Peter Hudson

Infobox afl player


firstname = Peter
lastname = Hudson
| heightweight = 189 cm, 92 kg
birthdate = Birth date and age|1946|2|19|df=y
birthplace =
originalteam = New Norfolk, Tasmanian Football League
dead = alive
deathdate =
deathplace =
debutdate = Round 2, 22 April 1967
debutteam = Hawthorn
debutopponent = Carlton
debutstadium = Princes Park
playingteams = Hawthorn, VFL (1967-1974; 1977)
*129 games, 727 goals

New Norfolk, TFL (1963-1966)
*78 games, 378 goals

Glenorchy Football Club, TFL (1975-1976; 1978-1982)
*81 games, 616 goalsTotal Goals:1721 Goals
coach = coach
coachingteams = Glenorchy , TFL (1975-1976)
Hobart Football Club,TFL (1986-1987)
statsend = 2005
careerhighlights =

* Hawthorn "Best and Fairest" 1968, 1970
* Hawthorn leading goalkicker 1967-1971, 1977
* Hawthorn premiership player 1971
* VFL leading goalkicker 1968, 1970, 1971
* Represented Victoria 10 times
* All-Australian 1966, 1969
* Represented Australia in "The Galahs" Australian Football World Tour 1968
* William Leitch Medal in 1978 and 1979 while at Glenorchy
* Premiership coach (& player) Glenorchy, TFL 1975
* Inducted as a Member of the Australian Football Hall of Fame in May 1996
* Elevated to "Legend" status (15th legend) in 1999
* Tasmanian Team of the Century

Peter John Hudson AM is a former Australian Rules Football player, considered one of the greatest Australian rules football full-forwards in the game's history.

Hudson was prolific in his goal scoring in all senior competitions in which he competed. Originally from Tasmania, Hudson played with New Norfolk Football Club, in the Tasmanian Football League kicking 378 goals in 78 games. He then played 130 games with the Hawthorn Football Club in the Victorian Football League, which was generally considered to be the strongest State League in the country. During this time he kicked 727 goals. Following his Hawthorn days he returned to Tasmania, playing a further 81 games for Glenorchy Football Club during which he kicked an amazing 616 goals. Some records state he kick 769 goals for Glenorchy Football Club.

Over his career he kicked 1,874 goals in senior matches spanning the period 1963 to 1982. His impressive tally increases to 2,191 when night series and representative games are included, averaging over 7 goals a game over his entire career. Hudson was kept goalless just three times during his senior career, by Richmond's Barry Richardson in 1969, Carlton's Rod Austin in 1977 and B.Greenhill of TFL club Sandy Bay in 1978.

His son Paul also played for the Hawthorn Football Club and Western Bulldogs Football Club, and nephew Simon Minton-Connell also played AFL football for the Carlton Football Club.

VFL career

In a Victorian Football League career beginning with the Hawthorn Football Club in 1967, he kicked 727 goals at an average of 5.59 a game.

Hudson won the Coleman Medal for the League's leading goal kicker four times in his career: in 1968 (125 goals); 1970 (146); 1971 (150); and 1977 (110). He also became the first player to kick 100 goals in a VFL season five times (the other year he exceeded 100 goals being 1969 when he kicked 120).

In 1971 he equalled Bob Pratt's record of 150 goals in a season after kicking three goals in Hawthorn's winning Grand Final side. Hudson kicked into the man-on-the-mark Barry Lawrence (St.Kilda) and may have broken the record in the grand final.

In the first round of 1972 he seriously injured his knee just before half time. He had already kicked 8 goals and had just taken a mark within distance when he fell awkwardly. It was thought that his career had finished.

On the 25 August 1973 he returned from Tasmania to kick eight goals against Collingwood at VFL Park. He did not play another VFL game until lured back for the 1977 season where he ended up kicking 110 goals.

Post VFL

Hudson coached and played for Glenorchy Football Club in the TFL in 1975 and 1976, taking them to a premiership in his first year. Following his second return from the VFL, in 1978 he once again played for Glenorchy, kicking 191 goals and winning the highest individual honour in the TFL, the William Leitch Medal. In the next season he again topped the goalkicking with 200 goals, winning his second William Leitch medal. He retired as a player at the end of the season. He coached Hobart in the TFL in 1986-1987 for consecutive unsuccessful finals campaigns.

In 1979, he was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the Australia Day Honours, for services to Australian football.

He was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 1996 and elevated to "Legend" status in 1999. His citation reads: "A freakish full-forward who just kept accumulating goals. Made brilliant use of the body, was deadly accurate and had an amazing ability to read the play. Holds the best goals per game average (5.59) in VFL/AFL history and in 1971 matched Bob Pratt's record for most goals in a season with 150."

Hudson is respected for his business acumen. Since retirement he has had a stint as the Chief Executive Officer of Hawthorn. Currently he is a senior executive of insurance giant MBF.

See also

*List of Australian rules football families

External links

* [http://www.footballlegends.org/peter_hudson.htm Tasmanian Football Legends]
* [http://stats.afl.com.au/public/home.shtml AFL official statistics]
* [http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/hi-hz.htm#Peter%20Hudson%20(New%20Norfolk,%20Hawthorn,%20Glenorchy) Fullpointsfooty bio]
* [http://www.aflhalloffame.com.au/home/inside.asp?ID=94&pnav=93 AFL Hall of Fame]