Australian Football

Attempting to follow in the footsteps of a famous father is never easy, but Paul Hudson, son of goal kicking legend Peter Hudson, managed the feat better than most. Indeed, judged by any objective standards, his career was a resounding success. After playing briefly with Hobart, he was drafted by Hawthorn, where he made his AFL debut in 1990. Despite appearing to lack pace he developed into an effective and occasionally highly damaging half forward flanker. In 1991 he ran fifth in the Brownlow voting and kicked a couple of goals in the Hawks' Grand Final defeat of West Coast. Between 1990 and 1996 he played a total of 134 AFL games for Hawthorn, booting 264 goals, but a mediocre 1996 season led to his being traded to the Western Bulldogs.

After an inconsistent start with his new club, Hudson's form reached new levels in 1998 when he made the AFL All Australian team. He also amassed 61 goals to top the Bulldogs' goal kicking list, an achievement he repeated the following year, with 51 goals. Hudson's form deteriorated somewhat after that, and at the end of the 2001 season, after 108 games and 214 goals for the Bulldogs, he was traded to Richmond. However, his career failed to re-ignite with the Tigers, and he managed just three games and one goal before announcing his retirement at the end of the 2002 season.

He may have been less spectacularly successful than his father, but Paul Hudson gave worthy service to two AFL clubs, and enjoyed a distinguished and memorable career in his own right.

Author - John Devaney