Ross Funcke
Richmond and Melbourne
AFL career
40 games5 goals
- Debut
- R6 1996 v FIT4 May 1996
- Most recent
- R21 2002 v SYD24 Aug 2002
Stats
2002 | MEL | 8 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 6.0 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 25 |
2001 | MEL | 5 | 8.2 | 2.8 | 11.0 | 4.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 48 |
1999 | RCH | 7 | 3.9 | 2.3 | 6.1 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 22 |
1998 | RCH | 5 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 4.0 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 21 |
1997 | RCH | 11 | 5.7 | 3.2 | 8.9 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 31 |
1996 | RCH | 4 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 4.3 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 15 |
Bio
Recruited from the small Wimmera town of Minyip via the Ballarat Rebels, Ross Funcke entered the AFL as a teenage recruit for Richmond with pick 78 in the 1995 National Draft. Initially playing as a medium-sized defender, he spent four seasons at Punt Road but struggled to cement a permanent spot in the seniors, often toggling between the back pocket and the reserves before being delisted in 1999. Rather than accepting the end of his career, Funcke produced a stellar season in the VFL with the North Ballarat Roosters, earning Team of the Year honours and catching the eye of Melbourne recruiters with his defensive discipline. The Demons handed him a lifeline with pick 73 in the 2000 National Draft, reinventing him as a dedicated tagger. While he executed some disciplined run-with roles—including a notable performance in a win against Sydney in 2001—he remained a depth player and was delisted for the final time at the end of 2002, eventually continuing his football journey with Port Adelaide in the SANFL.
Profile
- Born
- 16 Nov 1977 (age 48y 340d)
- Height
- 182 cm
- Weight
- 85 kg
Teams
Bio
1 revisionRecruited from the small Wimmera town of Minyip via the Ballarat Rebels, Ross Funcke entered the AFL as a teenage recruit for Richmond with pick 78 in the 1995 National Draft. Initially playing as a medium-sized defender, he spent four seasons at Punt Road but struggled to cement a permanent spot in the seniors, often toggling between the back pocket and the reserves before being delisted in 1999. Rather than accepting the end of his career, Funcke produced a stellar season in the VFL with the North Ballarat Roosters, earning Team of the Year honours and catching the eye of Melbourne recruiters with his defensive discipline. The Demons handed him a lifeline with pick 73 in the 2000 National Draft, reinventing him as a dedicated tagger. While he executed some disciplined run-with roles—including a notable performance in a win against Sydney in 2001—he remained a depth player and was delisted for the final time at the end of 2002, eventually continuing his football journey with Port Adelaide in the SANFL.