Australian Football

A tough, 'in and under' type of player who was not always afforded the level of recognition he deserved, there was little that Carlton's Brett Ratten did not achieve in the game. A triple club best and fairest winner, he earned AFL All Australian selection in 2000 and 2001, was a key member of the Blues' 1995 premiership team, and captained the club in 2002 and for part of 2003. The epitome of durability for most of his career, from late in the 2001 season he began to suffer a series of debilitating injuries which ultimately led to his retirement in 2003 after 255 AFL games in 14 seasons.

Ratten replaced Denis Pagan as Carlton coach during the 2007 season. He led the Blues to finals campaigns in 2009, '10 and '11. After five years in the position, he was dismissed as coach at the end of the 2012 season after Carlton finished 10th. He was succeeded by former Footscray, West Coast and Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse. He later joined the Hawthorn coaching panel.

Author - John Devaney, updated by Sam Pound