Australian Football

Ken Sheldon gave Carlton excellent service, mainly as a rover, in 132 VFL games between 1977 and 1986, during which he registered 170 goals. His tally of 53 goals in 1979 was good enough to top the Blues’ list for that year. A famed member of the Carlton ‘mosquito fleet’ which claimed premierships, with Sheldon very much to the fore, in 1979, 1981 and 1982, he enjoyed perhaps the most noteworthy moment of his football career in the 1979 grand final, as described on Blueseum.org:

Under their inspirational captain-coach Alex Jesaulenko, Carlton became the form team of the competition in 1979, finishing two games clear on top of the ladder. On Grand Final day, looking for their twelfth flag, the Blues met Collingwood on a wet and heavy MCG, and Sheldon took centre stage in a famous incident. Entering time-on in the last quarter, Carlton led by just four points, but Collingwood were surging when the ball was worked forward and gathered by Wayne Harmes, whose kick slewed off his boot and skidded toward the boundary line deep in the Blues’ right forward pocket. Recovering quickly, Harmes charged after the ball as it rolled toward the line. Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the ground, Sheldon sensed an opportunity and sprinted hard for the goal square. Just as it seemed that the ball would be called out, Harmes dived and swiped at it with his right arm - knocking it across the face of goal to the feet of Sheldon in the square. Ken gleefully popped it through for his third goal of the day, and the Blue Boys were home!

In 1987 Sheldon was cleared to St Kilda and gave the club good service, highlighted by his leadership qualities, in 53 games, during which he kicked 24 goals, before retiring at the conclusion of the 1989 season.

Ken Sheldon later coached St Kilda with some success as well as South Adelaide in the SANFL. He later served as the St Kilda Football Club’s football operations manager from the end of the 2006 season through to the end of the 2007 season.

Author - John Devaney