Bill Bennett
Carlton
AFL career
11 games9 goals
- Debut
- R2 1966 v STK30 Apr 1966
- Most recent
- GF 1968 v ESS28 Sept 1968
Stats
Bio
Recruited from Maffra in Gippsland, Bill Bennett was a reluctant country boy whose brief VFL career remains one of the most efficient in league history. Spotted by Blues scout Graham Donaldson, the agile centre half-forward was initially hesitant to leave home but eventually agreed to join Carlton in 1966. Standing 185cm with a reputation for being "country strong" and possessing a booming kick, Bennett found himself thrust into the senior side late in the 1968 season under coach Ron Barassi. In a remarkable twist of fate, his 11th and final game for the club was the 1968 Grand Final victory over Essendon, where he lined up at centre half-forward and walked away a premiership player at just 20 years old. He left Princes Park immediately after the triumph, later carving out a distinguished career in the SANFL with South Adelaide and in the NTFL with St Mary's, where he won the 1977/78 Nichols Medal.
Profile
- Born
- 12 Apr 1948 (age 78y 192d)
- Height
- 185 cm
- Weight
- 80 kg
Teams
Honours
- Premiership1968
Bio
1 revisionRecruited from Maffra in Gippsland, Bill Bennett was a reluctant country boy whose brief VFL career remains one of the most efficient in league history. Spotted by Blues scout Graham Donaldson, the agile centre half-forward was initially hesitant to leave home but eventually agreed to join Carlton in 1966. Standing 185cm with a reputation for being "country strong" and possessing a booming kick, Bennett found himself thrust into the senior side late in the 1968 season under coach Ron Barassi. In a remarkable twist of fate, his 11th and final game for the club was the 1968 Grand Final victory over Essendon, where he lined up at centre half-forward and walked away a premiership player at just 20 years old. He left Princes Park immediately after the triumph, later carving out a distinguished career in the SANFL with South Adelaide and in the NTFL with St Mary's, where he won the 1977/78 Nichols Medal.