Footyinfo

Alex Ruscuklic

Fitzroy

AFL career

117 games209 goals

Debut
R10 1966 v MEL25 June 1966
Most recent
R21 1974 v ESS24 Aug 1974

Stats

1974
FIT
1
2.0
1.0
3.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
1974
CAR
9
9.2
1.4
10.7
5.1
1.8
1.4
2.2
2.8
1973
FIT
6
9.7
2.3
12.0
5.0
3.8
1.7
1.8
0.5
1972
FIT
8
8.4
1.6
10.0
4.8
3.0
1.9
2.9
2.0
1971
FIT
21
15.7
4.1
19.8
10.3
2.4
2.4
1.5
1.9
1970
FIT
20
9.3
2.8
12.0
7.1
1.2
1.8
2.5
1.4
1969
FIT
15
8.9
3.4
12.3
5.6
1.4
2.1
2.1
1.5
1968
FIT
19
8.4
3.1
11.5
5.2
2.0
1.7
0.9
1.3
1967
FIT
17
8.1
2.2
10.3
5.0
1.4
1.5
1.5
1.8
1966
FIT
1
4.0
1.0
5.0
2.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
1.0
League
Season
ESS
WP
R21
15
1
16
4
4
3
-
3.2
FIT
PP
R20
14
4
18
8
5
2
-
1.2
FSC
WO
R19
15
1
16
7
3
2
-
1.6
FIT
WP
R9
5
1
6
5
0
4
-
1.3
FSC
PP
R8
4
3
7
2
1
0
-
2.1
HAW
PP
R7
4
2
6
3
0
1
-
1.2
SME
PP
R6
5
0
5
2
0
0
-
4.0
COL
VP
R5
9
0
9
6
1
1
-
4.3
NTH
WP
R4
12
1
13
9
2
0
0
3.6
STK
MO
R1
2
1
3
0
0
0
-
0.0

Profile

Born
21 Sept 1948 (age 78y 30d)
Birthplace
Germany
Height
191 cm
Weight
85 kg

Teams

  • 108 games, 189 goals
    1966–1974

Honours

  • Brownlow Medal
    Top 10
    1971

Family

Recruited from the local Fitzroy area, Alex Ruscuklic burst onto the scene as a teenager and quickly established himself as one of the most entertaining forwards in the VFL. Standing at full-forward, he was renowned for his spectacular high marking and ability to turn matches in short bursts, traits that saw him top Fitzroy's goalkicking table in both 1970 and 1971. His flamboyant style made him a cult figure among the Roys' faithful at the Junction Oval, although his conversion rate could occasionally be erratic and his place in the side became less secure as his career progressed.

Ruscuklic's time at Fitzroy came to a complicated end following the 1974 season due to differences with the coaching staff and lingering injury issues. He attempted to revitalise his VFL career by crossing to Carlton in 1975, but he was unable to break into the Blues' senior lineup, spending the season in the reserves. He subsequently moved to the VFA, where he found renewed success as a dominant key forward for Port Melbourne, playing a pivotal role in their premiership success and cementing his reputation as a prolific goalkicker outside the top tier.