2008.
  10. ^ White Echo White Echo Archived 1 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine, WhiteEcho.com, Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  11. ^ a b Golfzone TV Celebrity Golfer Archived 19 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine, GolfzoneTV.com.au, Retrieved 3 September 2008.
  12. ^ PerfectStroke.org Perfect Stroke Archived 17 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine, PerfectStroke, Retrieved 12 September 2008.
  13. ^ a b SportingPulse homepage for Dandenong Stingrays Dandenong Stingrays – Chronology Archived 20 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Dandenong Southern Stingrays, 27 July 2008.
  14. ^ The Complete AFL Drafts 1994–95 AFL Draft Archived 6 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, 1994 National Draft, 12 August 2008.
  15. ^ FootyWire.com Jeff White of the Fremantle Dockers AFL Games Played and Stats Archived 11 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, FootyWire, Retrieved 13 September 2008.
  16. ^ a b c d AFL Tables – Jeff White Archived 26 December 2015 at the Wayback Machine, AFLTables, 2 September 2008.
  17. ^ FootyWire.com Jeff White of the Fremantle Dockers AFL Games Played and Stats Archived 11 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, FootyWire, Retrieved 13 September 2008.
  18. ^ AFL Tables – Fremantle Archived 8 October 2015 at the Wayback Machine, AFLTables, 14 October 2008.
  19. ^ a b Matthews, B. White still has life in his legs Archived 23 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine, FoxSports.com.au, 20 August 2008.
  20. ^ AFL Insider One Pick From A Premiership: Fremantle Dockers Archived 23 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, AFL Insider, 3 November 2006.
  21. ^ a b MelbourneFC.com.au Player Profiles – Jeff White Archived 6 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Melbournefc.com.au, 2 September 2008.
  22. ^ a b Pierik, J. Jeff White, Adem Yze look to life after Demon careers, AdelaideNow, 26 August 2008.
  23. ^ FootyWire.com Jeff White of the Melbourne Demons AFL Games Played and Stats Archived 11 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, FootyWire, Retrieved 13 September 2008.
  24. ^ AFL Tables – Match Stats – Essendon v Melbourne Archived 15 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine, AFLTables, 2 September 2008.
  25. ^ FootyWire.com Jeff White of the Melbourne Demons AFL Games Played and Stats Archived 11 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, FootyWire, Retrieved 13 September 2008.
  26. ^ Murphy, T. AFL Round 21, 2001 Archived 23 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine, Footy.com.au, 27 August 2001.
  27. ^ FootyWire.com Jeff White of the Melbourne Demons AFL Games Played and Stats Archived 11 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, FootyWire, Retrieved 13 September 2008.
  28. ^ AFL Tables – 2004 Brownlow Medal Archived 15 July 2016 at the Wayback Machine, AFLTables, 2 September 2008.
  29. ^ FootyWire.com Jeff White of the Melbourne Demons AFL Games Played and Stats Archived 11 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, FootyWire, Retrieved 13 September 2008.
  30. ^ FootyWire.com AFL Ladder 2004 Archived 28 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine, FootyWire, 14 October 2008.
  31. ^ FootyWire.com AFL Ladder 2005 Archived 28 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine, FootyWire, 14 October 2008.
  32. ^ AFL Tables – 1990 Season Scores Archived 8 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine, AFLTables, 14 October 2008.
  33. ^ AFL Tables – 1991 Season Scores Archived 5 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine, AFLTables, 14 October 2008.
  34. ^ FootyWire.com Jeff White of the Melbourne Demons AFL Games Played and Stats Archived 11 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, FootyWire, Retrieved 13 September 2008.
  35. ^ Venus, C. AFL 2007 Season Preview – Melbourne Archived 10 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine, SportsAustralia.com, 26 March 2007.
  36. ^ a b c d Johnson, L. White bears the mark of endurance with 100 games in a row Archived 22 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine, Real Footy – TheAge.com.au, 14 May 2008.
  37. ^ AFL Tables – 2007 Season Scores Archived 3 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine, AFLTables, 14 October 2008.
  38. ^ a b c Yahoo! 7 AFL – Players Profiles – Jeff White Archived 12 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine, Yahoo! 7, Retrieved 3 September 2008.
  39. ^ AAP Grant, White, Yze bid farewell Archived 29 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine, Real Footy – TheAge.com.au, 26 August 2008.
  40. ^ a b Rielly, S. Blues show an interest in White, The Australian, 21 August 2008.
  41. ^ Morrissey, T. Jeff White right fit for Swans, Herald Sun, 14 September 2008.
  42. ^ "Demonwiki | Jeff White". Archived from the original on 3 January 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  43. ^ FAQ – The teams of the AFL Archived 14 February 2006 at the Wayback Machine, 6. Major Awards, Retrieved 3 September 2008.
  44. ^ AAP Tribute to rival any game: Sheedy Archived 22 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine, FoxSports, 15 April 2008.
  45. ^ DropPunt.com AFL Mark of the Year 2002 Archived 24 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine, DropPunt.com, Retrieved 12 September 2008.
  46. ^ DropPunt.com 2004 AFL Mark of the Year Archived 29 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine, DropPunt.com, Retrieved 12 September 2008.
  47. ^ Main, J. Aussie Rules: For Dummies (2nd edition, 2008) p 69.
  48. ^ "Jeff White". AFL Tables. Archived from the original on 26 December 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2014.

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