Aaron James (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Aaron James is an Australian rules football
er who played with Collingwood
, Richmond
and the Western Bulldogs
in the Australian Football League
(AFL).
Having performed well in the TAC Cup
, Collingwood selected James with pick 35 in the 1993 AFL Draft
. He was just 17 when he made his AFL debut in 1994, against Hawthorn, but his only statistic from the game was a free kick against. After making just one further appearance that year, James became a regular member of the team in 1995 with 16 games for the season. A knee injury kept him out of the side for the entirety of 1996 but still made headlines when he was charged with affray following a brawl with nightclub security. He didn't return until midway through the 1997 season and at the end of the year was again in trouble, this time for urinating on two women at the "Saloon Bar" in South Yarra. Fined for both incidents, Collingwood lost patience with him and he was traded to Richmond. The trade saw Bradley Smith
and Jamie Tape
go to Collingwood, while Richmond received James as well as the draft pick which was used to get Andrew Kellaway
.
James spent four seasons at Richmond, playing seven games in 1998 and ten more in 1999. He was a regular fixture in the side for the second half of the 2000 AFL season but another knee injury, suffered during the final round match against Carlton, would mean he missed another year of football, in 2001.
He nominated for the 2001 AFL Draft
and was secured by the Western Bulldogs with the 83rd and final pick of the draft. His appearance for the Bulldogs in the opening round of the 2002 season, at Docklands, was to be his last AFL game and he scored a behind with his only possession.
Before the end of the season, James left the Bulldogs and finished the year in the Bendigo Football League
. He was a member of Gisborne
's 2002 premiership team and in 2003 kicked over 100 goals playing at full-forward
for the Doutta Stars
of the EDFL
.
In 2004 he played with Lalor
in the Diamond Valley Football League and was again prolific as a forward, kicking 114 goals to top the league's charts.
He was at Albion in 2005 and kicked over 100 goals for the third successive season of regional football.
Continuing the pattern of one season club stints, James was with RDFL
club the Sunbury Kangaroos
in 2006. During the finals series that year he was reported for threatening behavior towards an umpire and suspended for 15 weeks. This kept him out of action for much of 2007 but the following year he played some good football at Stanhope.
He kicked 130 goals in the 2009 HDFL
season with North Bendigo and had another prolific year up forward in 2010 at Kilmore.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er who played with Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
, Richmond
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
and the Western Bulldogs
Western Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(AFL).
Having performed well in the TAC Cup
TAC Cup
The TAC Cup is an under 18 Australian rules football representative competition held in Victoria, Australia. It is based on geographic regions throughout country Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne with each team representing 12 Victorian regions....
, Collingwood selected James with pick 35 in the 1993 AFL Draft
1993 AFL Draft
The 1993 AFL Draft consisted of a mid-season draft, a national draft at the end of the season and a Pre-season draft, held before the 1994 AFL season....
. He was just 17 when he made his AFL debut in 1994, against Hawthorn, but his only statistic from the game was a free kick against. After making just one further appearance that year, James became a regular member of the team in 1995 with 16 games for the season. A knee injury kept him out of the side for the entirety of 1996 but still made headlines when he was charged with affray following a brawl with nightclub security. He didn't return until midway through the 1997 season and at the end of the year was again in trouble, this time for urinating on two women at the "Saloon Bar" in South Yarra. Fined for both incidents, Collingwood lost patience with him and he was traded to Richmond. The trade saw Bradley Smith
Bradley J. Smith
Bradley J. Smith is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood in the Australian Football League ....
and Jamie Tape
Jamie Tape
-Football career:After amassing an impressive 75 games and winning the 1993 Premiership with Woodville-West Torrens in the SANFL, Tape moved to Richmond in 1994 after initially being selected with pick #28 in the 1992 AFL Draft....
go to Collingwood, while Richmond received James as well as the draft pick which was used to get Andrew Kellaway
Andrew Kellaway
Andrew Kellaway is a former Australian rules football player who played for the Richmond Football Club in the AFL.Educated at Caulfield Grammar School, Kellaway joined his brother Duncan at Richmond in 1997...
.
James spent four seasons at Richmond, playing seven games in 1998 and ten more in 1999. He was a regular fixture in the side for the second half of the 2000 AFL season but another knee injury, suffered during the final round match against Carlton, would mean he missed another year of football, in 2001.
He nominated for the 2001 AFL Draft
2001 AFL Draft
The 2001 AFL Draft consisted of a national draft, a rookie draft, a pre-season draft and a trade period. The AFL Draft is the annual draft of players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League .In 2001 there were 83...
and was secured by the Western Bulldogs with the 83rd and final pick of the draft. His appearance for the Bulldogs in the opening round of the 2002 season, at Docklands, was to be his last AFL game and he scored a behind with his only possession.
Before the end of the season, James left the Bulldogs and finished the year in the Bendigo Football League
Bendigo Football League
The Bendigo Football League is an Australian rules football competition based in the Bendigo region of Victoria, Australia.Formed in 1880, it is one of the oldest football leagues in Australia, and among its members are some of the oldest football clubs in Australia, including the Castlemaine...
. He was a member of Gisborne
Gisborne Football Club
The Gisborne Football Club are an Australian rules football club which compete in the Bendigo Football League.-Premierships:Riddell District Football League * 1934, 1962, 1965, 1967, 1972, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1997, 1998, 1999)...
's 2002 premiership team and in 2003 kicked over 100 goals playing at full-forward
Full-forward
Full-forward is a position in Australian rules football and Gaelic football with a key focus on kicking goals.Leading full-forwards of the Australian Football League are usually among those awarded with the Coleman Medal for the most goals in an AFL season....
for the Doutta Stars
Doutta Stars Football Club
The Essendon Doutta Stars Football Club is an Australian rules football club located 10 km north west of Melbourne in the suburb of Essendon, and affiliated with the Essendon District Football League in 1946.-History:...
of the EDFL
Essendon District Football League
The Essendon District Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the north-west suburbs of Melbourne, which was established in 1930.The EDFL consists of 24 senior clubs, 10 clubs in A Grade and 14 clubs in B Grade...
.
In 2004 he played with Lalor
Lalor Football Club
Lalor Football Club is an Australian rules football club located 18 km north of Melbourne in the suburb of Lalor, Victoria which has a population of 19561 circa 2006.The club fields Seniors and Juniors and is affiliated with the Northern Football League....
in the Diamond Valley Football League and was again prolific as a forward, kicking 114 goals to top the league's charts.
He was at Albion in 2005 and kicked over 100 goals for the third successive season of regional football.
Continuing the pattern of one season club stints, James was with RDFL
Riddell District Football League
The Riddell District Football League is an Australian rules football league affiliated with Football Victoria.The league covers towns in the Macedon Ranges Victoria and an area from Rockbank in the south to Broadford in the north....
club the Sunbury Kangaroos
Sunbury Kangaroos Football Club
The Sunbury Kangaroos Football Club,. nicknamed the Kangaroos, is an Australian rules football club, previously known as Sunbury Rovers and situated 35 km north west of Melbourne in the town of Sunbury and affiliated with the Riddell District Football League.Originally known as the Sunbury...
in 2006. During the finals series that year he was reported for threatening behavior towards an umpire and suspended for 15 weeks. This kept him out of action for much of 2007 but the following year he played some good football at Stanhope.
He kicked 130 goals in the 2009 HDFL
Heathcote District Football League
The Heathcote District Football League is based in Central Victoria. The league is a minor country league with teams drawn from smaller localities within part of the area of the major Bendigo Football League.-History:...
season with North Bendigo and had another prolific year up forward in 2010 at Kilmore.