Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
Brent Tasman Crosswell

Known as
Brent Crosswell

Nickname
Tiger

Born
8 August 1950 (age 73)

Place of birth
Launceston, TAS (7250)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 17y 251d
Last game: 32y 13d

Height and weight
Height: 188 cm
Weight: 86 kg

Senior clubs
Carlton; North Melbourne; Melbourne

Jumper numbers
Carlton: 17, 8
North Melbourne: 8
Melbourne: 8

Recruited from
Campbell Town (1968); Carlton (1975); North Melbourne (1980)

State of origin
TAS

Family links
Tom Kavanagh (Son)Mitch  Thorp (Nephew)Craig Davis (Cousin)Nick Davis (Second cousin)

Brent Crosswell

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
CarltonV/AFL1968-197598920.9468%13.453.705.0724
North MelbourneV/AFL1975-1979761081.4263%8.793.754.161
MelbourneV/AFL1980-198248571.1919%8.634.423.940
V/AFL1968-19822222571.1656%10.823.874.5225
Total1968-19822222571.1656%10.823.874.5225

AFL: 7,998th player to appear, 462nd most games played, 265th most goals kickedCarlton: 802nd player to appear, 185th most games played, 100th most goals kickedNorth Melbourne: 673rd player to appear, 182nd most games played, 65th most goals kickedMelbourne: 1,012th player to appear, 347th most games played, 134th most goals kicked

Brent Crosswell played his early football in Tasmania, at Scotch College and for Midlands Football Association club Campbell Town's under age sides. Recruited by Carlton, he made his senior VFL debut in the opening round of the 1968 season at home to Geelong. He did reasonably well without making the best players list but improved steadily as the season went on to eventually be rewarded with the club's best first year player award. He capped the season off by starring in Carlton's 3-point grand final defeat of Essendon despite injuring a shoulder early on. Two years later he again confirmed his reputation as a big game player with a best-on-ground display in the Blues's sensational come-from-behind Grand Final victory over Collingwood.

Crosswell was a highly skilled, intelligent, often flamboyant player, sufficiently versatile to play equally well in a variety of positions. If he had a weakness it was that he all too often failed to perform at levels commensurate with his ability when there did not appear to be much at stake. Give him a dry ball and the wide open spaces of the MCG in September though and he was indomitable.

Forced by illness to miss Carlton's 1972 premiership victory, he rekindled his career and reputation when, on moving to North Melbourne in 1975, he starred in the 'Roos historic Grand Final demolition of Hawthorn. If his personal displays in the 1977 Grand Final and replay were less auspicious they nevertheless saw him join the elite group of players who have participated in four senior premierships at the elite level.

After 76 games with North to add to the 98 he had played with Carlton, Croswell moved to Melbourne in 1980 where he added a further 48 games in his final three seasons of league football, taking his overall tally to 222 games in fifteen seasons. He also booted 257 goals and was a VFL representative.

In 2004, he was selected on a half back flank in the official Tasmanian 'Team of the Century'.

Author - John Devaney

Sources

Full Points Footy's Tasmanian Football Companion

Footnotes

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