Australian Football

Matt Rendell began his league career with West Torrens where he played 79 SANFL games and kicked 39 goals between 1977 and 1980. He spent the next 11 seasons at Fitzroy, carving out a reputation for himself as one of the most consistent and imposing ruckmen in the VFL. Of massive build at 200 cm and 103 kg he was a dominant figure both at ruck contests and in general play around the ground. He won the Lions best and fairest player award in 1982 and 1983, and captained the club from 1985 to 1987.

A regular South Australian state of origin representative, Rendell achieved All Australian selection twice. At the end of the 1991 season, after 164 games and 101 goals for Fitzroy, he was intent on retirement, but Brisbane persuaded him to head north for one last season in which he added 13 games and seven goals to his overall tallies. He later became the Adelaide Crows' national recruiting manager, a position from which he was forced to resign in controversial circumstances in 2012.

Author - John Devaney