Leigh Montagna

Player Stats

Biography

Leigh Montagna (born 2 November 1983) is an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League. Montagna was recruited as the number 37 draft pick in the 2001 AFL Draft. He is a midfielder with St Kilda Football Club.

Montagna is a hard running wingman who is known for his kicking ability and teamwork. He enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2006, only missing one match and gathering over 400 disposals for the season. He averaged 19 disposals a game, increasing his averages in both contested and uncontested possessions. He is a strong tackler.

He was recruited to the St Kilda Football Club as the number 37 draft pick in the 2001 AFL Draft.

Montagna played in St Kilda’s 2004 Wizard Home Loans Cup winning side.

In Round 8, 2007, in a match against Hawthorn, Montagna suffered a broken jaw but only missed one week with the injury. Although 2007 was the first since 2004 that the St Kilda side had missed out on playing in the finals series, it was the season that saw Montagna become a top line AFL footballer. Montagna played consistently throughout the season and continued the improvement he had shown in 2006. He played an accountable and hard running role through St Kilda's midfield, averaging 24 disposals and 3 tackles per game and kicking 10 goals for the year. Some of Montagna's highlights for the year included best on ground performances against the Kangaroos, Richmond and Hawthorn in the second half of the year. Montagna was rewarded for his efforts with a third place finish in St Kilda's 2007 best and fairest.

Montagna played in St Kilda’s 2008 NAB Cup winning side - the club's third pre-season cup win.

Montagna averaged 27.9 disposals and 6.25 tackles in 2009.

Montagna played in 21 of 22 matches in the 2009 aeason in which St Kilda qualified in first position for the finals series. He played in the 2009 AFL Grand Final in which St Kilda were defeated by 12 points.

Montagna played 26 games in 2010, including four finals, and averaged 28.6 possessions. He finished second in St Kilda's Best & Fairest Award (Trevor Barker Medal), and was selected in the AFL's All-Australian team for the seond year in a row.

As of the end of the 2010 season, Montagna had played in 13 finals matches including three grand finals.