Darren Bennett
Melbourne and West Coast
AFL career
78 games215 goals
- Debut
- R1 1987 v RCH29 Mar 1987
- Most recent
- R14 1993 v STK3 July 1993
Stats
Bio
Recruited from East Fremantle, Darren Bennett was a member of West Coast's inaugural squad in 1987 but managed just four games before returning to the WAFL. After booting 117 goals in the state league to prompt a second chance with Melbourne, he quickly evolved into a cult hero at the Demons known for his prodigious kicking power and high-flying marking. Bennett led the club's goalkicking in both 1989 and 1990, earning All-Australian honours in the latter year while serving as a commanding focal point in attack. Following a knee injury that forced his retirement from the AFL in 1993, he embarked on a pioneering transition to the United States, where he enjoyed a long and successful career as a punter for the San Diego Chargers, effectively opening the pathway for Australian rules footballers to pursue professional American football.
Profile
- Born
- 09 Jan 1965 (age 61y 285d)
- Birthplace
- Sydney, NSW
- Height
- 196 cm
- Weight
- 98 kg
Teams
Bio
1 revisionRecruited from East Fremantle, Darren Bennett was a member of West Coast's inaugural squad in 1987 but managed just four games before returning to the WAFL. After booting 117 goals in the state league to prompt a second chance with Melbourne, he quickly evolved into a cult hero at the Demons known for his prodigious kicking power and high-flying marking. Bennett led the club's goalkicking in both 1989 and 1990, earning All-Australian honours in the latter year while serving as a commanding focal point in attack. Following a knee injury that forced his retirement from the AFL in 1993, he embarked on a pioneering transition to the United States, where he enjoyed a long and successful career as a punter for the San Diego Chargers, effectively opening the pathway for Australian rules footballers to pursue professional American football.