Australian Football

AustralianFootball.com Celebrating the history of the great Australian game

 

Key Facts

Full name
Richard Stuart Dennis

Known as
Richard Dennis

Nickname
Rocky

Born
31 July 1966 (age 57)

Occupation
Financial advisor (Centrewest Insurance Brokers)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 20y 247d
Last game: 25y 346d

Height and weight
Height: 185 cm
Weight: 82 kg

Senior clubs
East Perth; Carlton; North Melbourne; West Perth

Jumper numbers
Carlton: 3
North Melbourne: 5

Recruited from
East Perth (1987); Carlton (1992); North Melbourne (1994)

Richard Dennis

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
East PerthWAFL1983-198669721.04
CarltonV/AFL1987-199157400.7068%9.334.704.336
North MelbourneAFL19921360.4638%9.544.923.310
West PerthWASFL19948111.38
WASFL1983-1986, 199477831.08
V/AFL1987-199270460.6663%9.374.744.146
Total1983-1992, 19941471290.88

AFL: 9,805th player to appear, 3,388th most games played, 2,183rd most goals kickedCarlton: 943rd player to appear, 307th most games played, 191st most goals kickedNorth Melbourne: 816th player to appear, 561st most games played, 449th most goals kicked

Originally from Maylands, Richard Dennis made his senior debit for East Perth in 1983 as a 16-year-old, and immediately impressed with his array of skills and a football maturity beyond his years. As so often happens to young players in the wake of an outstanding debut season, the second season was a disappointment, but Dennis continued to work hard on his game, developing into a damaging forward-utility player, and by 1986 was one of Western Australia's hottest footballing talents.

Carlton had kept an eye on Dennis since the 1983 Teal Cup (Under 17s) national championship in Darwin, and in 1986 they secured his services for the following season, preempting any move by a possible new Western Australian composite team in the V/AFL. It was perfect timing on Dennis' part, as the Blues established themselves as the outstanding team that year, and proving it with a decisive win over rival Hawthorn in the Grand Final. For Richard Dennis, a valuable contributor all season and on the Blues' big day, it was the pinnacle of his football career.

After a consistently good start to the 1988 season, a serious knee injury sustained when attempting a typically courageous mark running with the flight of the ball, put Dennis out of action for almost one year, and subsequently limited his effectiveness as a footballer. Dogged determination couldn't compensate for a dodgy knee, and aside from the occasional glimpses of his old self, the 1989-1992 years were ones of frustration.

Cleared to North Melbourne in 1993, Dennis battled on manfully but the end was nigh. He returned west in 1994 and played eight games, kicking 11 goals for West Perth, to add to his 69 games and 72 goals for East Perth, and then retired from the game, a V/AFL premiership medal in hand, but ultimately promise unfulfilled.

  

Author - Adam Cardosi

Footnotes

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