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Full name
Murray Robert Wrensted
Known as
Murray Wrensted
Born
26 August 1964 (age 59)
Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 22y 215d
Last game: 24y 352d
Height and weight
Height: 174 cm
Weight: 85 kg
Senior clubs
East Fremantle; West Coast; Collingwood
Jumper numbers
West Coast: 32
Collingwood: 18
Recruited from
East Fremantle (1987); West Coast (1989)
Club | League | Career span | Games | Goals | Avg | Win % | AKI | AHB | AMK | BV |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
East Fremantle | WAFL | 1983-1988 | 93 | 74 | 0.80 | — | — | — | — | — |
West Coast | V/AFL | 1987-1988 | 29 | 12 | 0.41 | 52% | 12.17 | 7.55 | 2.97 | 6 |
Collingwood | V/AFL | 1989 | 10 | 4 | 0.40 | 40% | 12.40 | 10.10 | 1.80 | 3 |
WAFL | 1983-1988 | 93 | 74 | 0.80 | — | — | — | — | — | |
V/AFL | 1987-1989 | 39 | 16 | 0.41 | 49% | 12.23 | 8.21 | 2.67 | 9 | |
Total | 1983-1989 | 132 | 90 | 0.68 | — | — | — | — | — |
AFL: 9,797th player to appear, 4,900th most games played, 4,171st most goals kickedWest Coast: 19th player to appear, 148th most games played, 139th most goals kickedCollingwood: 917th player to appear, 729th most games played, 624th most goals kicked
Originally from Geraldton, stockily-framed (174cm, 85kg) Murray Wrensted joined East Fremantle in 1983 and excelled. Two years later, playing as a rover, he helped the Sharks to a thrilling five point grand final victory over Subiaco, having just a few days earlier claimed the Sandover Medal for fairest and best in the WAFL competition. He ended up being drafted by West Coast in 1986 ahead of the club’s debut in the VFL the following year. Playing mostly in the centre or as an on-baller, he proved himself an accomplished performer at the game’s top level, including three appearances for Western Australia.
Perhaps unfairly, Wrensted tends to be remembered by some West Coast supporters for his missed goal scoring opportunity from 40 metres out in the closing seconds of the Eagles’ 1988 elimination final clash with Melbourne. The Demons ultimately won by two points.
The 1989 season, Wrensted’s last, saw him playing 10 games and kicking four goals for Collingwood to add to the 29 appearances and 12 goals registered with the Eagles. Between 1983 and 1988 he had played 94 WAFL games and scored 72 goals for East Fremantle.
Author - John Devaney