John Murphy (Australian rules footballer)

John Murphy (born 20 November 1949) was a former Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football League (now AFL).

Playing career

Murphy debuted with the Fitzroy Football Club in 1967, and went on to set the record for consecutive games played from debut -158 matches. This record held until 2005 when surpassed by Jared Crouch from Sydney. [Sydney Morning Herald (2005). [http://www.smh.com.au/news/AFL/How-a-piece-of-paper-proved-just-the-ticket-for-Crouch/2005/04/08/1112815728407.html "How a piece of paper proved just the ticket for Crouch"] . Retrieved on 6 May 2008.]

Murphy was made captain of Fitzroy in 1973, a position he held until he left the club at the end of the 1977 season after 214 games and a good career playing across half-forward and in the midfield. His departure was due to internal disputes with the club over his comments over some players that he thought should have been discarded from the club.Full Points Footy (2008). [http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/m.htm#John%20Murphy%20(Fitzroy,%20South%20Melbourne,%20North%20Melbourne) "AFL Players: John Murphy"] . Retrieved on 6 May 2008.]

In 1978, he moved to South Melbourne playing 23 games in a season and a half. He again changed clubs late in the 1979 season, moving to North Melbourne where he played his first ever finals match. He retired from the VFL in 1980 after injuries struck.

In 1981 Murphy was appointed captain-coach of Ulverstone in the Northern Tasmanian Football League, where he enjoyed a fine season, winning the Wander Medal.

From 1993-1998, John Murphy was coach of the Box Hill Football Club and is the Club's longest serving coach. He coached the Club to its first Division One grand final in the VFA in 1994, in which Box Hill was defeated by Sandringham by the narrow margin of 9 points. He received life membership of the Box Hill Football Club in 1998.

Career highlights

1967 - 1980 (games 246; goals 374; Brownlow votes 111). [AFL Stats (2008). [http://stats.rleague.com/afl/stats/players/J/John_Murphy0.html "AFL PLayers: John Murphy"] . Retrieved on 6 May 2008.]
* Fitzroy: 1967 to 1977 (214 games, 326 goals)
* South Melbourne: 1978 to 1979 (23 games, 40 goals)
* North Melbourne: 1979 to 1980 (9 games, 9 goals)
* Fitzroy best and fairest: 1968, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1977.Brisbane Lions (2008). [http://lions.com.au/TheClub/History/FitzroyLions/HonourRoll/tabid/5173/default.aspx "Fitzroy Football Club Honour Roll 1897 - 1996"] . Retrieved on 6 May 2008.]
* Fitzroy leading goal kicker: 1971, 1976.
* Fitzroy captain: 1973 to 1977.
* Fitzroy Team of the Century.
* South Melbourne best and fairest: 1978
* South Melbourne leading goal kicker: 1978
* Victorian representative: 9 State of Origin matches.

Post-football

When Fitzroy's official 'Team of the Century' was announced in 2002, he was named in the centre.Footy Stamps (2006). [http://www.footystamps.com/fl_team_of_the_century.htm "Fitzroy Team of the Century"] . Retrieved on 6 May 2008.] Murphy was admitted to the Australian Football Hall of Fame on 22 June 2006. [Australian Football League (2008). [http://www.afl.com.au/Season2007/Awards/HallofFame/Players/tabid/856/Default.aspx "Hall of Fame: Players"] . Retrieved on 6 May 2008.]

His son, Marc Murphy, was the number one draft pick in the 2005 AFL Draft. [Gouth, Paul (2005). [http://www.carltonfc.com.au/News/NewsArticle/tabid/4311/Default.aspx?newsId=18123 Carlton Football Club. "Deledio the guide for Murphy"] . Retrieved on 6 May 2008.] Marc considered a move to the Brisbane Lions under the father-son rule, as John played for Fitzroy, a club that merged with the Brisbane Bears to form the Lions. However, he was selected by Carlton, who won the wooden spoon in the AFL that season.

References