Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
Justin Charles

Known as
Justin Charles

Born
28 September 1970 (age 53)

Place of birth
Richmond, VIC (3121)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 18y 332d
Last game: 27y 308d

Height and weight
Height: 196 cm
Weight: 100 kg

Senior clubs
Footscray; Richmond

Jumper numbers
Footscray: 17, 1
Richmond: 15

Recruited from
Footscray (1995)

State of origin
VIC

Family links
John Charles (Father)Norm Charles (Uncle)

Justin Charles

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
FootscrayV/AFL1989-199336240.6750%6.254.534.470
RichmondAFL1995-199854380.7052%7.243.983.5717
V/AFL1989-1993, 1995-199890620.6951%6.844.203.9317
Total1989-1993, 1995-199890620.6951%6.844.203.9317

AFL: 10,067th player to appear, 2,707th most games played, 1,721st most goals kickedFootscray: 807th player to appear, 332nd most games played, 232nd most goals kickedRichmond: 980th player to appear, 299th most games played, 198th most goals kicked

After commencing in the Footscray under nineteens in 1987 Justin Charles made his reserves debut the following year before progressing to the seniors in 1988. Quite strong and mobile, he was good overhead and could operate either as a ruckman or key forward. However, he struggled to establish himself at the Western Oval and managed just 36 games and 24 goals in five seasons.

In 1994 Charles temporarily gave football away in order to concentrate on his second sporting love, baseball. However, after failing to make the grade in the United States with the Florida Marlins he returned to Australia and the 1995 season found him fronting up with Richmond where he was a key factor in the Tigers qualifying for the finals. His four season stint with Richmond saw him add 54 AFL games and 38 goals to his respective career tallies, whilst producing the best and most consistent football of his career, particularly in 1995. That said, he also incurred an eighteen week suspension late in the 1997 season for taking a banned anabolic steroid. He did return to football in 1998 but it would be fair to maintain that he ended his career under something of a cloud.

Author - John Devaney

Sources

Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers by Russell Holmesby & Jim Main; Wikipedia article; https://www.tigerlandarchive.org/tiki-index.php?page=Justin+Charles

Footnotes

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