This week two players, Heath Scotland and Marc Murphy, reach important milestones in their Carlton careers.
Heath Scotland will become the 151st player to play 100 matches for the Carlton Football Club when he takes to the ground against St Kilda in round 15 at the MCG. It will be Heath’s 153rd AFL match after playing 53 games for Collingwood before joining Carlton for the start of the 2004 season. Surprisingly he will also be the third player to play his 100th Carlton game in his 153rd AFL match and all three have reached the milestone against St Kilda.
Billy Dick was the first in round 10, 1918 at the Junction Oval while Jack Wrout also achieved this milestone in round 5, 1943 at Carlton’s only game played at Toorak Park.
The first Carlton player to play 100 games was Ern Walton who played his 100th game in round 7, 1903 against Melbourne at the MCG. Ern played his first game in Carlton’s first AFL match against Fitzroy at Brunswick Street Oval, in round 1, 1897 and missed five of Carlton’s first 105 matches.
Marc Murphy will become the 294th player to play 50 games for Carlton and at 20 years and 358 days old he will be the 22nd youngest player to reach this milestone. The youngest player to play 50 games for Carlton is Robert Walls who was 19 years and 68 days old when he played his 50th game in the 1969 Grand Final.
Marc will become the third generation of the Murphy family to play 50 AFL matches. Marc’s grandfather Leo Murphy played 132 games for Hawthorn between 1930 and 1940, winning the Hawks Best & Fairest in 1936 and 1937. Father John played 246 AFL games (Fitzroy 214 games, 1967-1977), South Melbourne (23 games, 1978-1979) and North Melbourne (9 games, 1979-1980). John won the Fitzroy Best & Fairest Award in 1968, 1970, 1971, 1973 and 1977 and the South Melbourne Best & Fairest Award in 1978.
AFL Debut, Round and Age
Leo, Rd 13, 1930 20 years – 353 days
John, Rd 1, 1967 17 years – 145 days
Marc, Rd 1, 2006 18 years – 257 days
50 Game Milestone, Round and Age
Leo, Rd 11, 1933 23 years – 335 days
John, Rd 12, 1969 19 years -220 days
Marc, Rd 15, 2008 20 years – 358 days
John made his AFL debut against Carlton at Princes Park in the same game that AFL Legend Alex Jesaulenko made his AFL debut with Carlton.