Australian Football

Brad Ottens made a name for himself as one of the most mobile and imposing big men of his era. After a season in the Glenelg seniors during which he played 15 games he commenced his AFL career with Richmond in 1998. Over the next few seasons his form gradually improved, culminating in selection in the 2001 AFL All Australian team. Often used to provide a reliable marking option in the forward lines rather than as an out and out ruckman, it was widely felt at the end of the 2001 season that he was on the verge of becoming one of the modern game's bona fide superstars. If things have not quite panned out that way for Ottens he has nevertheless continued to perform creditably at the top level, and in 2007 achieved his lifelong ambition when, for the first time in his football life, he played in a premiership team.

Sadly for Tigers fans, however, Ottens had by that time swapped his number five Richmond jumper for the number six of Geelong. He joined the Cats at the end of the 2004 season making it plain that he was hungry for success, and in 2007 he was a major instigator of that success, producing a best afield performance in the five-point Preliminary Final defeat of Collingwood, and making a telling contribution to the Grand Final annihilation of Port Adelaide. He also played in the Cats' 2009 and 2011 premiership sides, along with the losing Grand Final team of 2008 against Hawthorn.

Ottens retired at the end of the 2011 season, having played 245 AFL games, 129 with Richmond and 116 for the Cats. He boasts an estimable football pedigree in that he is the son of former Sturt and state ruckman Dean Ottens.

Author - John Devaney