TOP TEN GOALKICKERS IN CARLTON HISTORY
1. Stephen Kernahan – 738 goals (1986-1997)
2. Harry “Soapy” Vallence – 722 goals (1926-1938)
3. Alex Jesaulenko – 424 goals (1967-1979)
4. Brendan Fevola – 418 goals (1999 - )*
5. Horrie Clover – 396 goals (1920-1924; 1926-1931)
6. Rod Ashman – 370 goals (1973-1986)
7. Robert Walls – 367 goals (1967-1978)
8. Ken Baxter – 365 goals (1938-1941; 1945-1950)
9. Lance Whitnall – 348 goals (1997-2007)
10. Vin Gardiner – 342 goals (1907-1917)
* denotes still playing

Fev can break 738
says Sticks

Stephen Kernahan, the greatest goalkicker in Carlton Football Club history, believes Brendan Fevola can surpass the 738 career goals amassed over 12 seasons with the Blues.

Kernahan, who declared it a privilege to see Fevola boot six goals for the Big V in a best-on-ground performance against the Dream Team at the MCG last Saturday night, declared that while Fevola has “had to work pretty hard for his goals these past five or six years, I’m sure he can play for another five or six and catch me”.

“And I’d be rapt for him,” said Kernahan.

Fevola this week resumes club duties for Carlton against Brisbane, with another personal milestone set firmly in his sights.

The Carlton full-forward goes into the match just six goals shy of equalling the 424 career goals accumulated by Carlton’s latest Australian Football Hall of Fame Legend Alex Jesaulenko who first made Fevola’s No.25 guernsey famous and is the club’s third highest career goalkicker behind Stephen Kernahan and Harry “Soapy” Vallence.

Accordingly, carltonfc.com.au saw fit to glean the thoughts of “Jezza”, “Sticks” and the other surviving members of the Club’s top ten career goalkickers – Rod Ashman, Robert Walls and Lance Whitnall – in terms of how they rate “Fev” and how far they think he can go.

Stephen Kernahan
251 matches, 738 goals, 1986-1997; leading club goalkicker 1987-1996 (club record)
“Fev” is capable of anything. You never know what he’s going to do and it comes across in his footy. He can kick a big goal, take a big mark and he’s great to watch.
Bernie Quinlan is the bloke I think of when I think of Fev because Bernie was a great long kick. At the same time I wouldn’t sell Fev short from 30 or 40 out. When he’s on song he kicks them from anywhere.
It’s great to see forwards like Fev making an impact on the game. I felt really good watching him play for Victoria the other night because he was one of ours and he set the MCG alight.
Fev’s going well and he’s got a long way to go too. He’s got a lot of good footy left in him. He’s had to work pretty hard for his goals these past five or six years, but I’m sure he can play for another five or six and catch me. And I’d be rapt for him.

Alex Jesaulenko
256 matches, 424 goals, 1967-1979; leading club goalkicker 1969-1971; only footballer in Carlton’s history to kick 100 goals in a season (115, 1970)
He’s certainly got some talent. He’s a goalkicker, but sometimes he lets himself down by sooking. If he can get that out of his game he’ll go on.
That game for Victoria would have helped him. He was great to watch and that’s what people come to see - none of this “keepings off” stuff.
The future is in his hands as long as he doesn’t play up.

Rod Ashman
236 matches, 370 goals, 1973-1986
Brendan is an enormously talented player who is only now beginning to realise his full potential. He’s a guy who is very good at kicking goals, but of late has been able to supplement his play with the real pressure required of a top-line forward, which will only make him an even better player.
While all the goals are great, it’s the chasing, tackling and smothering which is gaining him the respect.
The best feature of Brendan’s kicking is his accuracy over a long distance and he gains prodigious distance. Greg Kennedy had the best kicking style of all. He played at my home club of Eaglehawk and I was fortunate to see him play there. I’d rate Greg Kennedy on a par with Peter McKenna in terms of his kicking.
He’s 27 now and he’ll go close to nudging Stephen Kernahan’s record. “Sticks” was an excellent kick when he first started out, but subsequent groin problems curtailed his kicking.

Robert Walls
218 matches, 367 goals, 1967-1978; leading club goalkicker 1975-1976
I think of “Fev” and I think of a really strong leap at the ball . . . not so much a mark on the chest, but arms out full-stretch . . . as well as the balance, shoulder strength and strong one-grab. If he gets his hands on it he doesn’t let too many slip. He’s an impressive player in full-flight, he’s got a really nice kicking action, he’s a thumping kick and outside 50 doesn’t matter. As I’ve already said before, the highs are highs and the lows are lows with him.
He’s right up there for distance and accuracy over a long distance. I’d back (Peter) McKenna from 40 metres every time, but from 50 to 60 I’d back Fev.
Fev is near his best now. If he thinks about his footy, and I’m not sure if he does, then he’d have to say that this is a golden opportunity for him now to play in a team with Judd, Stevens, Scotland off a half back flank, Murphy and the improved Simpson and Carrazzo. It’s probably been the best supply he’s had since he’s been at Carlton and hopefully with his maturity and the improvement of the team he can kick a lot more goals.
I would think the odds are against him getting to the (738-goal) figure. I’m not getting too excited about that, it’s still a long way off.
Kernahan kicked his goals over a period of time. That’s why he’s a champion.

Lance Whitnall
216 matches, 348 goals, 1997-2007; leading club goalkicker 1998-2000
“Fev” is an exciting player who knows where to lead, whose hands are good and who is an unbelievable kick. He can kick them from everywhere. He’s one of the best kicks of all time, easy, and the best kick I’ve seen at Carlton for sure.
It’ll be a big ask for him to break “Sticks” (Kernahan’s) record. It’s a hell of a lot of goals, but if he keeps injury-free who knows? He hasn’t yet reached his full potential, but his body’s sound and the midfield’s good, so I’m tipping he’ll be up and kicking goals for the next three years at least.

Click here to View the Gallery of the Top 10 Carlton goalkickers


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