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Full name
Damian Monkhorst
Known as
Damian Monkhorst
Nickname
Monkey
Born
21 August 1969 (age 54)
Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 18y 232d
Last game: 30y 300d
Height and weight
Height: 202 cm
Weight: 108 kg
Senior clubs
Collingwood; St. Kilda
Jumper numbers
Collingwood: 38, 1
St. Kilda: 9
Recruited from
Collingwood (2000)
Club | League | Career span | Games | Goals | Avg | Win % | AKI | AHB | AMK | BV |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Collingwood | V/AFL | 1988-1999 | 205 | 45 | 0.22 | 52% | 6.47 | 7.15 | 4.44 | 49 |
St. Kilda | AFL | 2000 | 10 | 0 | 0.00 | 10% | 3.50 | 5.30 | 2.00 | 0 |
V/AFL | 1988-2000 | 215 | 45 | 0.21 | 50% | 6.33 | 7.06 | 4.33 | 49 | |
Total | 1988-2000 | 215 | 45 | 0.21 | 50% | 6.33 | 7.06 | 4.33 | 49 |
AFL: 9,926th player to appear, 523rd most games played, 2,227th most goals kickedCollingwood: 910th player to appear, 35th most games played, 179th most goals kickedSt. Kilda: 1,464th player to appear, 853rd most games played, 1,614th most goals kicked
Damian Monkhorst joined Collingwood from Woori Yallock and right from the outset of his V/AFL career he operated as the club's number one ruckman. Rugged, rough and reliable, he used his sizeable 202cm 108kg frame to good effect both in ruck contests and around the ground. His spell with the Magpies spanned the years 1988 to1999 during which he played 205 games and kicked 45 goals. The undoubted highlight of his career came in the 1990 grand final when his out-pointing of star Essendon ruckman Simon Madden was a significant factor in the Magpies' crushing win.
Monkhorst also made headlines for unsavoury reasons, and indeed he is probably best remembered today for racially vilifying Essendon's aboriginal wingman Michael Long during the 1995 Anzac Day match. As a direct result of this incident the AFL introduced racial vilification laws which have helped diminish, although not entirely extinguish, the problem. Monkhorst was also instrumental in getting the AFL to introduce a melee rule after he ran through the Essendon huddle prior to the start of a game in 1994.
Towards the end of his time with Collingwood Monkhorst suffered a variety of injury problems which caused him to miss quite a few games and undermined his effectiveness. He crossed to St Kilda in 2000 for what proved to be his last season of AFL football, but it was far from a memorable swansong as he only managed 10 appearances for the year.
After leaving St Kilda Damian Monkhorst played for his original club Woori Yallock for a time. He subsequently served as an assistant coach at Hawthorn.
Author - John Devaney