Australian Football

AustralianFootball.com Celebrating the history of the great Australian game

 

Key Facts

Full name
Michael Woods

Known as
Mike Woods

Born
1 August 1926

Died
4 October 2017 (aged 91)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 22y 272d
Last game: 26y 330d

Height and weight
Height: 185 cm
Weight: 89 kg

Senior clubs
Melbourne

Jumper numbers
Melbourne: 37

Mike Woods

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
MelbourneV/AFL1949-19537260.0847%12
Total1949-19537260.0847%12

AFL: 5,887th player to appear, 3,308th most games played, 5,934th most goals kickedMelbourne: 687th player to appear, 242nd most games played, 540th most goals kicked

Originally from Old Melburnians, Michael Woods was a powerful ruckman and defender who played 72 VFL games and kicked six goals for Melbourne between 1949 and 1953. Sadly for him, this meant his career was neatly sandwiched between two of the club's great eras, that of the late 1930s and 1940s under 'Checker' Hughes, and that of the decade or so from 1954 under Norm Smith.

As a player, Woods showed enormous promise when he commenced, and in 1950 he was included in the Big V's Brisbane carnival team. However, his career stalled somewhat after that, and overall it would seem fair to suggest that he failed wholly to fulfill his potential. Much of his best football was played either as a permanent defender, or while resting from his ruck duties in a back pocket.

Author - John Devaney

Sources

Full Points Footy Publications

Footnotes

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