Alex Silvagni
Encyclopedia
Alex Silvagni is an Australian rules football
er with the Fremantle Football Club
in the Australian Football League
(AFL).
as a junior, but instead played for his school, Haileybury College
winning a premiership in his final year in 2005. He joined the Casey Scorpions
in the Victorian Football League
in 2006, winning selection in the VFL's under 23 team. He had two successful seasons in 2008 and 2009, playing mainly at full back, but also pinch-hitting in the ruck or forwardline, finishing 5th in 2008 (2nd best non-AFL aligned player) and then third in 2009 in Casey's best and fairest
award, being awarded the most consistent award in 2008 and winning selection in the 2009 VFL Team of the year.
, but was not selected by any teams. In 2009, Silvagni moved to Western Australia to train with the Fremantle Football Club
, who selected him with their second selection in the 2010 Rookie Draft
, the 24th overall. He was one of eight players from the VFL selected in the rookie draft, including Michael Barlow
, who was also drafted to Fremantle from the Werribee Football Club
.
After playing well in Fremantle's three NAB Cup
pre-season games, Silvagni was promoted to Fremantle's senior list and was selected to make his AFL debut in the opening round of the 2010 AFL season
.
Silvagni made his debut for Fremantle in the opening round of the 2010 AFL season
and performed well, taking 7 marks and gathering 14 possessions, including an impressive 55-metre goal as Fremantle recorded a 56-point victory over the Adelaide Football Club. The celebrations, however, were tempered when Silvagni's former captain at the Casey Scorpions, Kyle Matthews, was knocked unconscious when he was involved in a fight after watching the game at a hotel in Hawthorn.
His drafting as a "mature-aged rookie" and subsequent composed performances in his first few games are seen as an indication of a change to the recruiting philosophy to not only draft the best 18-year-old players, but also to consider older players.
Silvagni is the second cousin
of Carlton legend and AFL full-back of the century, Stephen Silvagni
. Alex's father Eric and Stephen's father Sergio
are first cousins.
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 with the Fremantle Football Club
Fremantle Football Club
The Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed The Dockers, is an Australian rules football team which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in the port city of Fremantle at the mouth of the Swan River in Western Australia...
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).
Early career
Silvagni did not play in the TAC CupTAC 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....
as a junior, but instead played for his school, Haileybury College
Haileybury, Melbourne
Haileybury is an independent school affiliated with the Uniting Church in Australia, located in Berwick, Brighton East and Keysborough, suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The school incorporates both Haileybury College, an all-boys college and Haileybury Girls' College, an all-girls college...
winning a premiership in his final year in 2005. He joined the Casey Scorpions
Casey Scorpions
The Casey Scorpions Football Club is an Australian rules football club in the Victorian Football League . The club was founded in 1903 as the Springvale Football Club and played under the name Springvale. In its history it has won 21 premierships...
in the Victorian Football League
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
in 2006, winning selection in the VFL's under 23 team. He had two successful seasons in 2008 and 2009, playing mainly at full back, but also pinch-hitting in the ruck or forwardline, finishing 5th in 2008 (2nd best non-AFL aligned player) and then third in 2009 in Casey's best and fairest
Best and Fairest
Best and Fairest is the term commonly used in Australian sport to describe the player adjudged to have had the best performance in a game or over a season for a given sporting club or competition while not receiving a suspension for misconduct or breaching the rules during that season.In the...
award, being awarded the most consistent award in 2008 and winning selection in the 2009 VFL Team of the year.
AFL career
Silvagni attended the Victorian state screening session prior to the 2006 AFL Draft2006 AFL Draft
The 2006 AFL Draft is a recent national draft of the Australian Football League. The AFL Draft is the annual draft of talented players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League....
, but was not selected by any teams. In 2009, Silvagni moved to Western Australia to train with the Fremantle Football Club
Fremantle Football Club
The Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed The Dockers, is an Australian rules football team which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in the port city of Fremantle at the mouth of the Swan River in Western Australia...
, who selected him with their second selection in the 2010 Rookie Draft
2009 AFL Draft
The 2009 AFL Draft consists of four opportunities for player acquisitions during the 2009/10 Australian Football League off-season. These were the Trade Week , the National Draft , the Pre-Season Draft and the Rookie Draft .- Trades :In the lead up to the trade week many high profile players such as...
, the 24th overall. He was one of eight players from the VFL selected in the rookie draft, including Michael Barlow
Michael Barlow
Michael Barlow is an Australian rules footballer. He plays with the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League .-Early career:...
, who was also drafted to Fremantle from the Werribee Football Club
Werribee Football Club
The Werribee Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club, based in Werribee, was formed in 1965 and currently plays in the Victorian Football League. Werribee was defeated by the Sandringham Football Club in the 2005 VFL Grand Final.-History:The Werribee Football Club...
.
After playing well in Fremantle's three NAB Cup
2010 NAB Cup
The 2010 NAB Cup was the Australian Football League pre-season competition that was played before the 2010 home and away season. The games were played between 12 February and 13 March, with the first match being between and at Subiaco Oval...
pre-season games, Silvagni was promoted to Fremantle's senior list and was selected to make his AFL debut in the opening round of the 2010 AFL season
2010 AFL season
-Premiership season:The draw for the 2010 AFL Premiership Season is not a random selection of matches, but rather is planned by the AFL. It is intended to produce a balanced draw while also providing the fans and television networks with blockbuster games. In a competition with 16 teams and 22...
.
Silvagni made his debut for Fremantle in the opening round of the 2010 AFL season
2010 AFL season
-Premiership season:The draw for the 2010 AFL Premiership Season is not a random selection of matches, but rather is planned by the AFL. It is intended to produce a balanced draw while also providing the fans and television networks with blockbuster games. In a competition with 16 teams and 22...
and performed well, taking 7 marks and gathering 14 possessions, including an impressive 55-metre goal as Fremantle recorded a 56-point victory over the Adelaide Football Club. The celebrations, however, were tempered when Silvagni's former captain at the Casey Scorpions, Kyle Matthews, was knocked unconscious when he was involved in a fight after watching the game at a hotel in Hawthorn.
His drafting as a "mature-aged rookie" and subsequent composed performances in his first few games are seen as an indication of a change to the recruiting philosophy to not only draft the best 18-year-old players, but also to consider older players.
Silvagni is the second cousin
Cousin
In kinship terminology, a cousin is a relative with whom one shares one or more common ancestors. The term is rarely used when referring to a relative in one's immediate family where there is a more specific term . The term "blood relative" can be used synonymously and establishes the existence of...
of Carlton legend and AFL full-back of the century, Stephen Silvagni
Stephen Silvagni
Stephen Silvagni is a former Australian rules footballer for the Carlton Football Club.During his long VFL/AFL career, from his debut in 1985, until his retirement in 2001, he gained the reputation as one of the greatest ever full-backs to play the game and was named as full-back in the AFL Team...
. Alex's father Eric and Stephen's father Sergio
Sergio Silvagni
Sergio 'Serge' Silvagni is a former Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League .Silvagni made his debut for the Carlton Football Club in Round 7, 1958...
are first cousins.