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Key Facts

Full name
Kenneth Hopper

Known as
Ken Hopper

Born
8 June 1924

Died
29 June 2017 (aged 93)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 20y 317d
Last game: 26y 324d

Height and weight
Height: 183 cm
Weight: 76 kg

Senior clubs
Carlton; Hawthorn

Jumper numbers
Carlton: 2
Hawthorn: 3

Recruited from
Carlton (1947)

Ken Hopper

Advanced stats
ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
CarltonV/AFL1945-19461780.4759%———0
HawthornV/AFL1947-19516690.1418%———6
V/AFL1945-195183170.2027%———6
Total1945-195183170.2027%———6

AFL: 5,416th player to appear, 2,924th most games played, 4,018th most goals kickedCarlton: 601st player to appear, 608th most games played, 478th most goals kickedHawthorn: 371st player to appear, 224th most games played, 371st most goals kicked

After an eye-catching start to his career at Carlton Ken Hopper fell out of favour and ended up being cleared to Hawthorn. Of the 16 games he played for the Blues in 1945 and 1946 all but two were in the former season. (He booted four goals.)

After crossing to the Hawks Hopper really came into his own as a footballer. A genuine utility in that he could play almost anywhere, he was a virtual ever present in the senior line-up from 1947 to 1950. Always a popular figure at the club he struggled for a game in 1951 and retired at season’s end having played 66 VFL games and kicked nine goals in the famous brown and gold jumper.

Author - John Devaney

Sources

Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers by Russell Holmesby & Jim Main; Wikipedia article; https://www.blueseum.org/Ken+Hopper

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Footnotes

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