Ben Mathews
Sydney
AFL career
198 games45 goals
- Debut
- R16 1997 v WCE19 July 1997
- Most recent
- R17 2008 v ADE26 July 2008
Stats
2008 | SYD | 2 | 6.0 | 5.5 | 11.5 | 4.5 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 51 | 37 |
2007 | SYD | 23 | 7.3 | 6.0 | 13.3 | 3.9 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 2.9 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 58 | 61 |
2006 | SYD | 14 | 5.9 | 5.5 | 11.4 | 3.1 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 48 | - |
2005 | SYD | 25 | 8.0 | 6.4 | 14.4 | 3.1 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 58 | - |
2004 | SYD | 24 | 10.0 | 8.5 | 18.5 | 4.5 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 3.9 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 77 | - |
2003 | SYD | 23 | 10.3 | 6.6 | 16.9 | 4.1 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 2.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 67 | - |
2002 | SYD | 21 | 10.0 | 7.1 | 17.2 | 3.1 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 3.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 66 | - |
2001 | SYD | 23 | 11.5 | 6.3 | 17.8 | 4.9 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 70 | - |
2000 | SYD | 22 | 12.3 | 7.5 | 19.7 | 4.6 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 72 | - |
1999 | SYD | 17 | 7.2 | 4.8 | 12.0 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 44 | - |
1997 | SYD | 4 | 4.5 | 3.3 | 7.8 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 29 | - |
Bio
Recruited from Corowa-Rutherglen with pick 32 in the 1995 National Draft, Ben Mathews evolved from a quiet achiever into the embodiment of the Sydney Swans' grit during the Paul Roos era. Establishing himself as a relentless tagger and defensive midfielder, Mathews was tasked with shutting down the competition's elite ball-winners, relying on superior fitness and discipline rather than flashiness. His selfless approach was instrumental in the Swans' breakthrough 2005 premiership victory, cementing his place in club folklore as a player who prioritised team success above individual accolades.
Mathews' standing within the playing group was validated when he was appointed club captain following Stuart Maxfield's resignation in 2005, eventually sharing the role as a co-captain alongside Brett Kirk and Leo Barry through 2007. Despite his durability for much of his career, soft tissue injuries hampered his final season, and he retired in 2008, agonizingly finishing on 198 games. He is remembered as a spiritual leader of the "Bloods" culture who extracted every ounce of potential from his ability before transitioning into a long-term coaching career.
Profile
- Born
- 29 Nov 1978 (age 47y 326d)
- Height
- 181 cm
- Weight
- 86 kg
Teams
Honours
- Premiership2005
- Sydney B&F
- 3rd
- 2001
- Top 10
- 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007
Bio
1 revisionRecruited from Corowa-Rutherglen with pick 32 in the 1995 National Draft, Ben Mathews evolved from a quiet achiever into the embodiment of the Sydney Swans' grit during the Paul Roos era. Establishing himself as a relentless tagger and defensive midfielder, Mathews was tasked with shutting down the competition's elite ball-winners, relying on superior fitness and discipline rather than flashiness. His selfless approach was instrumental in the Swans' breakthrough 2005 premiership victory, cementing his place in club folklore as a player who prioritised team success above individual accolades.
Mathews' standing within the playing group was validated when he was appointed club captain following Stuart Maxfield's resignation in 2005, eventually sharing the role as a co-captain alongside Brett Kirk and Leo Barry through 2007. Despite his durability for much of his career, soft tissue injuries hampered his final season, and he retired in 2008, agonizingly finishing on 198 games. He is remembered as a spiritual leader of the "Bloods" culture who extracted every ounce of potential from his ability before transitioning into a long-term coaching career.