Blake Caracella
Essendon, Brisbane and Collingwood
AFL career
187 games218 goals
- Debut
- R3 1997 v NTH13 Apr 1997
- Most recent
- R10 2006 v BRL3 June 2006
Coaching career
1 games1 wins0 losses0 draws
- First
- R4 2022 v ADE10 Apr 2022
Stats
2006 | COL | 6 | 10.8 | 7.3 | 18.2 | 5.5 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 70 |
2005 | COL | 21 | 7.4 | 4.8 | 12.2 | 4.2 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 58 |
2004 | BRL | 16 | 8.7 | 5.4 | 14.1 | 3.8 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 60 |
2003 | BRL | 18 | 9.8 | 5.3 | 15.1 | 4.8 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 68 |
2002 | ESS | 24 | 12.0 | 6.3 | 18.3 | 4.6 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 74 |
2001 | ESS | 21 | 12.2 | 8.4 | 20.6 | 5.7 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 83 |
2000 | ESS | 24 | 11.3 | 9.1 | 20.4 | 5.8 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 84 |
1999 | ESS | 24 | 8.8 | 5.1 | 13.8 | 3.2 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 58 |
1998 | ESS | 16 | 9.3 | 6.1 | 15.4 | 4.9 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 64 |
1997 | ESS | 17 | 11.0 | 6.1 | 17.1 | 4.9 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 1.1 | 72 |
Bio
Recruited from the Calder Cannons with pick 62 in the 1994 National Draft, Blake Caracella established himself as a highly intelligent utility at Essendon. Renowned for his spatial awareness and elite decision-making rather than raw athleticism, he possessed an uncanny ability to find time in heavy traffic and execute skills with precision. Caracella became a vital component of the Bombers' dominant 2000 premiership side, often rotating between the midfield and forward line where his goal sense proved lethal. Despite his importance to the structure, Essendon's salary cap pressures following the 2002 season forced a trade to the Brisbane Lions.
Caracella's move north brought immediate success, as he played a key role in the Lions' 2003 premiership victory over Collingwood, joining a select group of players to win flags at two different clubs. He returned to Victoria to join Collingwood ahead of the 2005 season, bringing premiership experience to the Magpies' lineup. However, his playing career was brought to a premature and frightening end in 2006 when he suffered a severe neck injury—a fractured vertebra—during a match against his former side, Brisbane. Since his retirement, Caracella has forged a reputation as one of the league's most astute tactical minds, serving as a highly rated assistant coach across multiple successful organisations.
Profile
- Born
- 15 Mar 1977 (age 49y 220d)
- Birthplace
- Melbourne, VIC
- Height
- 186 cm
- Weight
- 85 kg
Teams
Coaching
- Essendon (Senior Coach)20221 games (W1 L0 D0), 100.0%
Honours
- Premiership(2×) 2000, 2003
- Essendon B&F
- 3rd
- 2000
- Top 10
- 1997, 2001
Bio
1 revisionRecruited from the Calder Cannons with pick 62 in the 1994 National Draft, Blake Caracella established himself as a highly intelligent utility at Essendon. Renowned for his spatial awareness and elite decision-making rather than raw athleticism, he possessed an uncanny ability to find time in heavy traffic and execute skills with precision. Caracella became a vital component of the Bombers' dominant 2000 premiership side, often rotating between the midfield and forward line where his goal sense proved lethal. Despite his importance to the structure, Essendon's salary cap pressures following the 2002 season forced a trade to the Brisbane Lions.
Caracella's move north brought immediate success, as he played a key role in the Lions' 2003 premiership victory over Collingwood, joining a select group of players to win flags at two different clubs. He returned to Victoria to join Collingwood ahead of the 2005 season, bringing premiership experience to the Magpies' lineup. However, his playing career was brought to a premature and frightening end in 2006 when he suffered a severe neck injury—a fractured vertebra—during a match against his former side, Brisbane. Since his retirement, Caracella has forged a reputation as one of the league's most astute tactical minds, serving as a highly rated assistant coach across multiple successful organisations.