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Brian Royal

Footscray · “Choco”

AFL career

199 games299 goals

Debut
R1 1983 v GEE26 Mar 1983
Most recent
R20 1993 v ESS14 Aug 1993

Stats

1993
FSC
10
6.7
3.9
10.6
1.9
0.8
1.2
0.4
2.1
1.3
46
1992
FSC
16
9.3
3.6
12.9
2.9
1.3
1.6
1.1
2.6
1.4
62
1991
FSC
14
11.9
5.0
16.9
2.5
1.4
1.9
1.6
2.4
2.1
71
1990
FSC
15
12.9
9.7
22.6
3.1
1.4
1.1
1.1
1.4
1.0
79
1989
FSC
12
13.4
6.0
19.4
2.5
2.3
1.8
1.8
0.9
1.3
70
1988
FSC
22
17.5
7.4
24.9
3.5
2.4
2.4
1.5
0.9
1.3
86
1987
FSC
22
17.3
6.5
23.9
3.7
2.2
2.4
1.2
1.8
1.4
88
1986
FSC
20
16.1
5.2
21.3
2.4
2.0
3.0
-
1.4
1.4
-
1985
FSC
25
18.6
2.8
21.4
4.6
1.9
2.5
-
1.5
1.4
-
1984
FSC
22
18.6
2.3
21.0
3.0
2.4
2.5
-
0.9
1.5
-
1983
FSC
21
16.5
5.2
21.7
3.5
2.6
2.3
-
1.4
1.6
-
League
Season
ESS
MCG
R20
2
2
4
0
1
0
0
1
0.1
16
FIT
WO
R18
10
5
15
3
2
2
0
0
5.2
77
COL
VP
R16
10
6
16
4
1
2
0
0
1.1
56
RCH
MCG
R15
6
5
11
0
0
1
0
1
0.2
31
GEE
KP
R14
9
3
12
1
1
2
0
1
2.2
49
BRB
WO
R13
10
3
13
4
1
2
0
0
5.1
74
SYD
WO
R12
5
2
7
3
0
1
0
0
0.2
27
HAW
WO
R10
0
1
1
0
0
1
0
0
0.0
-1
STK
WO
R9
9
3
12
3
2
1
0
1
5.2
77
CAR
PP
R8
6
9
15
1
0
0
0
0
3.0
57

Profile

Born
12 Dec 1961 (age 64y 313d)
Height
175 cm
Weight
79 kg

Teams

Honours

Bio

1 revision

Recruited from Bairnsdale in country Victoria, Brian "Choco" Royal wasted no time establishing himself as one of the VFL’s premier small men, winning the Charles Sutton Medal in his debut season of 1983. A classy rover who could rotate through the forward pocket with devastating effect, Royal was renowned for his uncanny goal sense, silky delivery, and ability to take overhead marks against taller opponents. throughout the 1980s, he was a linchpin of the Bulldogs' midfield, earning All-Australian selection in 1986 and regularly representing Victoria in State of Origin fixtures.

Royal’s career is often remembered for its agonizing statistical conclusion; he was left stranded on exactly 199 games and 299 goals after a ruptured Achilles tendon forced his abrupt retirement in 1993. Despite missing out on the double milestone, his standing at the Western Bulldogs remains immense, later being named in the club’s Team of the Century. Following his playing days, he transitioned into a long and respected career as an assistant coach across multiple AFL clubs, maintaining a reputation as one of the sharpest football minds in the industry.

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