Australian Football

AustralianFootball.com Celebrating the history of the great Australian game

 

Key Facts

Full name
Donald Scott

Known as
Don Scott

Born
20 December 1947 (age 76)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 19y 144d
Last game: 33y 252d

Height and weight
Height: 190 cm
Weight: 89 kg

Senior clubs
Hawthorn

Jumper numbers
Hawthorn: 23

Don Scott

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
HawthornV/AFL1967-19813021330.4462%9.244.063.4226
Total1967-19813021330.4462%9.244.063.4226

AFL: 7,936th player to appear, 88th most games played, 769th most goals kickedHawthorn: 574th player to appear, 7th most games played, 46th most goals kicked

Former Hawthorn coach John Kennedy once famously said that he never criticised his champion ruckman Don Scott for making mistakes "because they were only caused by trying too hard". Certainly few players of the time could match the former Box Hill star for determination. Despite conceding several centimetres to most opponents he was highly accomplished at the art of using his weight effectively, and his immense fitness meant that he often finished games leaping high above his taller adversaries.

Scott's aggressively determined approach helped make him a highly effective onfield leader, and he captained the Hawks to the 1976 and 1978 premierships, having earlier been a member of the 1971 flag-winning team. He represented the VFL and Victoria on numerous occasions.

After retiring as a player, Don Scott had a brief, abjectly unsuccessful stint as coach of South Adelaide in 1985. He later embarked on a much more successful media career.

Author - John Devaney

Sources

Full Points Footy Publications

Footnotes

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