Paul Wheatley
Melbourne
AFL career
135 games34 goals
- Debut
- R2 2000 v KAN17 Mar 2000
- Most recent
- R22 2009 v STK30 Aug 2009
Stats
2009 | MEL | 3 | 9.3 | 9.0 | 18.3 | 4.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 75 | 67 |
2008 | MEL | 19 | 14.6 | 9.7 | 24.3 | 6.5 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 2.2 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 92 | 93 |
2007 | MEL | 14 | 13.2 | 7.1 | 20.4 | 6.4 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 81 | 93 |
2006 | MEL | 7 | 9.3 | 3.9 | 13.1 | 5.7 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 58 | - |
2005 | MEL | 21 | 8.8 | 3.7 | 12.5 | 4.6 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 55 | - |
2004 | MEL | 20 | 11.1 | 4.2 | 15.3 | 5.6 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 66 | - |
2003 | MEL | 5 | 7.6 | 4.0 | 11.6 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 41 | - |
2002 | MEL | 18 | 8.4 | 5.4 | 13.8 | 4.7 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 62 | - |
2001 | MEL | 16 | 7.4 | 5.0 | 12.4 | 4.0 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 50 | - |
2000 | MEL | 12 | 5.8 | 2.1 | 7.9 | 2.5 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 34 | - |
Bio
Paul Wheatley arrived at Melbourne via pick 20 in the 1999 National Draft, recruited from the Preston Knights. While he managed to break into the senior side for a handful of games during the Demons' run to the 2000 Grand Final, he spent his early years working to establish himself as a weekly selection. He eventually carved out a niche as a damaging rebounding defender, best known for possessing one of the longest and most penetrating right-foot kicks in the competition. This elite kicking power made him a designated weapon for kick-ins and allowed him to clear defensive zones rapidly, while he also posed a genuine scoring threat from outside the 50-metre arc.
A one-club player, Wheatley became a fixture of the Melbourne backline throughout the mid-2000s under Neale Daniher. Despite battling persistent soft-tissue injuries that occasionally interrupted his continuity, he managed to play 135 games over a decade at the highest level. His career concluded at the end of the 2009 season when, amidst a significant list rebuild under coach Dean Bailey, he retired alongside fellow veterans Russell Robertson and Matthew Whelan. Wheatley remains remembered by Melbourne supporters as a reliable distributor who provided essential drive from the back half during a competitive era for the club.
Profile
- Born
- 12 Apr 1981 (age 45y 192d)
- Height
- 189 cm
- Weight
- 88 kg
Teams
Bio
1 revisionPaul Wheatley arrived at Melbourne via pick 20 in the 1999 National Draft, recruited from the Preston Knights. While he managed to break into the senior side for a handful of games during the Demons' run to the 2000 Grand Final, he spent his early years working to establish himself as a weekly selection. He eventually carved out a niche as a damaging rebounding defender, best known for possessing one of the longest and most penetrating right-foot kicks in the competition. This elite kicking power made him a designated weapon for kick-ins and allowed him to clear defensive zones rapidly, while he also posed a genuine scoring threat from outside the 50-metre arc.
A one-club player, Wheatley became a fixture of the Melbourne backline throughout the mid-2000s under Neale Daniher. Despite battling persistent soft-tissue injuries that occasionally interrupted his continuity, he managed to play 135 games over a decade at the highest level. His career concluded at the end of the 2009 season when, amidst a significant list rebuild under coach Dean Bailey, he retired alongside fellow veterans Russell Robertson and Matthew Whelan. Wheatley remains remembered by Melbourne supporters as a reliable distributor who provided essential drive from the back half during a competitive era for the club.