Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
Craig Sholl

Known as
Craig Sholl

Born
30 December 1967 (age 57)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 19y 186d
Last game: 32y 239d

Height and weight
Height: 189 cm
Weight: 91 kg

Senior clubs
North Melbourne

Jumper numbers
North Melbourne: 51, 41, 24

Family links
Brad Sholl (Brother)Lachlan Sholl (Nephew)Brett Sholl (Cousin)

Craig Sholl

Advanced stats
Club
League
Career span
Games
Goals
Avg
Win %
AKI
AHB
AMK
BV
North MelbourneV/AFL1987, 1989-20002351650.7060%9.784.373.2929
Total1987, 1989-20002351650.7060%9.784.373.2929

AFL: 9,868th player to appear, 381st most games played, 576th most goals kickedNorth Melbourne: 783rd player to appear, 21st most games played, 34th most goals kicked

The older brother of Brad Sholl, and like him a Horsham product, Craig Sholl played under nineteens football with Essendon before transferring to North Melbourne. Used as a wingman early in his League career he later adapted successfully to both attacking and defensive roles. A strong overhead mark, and fine kick, he played six games for Victoria as a backman. A joint  club best and fairest winner in 1991, he was a key member of the Kangas' 1996 and 1999 premiership-winning teams. 

Somewhat ironically, Sholl actually preferred cricket as a youngster and had no major aspirations to play in the VFL. Whilst at Horsham he had never got beyond the reserves and "I always wanted to play league footy but I never thought I was good enough.” His feat in playing 235 AFL games and kicking 165 goals between 1987 and 2000 can be regarded as emphatically giving the lie to such pessimism.

Author - John Devaney

Sources

Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers by Russell Holmesby & Jim Main; Wikipedia article; Wimmera Times 30/10/18

Footnotes

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