Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
Paul Hudson

Known as
Paul Hudson

Born
20 July 1970 (age 53)

Place of birth
Melbourne, VIC (3001)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 19y 268d
Last game: 31y 344d

Height and weight
Height: 185 cm
Weight: 88 kg

Senior clubs
Hawthorn; Western Bulldogs; Richmond

Jumper numbers
Hawthorn: 33, 17
Western Bulldogs: 9
Richmond: 17

Recruited from
Hobart (1990); Hawthorn (1997); Western Bulldogs (2002)

State of origin
VIC

Family links
Peter Hudson (Father)Simon Minton-Connell (Cousin)

Paul Hudson

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
HawthornAFL1990-19961342641.9760%9.994.404.4025
Western BulldogsAFL1997-20011082141.9857%7.753.634.054
RichmondAFL2002310.330%4.002.002.670
AFL1990-20022454791.9658%8.934.034.2229
Total1990-20022454791.9658%8.934.034.2229

AFL: 10,105th player to appear, 311th most games played, 67th most goals kickedHawthorn: 726th player to appear, 88th most games played, 17th most goals kickedWestern Bulldogs: 866th player to appear, 122nd most games played, 20th most goals kickedRichmond: 1,030th player to appear, 994th most games played, 852nd most goals kicked

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

Sources

Full Points Footy Publications

Footnotes

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