Australian Football

When a broken leg brought about Ken Fletcher's enforced retirement from league football in 1980 he had achieved virtually everything the game had to offer, other than participation in a premiership, during the course of his 264-game, 55-goal career that stretched back as far as 1967. During that time, he had occupied virtually every position on the field, but it is as a wingman and, later, a half back flanker that he probably played his best and most consistent football. Extremely quick and highly skilled, Fletcher rarely put in a bad game.

Fletcher won Essendon's best and fairest award in 1978 having been runner-up five years earlier. Between 1973 and 1978 he was a virtual ever-present in VFL interstate and Victorian state of origin teams. The closest he came to playing in a premiership team was his appearance on a half back flank in the Bombers' three-point Grand Final loss to Carlton in 1968. After leaving Essendon he spent a couple of seasons as captain-coach of Tatura in the Goulburn Valley Football League. He is the father of Essendon legend Dustin Fletcher.

Author - John Devaney