Brett Ratten
Encyclopedia
Brett "Ratts" Ratten is a former Australian rules football
er and the current coach of the Carlton Football Club
in the Australian Football League
.
Originally from Yarra Glen
, Ratten made his debut for Carlton in the fifteenth round of the 1990 season.
In a career lasting 14 years, he amassed many awards. He played mainly as an in-and-under midfielder, often escaping the attention of media and umpires early in his career. He won the club's Best and Fairest award in their record-breaking premiership season of 1995, including a game in Round 17 against Fitzroy
when he amassed 44 disposals, but failed to poll a single Brownlow vote from the umpires for the season. In the 1999 season, Ratten was credited with 265 clearances, which is by far the highest on record.
He was awarded the Robert Reynolds Trophy (Carlton Best and Fairest) in 1995, and then again in 1997. He tied with Scott Camporeale
in 2000. Ratten was a part of Carlton's premiership team in 1995. He played for Victoria
in the State of Origin in 1996 and 1997. He was awarded All-Australian selection in 1997, 2000 and 2001, firmly cementing his skill in the centre. Ratten was inducted into the Carlton Hall of Fame in 1999. The statistical analysis company Champion Data announced that Ratten was the most effective player in the 2000s.
After the retirement of Craig Bradley
, Ratten was awarded the club's captaincy in 2002, a position he held until his own retirement.
Ratten's career was seriously plagued by injury. During his time in football, he had 8 arthroscopes on his right knee, 3 arthroscopes on his left knee and a medial ligament. His shoulder was also badly damaged in 2003, which ultimately led to Ratten announcing his retirement in the middle of the 2003 season.
After Ratten's retirement in the middle of the 2003 season, the captaincy was passed to Andrew McKay
for the rest of the 2003 season. Carlton youngster Justin Davies
was personally chosen by Ratten to immediately take his number 7 guernsey, waiving the usual one-year retirement for premiership players' guernseys, an offer happily accepted by Davies.
After retirement from playing, Ratten spent one year as an assistant coach at the Melbourne Demons
, before leaving to take a head coaching role at the Norwood Football Club in the Eastern Football League
's Second Division. He remained there until 2006, and then returned to Carlton as an assistant coach for 2007.
On 24 July 2007, Ratten was appointed as Carlton's caretaker coach for the remainder of the 2007 season, following the sacking of Denis Pagan
. On 20 August 2007 he signed a contract as Carlton senior coach until the end of 2009. In his first full season at Carlton, the club finished 11th with 10 wins. In his second season, Carlton finished seventh with thirteen wins, ending a seven year finals drought, the longest in club history which took them into the finals but were eliminated in the first week by Brisbane Lions. He signed on to coach the Blues again in 2010 and they won the first match of the year, thumping Richmond, by 56 points.
Later in the 2010 season, Ratten came under heavy scrutiny as a coach when Carlton suffered several big losses, to Collingwood, Sydney, Western Bulldogs and Hawthorn. After labelling his team's effort as "embarrassing," however, the club responded with two consecutive big-margin wins, against Essendon and Richmond. It was during these matches that he began coaching from the boundary line, and remained there for the rest of the season.
In 2011 Ratten led Carlton to one of its best seasons in a decade, spending most of the season inside the top four before a late-season form slump saw them ultimately settle for fifth position on the ladder. Facing bitter rivals in the subsequent elimination final, Ratten then achieved his first finals win in three attempts when it triumphed by 62 points. It was also the first time in a decade that the Blues won a final, thus relieving the pressure on Ratten who had to win a final in order to be granted an extension to his current contract.
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 and the current coach of the Carlton Football Club
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
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...
.
Originally from Yarra Glen
Yarra Glen, Victoria
Yarra Glen is a town in Victoria, Australia, 40 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Yarra Ranges...
, Ratten made his debut for Carlton in the fifteenth round of the 1990 season.
In a career lasting 14 years, he amassed many awards. He played mainly as an in-and-under midfielder, often escaping the attention of media and umpires early in his career. He won the club's Best and Fairest award in their record-breaking premiership season of 1995, including a game in Round 17 against Fitzroy
Fitzroy Football Club
The Fitzroy Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Lions, is an Australian rules football club formed in 1883 to represent the inner Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, Victoria and was a foundation member club of the Victorian Football League on its inception in 1897...
when he amassed 44 disposals, but failed to poll a single Brownlow vote from the umpires for the season. In the 1999 season, Ratten was credited with 265 clearances, which is by far the highest on record.
