Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
Charles Forbes

Known as
Charles 'Tracker' Forbes

Nickname
Tracker

Born
8 May 1865

Place of birth
Melbourne, VIC (3001)

Died
20 June 1922 (aged 57)

Place of death
West Melbourne, VIC (3003)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 32y 0d
Last game: 37y 86d

Height and weight
Height: 191 cm
Weight: 84 kg

Senior clubs
Essendon

State of origin
VIC

Charles 'Tracker' Forbes

Advanced stats
ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
EssendonVFA1889-1896140390.28—————
EssendonV/AFL1897-190252130.2571%———0
Total1889-1902192520.27—————

AFL: 38th player to appear, 4,197th most games played, 4,459th most goals kickedEssendon: 7th player to appear, 344th most games played, 395th most goals kicked

Known as 'Tracker', Essendon's Charles Forbes was one of many stars at Essendon during the 1890s when the club won four successive premierships between 1891 and 1894, and was perennially at the forefront of the game. Widely acknowledged as the best ruckman in Victoria in 1892, he was still among the finest ruckmen in the game six years later when the Essendon was one of eight founder members of the VFL. The Same Old went top that year, and Forbes was arguably the biggest single factor in their dominance. There have been more formidable ruckmen in terms of size and on field presence than Forbes, but few who have been so dominant over so long a period (more than a decade).

Author - John Devaney


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Footnotes

* Behinds calculated from the 1965 season on.
+ Score at the end of extra time.