Martin Gotz
Carlton
AFL career
106 games42 goals
- Debut
- R1 1906 v MEL5 May 1906
- Most recent
- R14 1913 v UNI26 July 1913
Stats
Bio
Martin Gotz was a nomadic and tenacious footballer who arrived at Carlton via a circuitous route through the VFA and Western Australia. Starting his career with Port Melbourne, he moved west to play for Perth and then East Fremantle, where he starred on a half-back flank in their 1904 premiership side. This interstate form caught the eye of the Blues, who recruited him back to Victoria in 1906. Although he played a significant role in Carlton's rise to power, heartbreak struck in his debut season when an injury in the semi-final forced him to miss the club's historic inaugural VFL premiership victory.
He soon made amends, cementing his place as a key figure in the Blues' dynasty by playing in the back-to-back premierships of 1907 and 1908. A tough and versatile follower who could also play in defence, Gotz was known for his uncompromising attack on the ball, famously kicking a bag of six goals against Richmond in 1909 despite rarely being a forward target. His time at Princes Park ended in controversy; after a request for a clearance to St Kilda was refused in 1912, he stood out of football for an entire year in protest. He returned for a final season in 1913 before closing his career back at Port Melbourne as a playing coach.
Profile
- Born
- 26 Feb 1883
- Died
- 13 Aug 1967 (aged 84y 168d)
- Birthplace
- Sandhurst, VIC
- Height
- 179 cm
- Weight
- 75 kg
Teams
Bio
1 revisionMartin Gotz was a nomadic and tenacious footballer who arrived at Carlton via a circuitous route through the VFA and Western Australia. Starting his career with Port Melbourne, he moved west to play for Perth and then East Fremantle, where he starred on a half-back flank in their 1904 premiership side. This interstate form caught the eye of the Blues, who recruited him back to Victoria in 1906. Although he played a significant role in Carlton's rise to power, heartbreak struck in his debut season when an injury in the semi-final forced him to miss the club's historic inaugural VFL premiership victory.
He soon made amends, cementing his place as a key figure in the Blues' dynasty by playing in the back-to-back premierships of 1907 and 1908. A tough and versatile follower who could also play in defence, Gotz was known for his uncompromising attack on the ball, famously kicking a bag of six goals against Richmond in 1909 despite rarely being a forward target. His time at Princes Park ended in controversy; after a request for a clearance to St Kilda was refused in 1912, he stood out of football for an entire year in protest. He returned for a final season in 1913 before closing his career back at Port Melbourne as a playing coach.