He was awarded the Robert Reynolds Trophy (Carlton Best and Fairest) in 1995, and then again in 1997. He tied with Scott Camporeale
Scott Camporeale
Scott Camporeale is a former Australian rules footballer who spent the majority of his AFL career with the Carlton Football Club.-AFL career:...
in 2000. Ratten was a part of Carlton's premiership team in 1995. He played for Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
in the State of Origin in 1996 and 1997. He was awarded All-Australian selection in 1997, 2000 and 2001, firmly cementing his skill in the centre. Ratten was inducted into the Carlton Hall of Fame in 1999. The statistical analysis company Champion Data announced that Ratten was the most effective player in the 2000s.
After the retirement of Craig Bradley
Craig Bradley
Craig Edwin "Braddles" Bradley is a former South Australian Australian rules footballer and first class cricketer. He is currently a part-time assistant coach at the Carlton Football Club, the club he represented 375 times in the VFL/AFL....
, Ratten was awarded the club's captaincy in 2002, a position he held until his own retirement.
Ratten's career was seriously plagued by injury. During his time in football, he had 8 arthroscopes on his right knee, 3 arthroscopes on his left knee and a medial ligament. His shoulder was also badly damaged in 2003, which ultimately led to Ratten announcing his retirement in the middle of the 2003 season.
After Ratten's retirement in the middle of the 2003 season, the captaincy was passed to Andrew McKay
Andrew McKay
Dr Andrew Ian McKay is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.McKay grew up in eastern South Australia, and played junior football for Lucindale in the Kowree-Naracoorte Football League. He moved to Adelaide and played senior SANFL football for Glenelg between 1991...
for the rest of the 2003 season. Carlton youngster Justin Davies
Justin Davies
Justin Davies is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.He was recruited as the number 39 draft pick in the 2001 AFL Draft from Shepparton United...
was personally chosen by Ratten to immediately take his number 7 guernsey, waiving the usual one-year retirement for premiership players' guernseys, an offer happily accepted by Davies.
After retirement from playing, Ratten spent one year as an assistant coach at the Melbourne Demons
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
, before leaving to take a head coaching role at the Norwood Football Club in the Eastern Football League
Eastern Football League (Australia)
The Eastern Football League is an Australian rules football League, based in the eastern suburbs of metropolitan Melbourne....
's Second Division. He remained there until 2006, and then returned to Carlton as an assistant coach for 2007.
On 24 July 2007, Ratten was appointed as Carlton's caretaker coach for the remainder of the 2007 season, following the sacking of Denis Pagan
Denis Pagan
Denis Pagan is a former Australian rules football coach and player in the VFL/AFL. He is current coach of Northern Knights in TAC Cup.-Playing career:...
. On 20 August 2007 he signed a contract as Carlton senior coach until the end of 2009. In his first full season at Carlton, the club finished 11th with 10 wins. In his second season, Carlton finished seventh with thirteen wins, ending a seven year finals drought, the longest in club history which took them into the finals but were eliminated in the first week by Brisbane Lions. He signed on to coach the Blues again in 2010 and they won the first match of the year, thumping Richmond, by 56 points.
Later in the 2010 season, Ratten came under heavy scrutiny as a coach when Carlton suffered several big losses, to Collingwood, Sydney, Western Bulldogs and Hawthorn. After labelling his team's effort as "embarrassing," however, the club responded with two consecutive big-margin wins, against Essendon and Richmond. It was during these matches that he began coaching from the boundary line, and remained there for the rest of the season.
In 2011 Ratten led Carlton to one of its best seasons in a decade, spending most of the season inside the top four before a late-season form slump saw them ultimately settle for fifth position on the ladder. Facing bitter rivals in the subsequent elimination final, Ratten then achieved his first finals win in three attempts when it triumphed by 62 points. It was also the first time in a decade that the Blues won a final, thus relieving the pressure on Ratten who had to win a final in order to be granted an extension to his current contract.
External links
- Brett Ratten profile on the Official AFL Website of the Carlton Football Club
- Brett Ratten page at Blueseum