Phil Carman
Collingwood, North Melbourne, Melbourne and Essendon · “Fabulous”
AFL career
100 games204 goals
- Debut
- R1 1975 v SME5 Apr 1975
- Most recent
- SF 1982 v HAW11 Sept 1982
Stats
Bio
Arriving at Collingwood with a formidable reputation from Norwood in the SANFL, Phil Carman immediately validated the hype with a sensational debut season in 1975. Dubbed Fabulous Phil, he famously donned white boots and displayed a rare combination of athleticism, balance, and goal-kicking flair that saw him win the Copeland Trophy and finish just three votes shy of the Brownlow Medal in his first VFL year. A dynamic centre half-forward who could dominate the midfield, Carman was capable of winning matches off his own boot, but his brilliance was often counterbalanced by on-field indiscipline.
His tenure at Victoria Park is best remembered for the heartbreak of 1977, where a suspension for striking cost him a place in the drawn Grand Final and the subsequent replay loss. Following a fallout with coach Tom Hafey, Carman became a football nomad, serving short stints at Melbourne, Essendon, and North Melbourne. His career ended on a controversial note in 1982 when he received a 20-week suspension for headbutting a boundary umpire while playing for the Kangaroos. He retired with exactly 100 VFL games to his name, remembered as one of the most gifted yet mercurial talents of his generation.
Profile
- Born
- 04 Sept 1950 (age 76y 30d)
- Birthplace
- Edenhope, VIC
- Height
- 188 cm
- Weight
- 87 kg
Teams
Bio
1 revisionArriving at Collingwood with a formidable reputation from Norwood in the SANFL, Phil Carman immediately validated the hype with a sensational debut season in 1975. Dubbed Fabulous Phil, he famously donned white boots and displayed a rare combination of athleticism, balance, and goal-kicking flair that saw him win the Copeland Trophy and finish just three votes shy of the Brownlow Medal in his first VFL year. A dynamic centre half-forward who could dominate the midfield, Carman was capable of winning matches off his own boot, but his brilliance was often counterbalanced by on-field indiscipline.
His tenure at Victoria Park is best remembered for the heartbreak of 1977, where a suspension for striking cost him a place in the drawn Grand Final and the subsequent replay loss. Following a fallout with coach Tom Hafey, Carman became a football nomad, serving short stints at Melbourne, Essendon, and North Melbourne. His career ended on a controversial note in 1982 when he received a 20-week suspension for headbutting a boundary umpire while playing for the Kangaroos. He retired with exactly 100 VFL games to his name, remembered as one of the most gifted yet mercurial talents of his generation.