Darren Hulme
Encyclopedia
Darren Hulme is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Carlton.
Hulme played junior football for the Frankston Bombers, and the Dandenong Stingrays
in the TAC Cup
. He was recruited to the AFL with the 8th selection in the 1997 AFL Preseason Draft
. Very small in stature, but tough and hard at the ball, Hulme played primarily as a midfielder and/or tagger with stints in the forward-line. His kicking was the biggest deficiency in his game, but this improved as his career progressed. When he arrived at the club, both his playing style and his hairstyle were similar to that of ten-year veteran Fraser Brown
; Brown's nickname had been "Dog", and Hulme accordingly received the nickname "Pup", which stayed with him throughout his time at Carlton.
Hulme played eight games in his debut season. He went on to be a solid contributor for Carlton over a career spanning eight years, including a fifth-placing in the 2003 Best and Fairest
, and tying with Craig Bradley
and Adrian Hickmott
for the Peter Sullivan Memorial Trophy (most votes in the Brownlow Medal
by a Carlton player) in 2001. His career was plagued by injury: a quadriceps injury ruled him out of the 1999 finals series, a knee injury meant he could only play the first 3 games of 2002 and he missed the second half of the 2004 season with a groin injury. He was delisted at the end of 2004.
Since being delisted, Hulme has continued to play state and local football for a wide range of teams: Mansfield
(GVFL
) in 2005; Karingal (MPNFL
Peninsula Division) in 2006 and 2007; Clayton (SFL
) as playing coach in 2008; Bendigo (VFL
), as playing assistant coach in 2009; a return to Karingal in 2010, and finally to his junior team, Frankston Bombers (MPNFL
Nepean Division) in 2011.
Hulme played junior football for the Frankston Bombers, and the Dandenong Stingrays
Dandenong Stingrays
The Dandenong Stingrays are an Australian rules football team in a Victorian under 18s league called the TAC Cup.1992 saw the birth of the ‘Southern Stingrays’ and they were developed under the leadership of Steve Kennedy and Ron Roach with the home base located at the Ben Kavanagh Reserve,...
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....
. He was recruited to the AFL with the 8th selection in the 1997 AFL Preseason Draft
1996 AFL Draft
The 1996 AFL Draft was held at the conclusion of the 1996 Australian Football League season.The AFL Draft is the annual draft of new unsigned players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.Clubs receive picks based...
. Very small in stature, but tough and hard at the ball, Hulme played primarily as a midfielder and/or tagger with stints in the forward-line. His kicking was the biggest deficiency in his game, but this improved as his career progressed. When he arrived at the club, both his playing style and his hairstyle were similar to that of ten-year veteran Fraser Brown
Fraser Brown
Fraser Brown is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.Originally from Lilydale, Victoria and known for his fierce style of play, Brown's highest achievements in football were playing in the 1995 premiership and winning the 1998 Carlton best and fairest.Brown will...
; Brown's nickname had been "Dog", and Hulme accordingly received the nickname "Pup", which stayed with him throughout his time at Carlton.
Hulme played eight games in his debut season. He went on to be a solid contributor for Carlton over a career spanning eight years, including a fifth-placing in the 2003 Best and Fairest
John Nicholls Medal
The John Nicholls Medal is an Australian rules football award given to the player adjudged Best and Fairest for the Carlton Football Club for the season....
, and tying with 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....
and Adrian Hickmott
Adrian Hickmott
Adrian Hickmott is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Carlton and Geelong in the AFL.Hickmott was a utility player who had a tough style of play. He was usually used up forward but was also seen across half back....
for the Peter Sullivan Memorial Trophy (most votes in the Brownlow Medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
by a Carlton player) in 2001. His career was plagued by injury: a quadriceps injury ruled him out of the 1999 finals series, a knee injury meant he could only play the first 3 games of 2002 and he missed the second half of the 2004 season with a groin injury. He was delisted at the end of 2004.
Since being delisted, Hulme has continued to play state and local football for a wide range of teams: Mansfield
Mansfield Football Club
The Mansfield Football Club is an Australian rules football club in the Goulburn Valley Football League, they are based in Mansfield, Victoria. The club is officially known as the Mansfield Eagles Football/Netball club, but have been nicknamed "The Eagles" by supporters...
(GVFL
Goulburn Valley Football League
The Goulburn Valley Football League is an Australian rules football competition based in the Goulburn Valley region of Victoria, Australia...
) in 2005; Karingal (MPNFL
Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League
The Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League is an Australian rules football competition, governed by the Victorian Country Football League. The MPNFL contains teams near the south eastern region of Victoria, Australia...
Peninsula Division) in 2006 and 2007; Clayton (SFL
Southern Football League (Victoria)
The Southern Football League is an Australian rules football league, based in the south and south eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, for both seniors and juniors....
) as playing coach in 2008; Bendigo (VFL
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...
), as playing assistant coach in 2009; a return to Karingal in 2010, and finally to his junior team, Frankston Bombers (MPNFL
Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League
The Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League is an Australian rules football competition, governed by the Victorian Country Football League. The MPNFL contains teams near the south eastern region of Victoria, Australia...
Nepean Division) in 2011.
Sources
- Holmesby, Russell & Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers. 7th ed. Melbourne: Bas Publishing.