Simon Minton-Connell (born 26 April 1969) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and Australian Football League (AFL).

Simon Minton-Connell
Personal information
Date of birth (1969-04-26) 26 April 1969 (age 55)
Original team(s) North Hobart
Draft No. 38, 1986 national draft
Debut Round 15, 1989, Carlton vs. Collingwood, at Waverley Park
Height 194 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Weight 92 kg (203 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1986–1991 Carlton 019 0(50)
1992–1994 Sydney 046 (169)
1995–1996 Hawthorn 022 0(33)
1997–1998 Western Bulldogs 025 0(53)
Total 112 (305)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1998.
Career highlights
  • Sydney Leading goalkicker 1992, 1993, 1994
  • Western Bulldogs Leading goalkicker 1997
  • Tasmanian State of Origin representative
  • Tasmanian Team of the Century nominee
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

VFL/AFL career

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Nephew of the great full-forward Peter Hudson and cousin of Paul Hudson,[1] Minton-Connell was selected at pick 38 in the 1986 VFL Draft by Carlton Football Club. Minton-Connell eventually played for four different VFL/AFL clubs; Carlton, Sydney, Hawthorn and Western Bulldogs in his twelve-year career, amassing 112 games and 305 goals in the process. Despite this lack of career stability Minton-Connell was an effective forward judged by today's standards, despite being overshadowed by the more glamorous and prolific spearheads of the era. He played for Sydney during a three-year period from 1992 until 1994 when the club won three consecutive wooden spoons, leading the club's goalkicking each year. He led the AFL reserves in goalkicking for his final season in 1998, with 59 goals.[2]

Local league career

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Retiring to local league football, Minton-Connell reached the 100-goal milestone for the Aberfeldie Football Club of the Essendon District Football League in 2002,[3] ending the season with 121 majors after tearing a thigh muscle in the opening minutes of that year's Grand Final versus Oak Park.[4]

References

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  1. ^ "Simon Minton-Connell". Hawk Headquarters. Hawk Headquarters. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  2. ^ "Scoreboard", Football Record, 87 (23): 64, 4 September 1998
  3. ^ G. McLure, 'Sporting Life', The Age, 29 July 2002
  4. ^ Anonymous, 'Top guns in shoot-out', The Age, 28 June 2003