Footyinfo

Max Rooke

Geelong

AFL career

135 games58 goals

Debut
R2 2002 v ADE6 Apr 2002
Most recent
R5 2010 v CAR26 Apr 2010

Stats

2010
GEE
1
3.0
5.0
8.0
2.0
2.0
0.0
2.0
0.0
1.0
36
23
2009
GEE
22
6.1
4.9
11.0
4.4
0.6
0.5
3.5
1.1
0.7
62
60
2008
GEE
20
5.7
7.8
13.5
4.2
0.8
1.1
3.5
0.7
0.2
61
66
2007
GEE
8
4.8
5.6
10.4
3.3
0.8
1.0
3.4
0.8
0.4
52
56
2006
GEE
17
6.7
7.1
13.8
3.6
1.2
1.4
3.2
0.5
0.1
58
-
2005
GEE
23
5.7
5.6
11.3
3.8
0.3
1.4
3.0
0.1
0.0
49
-
2004
GEE
11
4.6
4.3
8.9
3.5
0.7
1.2
1.6
0.0
0.1
37
-
2003
GEE
18
7.4
5.7
13.2
4.1
1.3
1.0
2.1
0.2
0.2
54
-
2002
GEE
15
6.2
4.6
10.8
2.5
0.3
0.3
1.7
0.1
0.0
42
-
League
Season
CAR
MCG
R5
3
5
8
2
2
0
0
2
0.1
36
23

Profile

Born
19 Dec 1981 (age 44y 306d)
Birthplace
Victoria
Height
189 cm
Weight
93 kg

Teams

Honours

  • Premiership(2×) 2007, 2009

Recruited from Casterton via the rookie list, Rooke—originally known as Jarad before adopting his middle name—forged a reputation as one of the league's most uncompromising competitors. Lacking the polish of some of his star-studded teammates, he compensated with ferocious tackling pressure and a willingness to commit his body to contests that bordered on reckless. Rooke's versatility allowed him to serve as a tagger, a rebounding defender, and eventually a defensive forward, a role in which he became instrumental during Geelong's dominant era.

He was a vital component of the Cats' premiership sides in 2007 and 2009, with his physicality setting the tone in high-stakes finals. Rooke is perhaps best remembered for booting the final goal of the 2009 Grand Final against St Kilda after the siren, punctuating a hard-fought victory. Despite his cult hero status and on-field value, his body eventually succumbed to the toll of his combative playing style, and a degenerative knee injury forced his retirement midway through the 2010 season.