Leigh Harding
North Melbourne
AFL career
141 games157 goals
- Debut
- R17 2001 v BRL28 July 2001
- Most recent
- R22 2010 v MEL29 Aug 2010
Stats
2010 | NTH | 12 | 8.3 | 6.8 | 15.2 | 4.3 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 60 | 55 |
2009 | NTH | 18 | 10.2 | 7.1 | 17.3 | 6.0 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 3.2 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 81 | 85 |
2008 | NTH | 22 | 8.9 | 6.2 | 15.1 | 4.5 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 65 | 81 |
2006 | KAN | 19 | 8.6 | 2.8 | 11.5 | 4.6 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 60 | - |
2005 | KAN | 16 | 7.2 | 2.8 | 10.0 | 3.3 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 2.3 | 1.1 | 1.0 | 53 | - |
2004 | KAN | 12 | 4.8 | 1.2 | 5.9 | 3.0 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 35 | - |
2003 | KAN | 18 | 5.7 | 2.0 | 7.7 | 2.6 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 46 | - |
2002 | KAN | 22 | 6.0 | 2.1 | 8.0 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 42 | - |
2001 | KAN | 2 | 3.5 | 0.5 | 4.0 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 19 | - |
Bio
Recruited via the rookie list, Leigh Harding fought his way into the senior side to establish himself as a dangerous small forward in the early 2000s. Renowned for his blistering pace and ability to crumb at the feet of tall targets, he became a key avenue to goal for the Kangaroos in the post-Carey era, notably topping the club's goalkicking in 2003. However, his career trajectory was severely impacted by a ruptured ACL sustained late in 2006, which forced him to miss the entire 2007 season and placed his future at the elite level in jeopardy.
Upon his return in 2008, Harding faced a career crossroads and was challenged by the coaching staff to evolve his game. In a display of significant resilience, he successfully reinvented himself as a rebounding defender and running midfielder, utilising his natural speed to break lines rather than just chase goals. This positional switch revitalised his career and allowed him to become a key link man in North's transition game. He retired in 2010 as a highly respected one-club player who had maximised his potential through adaptability and determination.
Profile
- Born
- 26 Apr 1981 (age 45y 178d)
- Height
- 180 cm
- Weight
- 82 kg
Teams
Bio
1 revisionRecruited via the rookie list, Leigh Harding fought his way into the senior side to establish himself as a dangerous small forward in the early 2000s. Renowned for his blistering pace and ability to crumb at the feet of tall targets, he became a key avenue to goal for the Kangaroos in the post-Carey era, notably topping the club's goalkicking in 2003. However, his career trajectory was severely impacted by a ruptured ACL sustained late in 2006, which forced him to miss the entire 2007 season and placed his future at the elite level in jeopardy.
Upon his return in 2008, Harding faced a career crossroads and was challenged by the coaching staff to evolve his game. In a display of significant resilience, he successfully reinvented himself as a rebounding defender and running midfielder, utilising his natural speed to break lines rather than just chase goals. This positional switch revitalised his career and allowed him to become a key link man in North's transition game. He retired in 2010 as a highly respected one-club player who had maximised his potential through adaptability and determination.