Chris Heffernan
Encyclopedia
Chris Joel Heffernan is a former Australian rules football
er who played in the Australian Football League
(AFL).
Known affectionately as "The Heff", Chris began his career in 1997 with the Essendon Football Club
. Heffernan had a brilliant year in 2000 when he played solid consistent football in the midfield and was part of the Bombers side that lost only one game for the entire season, winning the AFL Grand Final
and Ansett Cup Final in the process. Heffernan was also rewarded with an appearance in the International rules series in 2000. Heffernan also played in another AFL Grand Final
(albeit a losing one) in 2001, and moved from Essendon to the Melbourne Football Club
at the end of 2002. He looked like he would be a solid acquisition by the Demons with Heffernan having great recent form under his belt.
However, that was not the case, and in what was then viewed as another "win" for Kevin Sheedy's brilliant record of trading players and getting value for his trades, Heffernan did not have the same spark at Melbourne. In 2004 he had a solid year before getting suspended and missing the finals at the end of the season, but in 2005 his performances were average. At the end of 2005 Melbourne delisted Heffernan, but Essendon picked him up with the last pick in the 2005 AFL Pre-season Draft. In this deal, Essendon picked up a player that they had already won on in the 2002 trade for next to nothing.
Heffernan believed he had returned to his spiritual home and expected to improve his football in 2006. It did. He played out the rest of his career with the Bombers, before announcing his retirement from AFL football on 2 October 2007 – at the age of just 28. Heffernan's retirement came as a shock to many, due to his relatively young age.
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 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).
Known affectionately as "The Heff", Chris began his career in 1997 with the Essendon Football Club
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
. Heffernan had a brilliant year in 2000 when he played solid consistent football in the midfield and was part of the Bombers side that lost only one game for the entire season, winning the AFL Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
and Ansett Cup Final in the process. Heffernan was also rewarded with an appearance in the International rules series in 2000. Heffernan also played in another AFL Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
(albeit a losing one) in 2001, and moved from Essendon to the Melbourne Football Club
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....
at the end of 2002. He looked like he would be a solid acquisition by the Demons with Heffernan having great recent form under his belt.
However, that was not the case, and in what was then viewed as another "win" for Kevin Sheedy's brilliant record of trading players and getting value for his trades, Heffernan did not have the same spark at Melbourne. In 2004 he had a solid year before getting suspended and missing the finals at the end of the season, but in 2005 his performances were average. At the end of 2005 Melbourne delisted Heffernan, but Essendon picked him up with the last pick in the 2005 AFL Pre-season Draft. In this deal, Essendon picked up a player that they had already won on in the 2002 trade for next to nothing.
Heffernan believed he had returned to his spiritual home and expected to improve his football in 2006. It did. He played out the rest of his career with the Bombers, before announcing his retirement from AFL football on 2 October 2007 – at the age of just 28. Heffernan's retirement came as a shock to many, due to his relatively young age.