Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
Stanley Alves

Known as
Stan Alves

Born
22 May 1946 (age 78)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 19y 7d
Last game: 33y 123d

Height and weight
Height: 178 cm
Weight: 78 kg

Senior clubs
Melbourne; North Melbourne

Jumper numbers
Melbourne: 15
North Melbourne: 2

Recruited from
Melbourne (1977)

Family links
Mark Alves (Brother)

Stan Alves

Advanced stats
Club
League
Career span
Games
Goals
Avg
Win %
AKI
AHB
AMK
BV
MelbourneV/AFL1965-19762261600.7135%15.263.954.8482
North MelbourneV/AFL1977-197940140.3570%12.684.684.4315
V/AFL1965-19792661740.6541%14.874.064.7797
Total1965-19792661740.6541%14.874.064.7797

AFL: 7,715th player to appear, 200th most games played, 514th most goals kickedMelbourne: 823rd player to appear, 15th most games played, 42nd most goals kickedNorth Melbourne: 689th player to appear, 333rd most games played, 316th most goals kicked

Has a ton of pace and in 198 VFL games has played many outstanding ones. A brilliant ball handler, mark and kick, Stan would have to be one of the most courageous players around.¹

Excellent wingman though he undoubtedly was, Stan Alves might never had made the grade in league football had he not persisted at Melbourne when legendary coach Norm Smith thought him too lightweight and feeble. Once given his chance, however, he quickly proved both his coach and all other sceptics at the club wrong as he went on to amass 226 VFL games for the club between 1965 and 1976, winning best and fairest awards in 1972 and 1974. He also played interstate football for the VFL.

In 1977, Alves crossed to North Melbourne where he had the satisfaction of appearing in a premiership team in his first season. Alves added 40 VFL games for the Kangas, and also booted 14 goals to bring his final career tally to 174. Between 1994 and 1998 Stan Alves coached St Kilda, leading the side to only its fourth ever grand final in 1997 (which it lost to Adelaide), plus a night flag in 1996.

Author - John Devaney

Footnotes

1. “NFL Championship Series Football Record”, 14/6/75, page 9.

Sources

Full Points Footy Publications, Crème de la Crème

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Footnotes

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