Dean Polo
Encyclopedia
Dean Polo is an Australian rules football
er who plays for St Kilda in the Australian Football League
(AFL).
Polo was drafted by the Richmond Football Club
with the 20th selection in the 2004 AFL Draft
.
In his first season at Richmond in 2005, Polo initially struggled with the move from a small country town to the "big city", and was dropped to the Coburg
reserves early on in the season. However in the second half of the season his performances earned him a promotion to the Coburg
seniors, where his performances continued to improve to the point where he was considered a possibility to debut for Richmond towards the end of the 2005 season.
After starring for Coburg in the early part of the 2006 season, Polo made his AFL debut in Round 6 against Essendon
in the "Dreamtime at the 'G
" game. He starred in the game, collecting 28 disposals and kicking three goals, helping Richmond
beat their arch-rivals Essendon. Polo was rewarded with the Yiooken Award for his best-on-ground performance and was also nominated for the 2006 NAB Rising Star award.
In 2010 Polo was banned by the club for one week following a drunken incident in a Sydney hotel. This only added to the pain of Richmond's previously-winless start to the season. On 14 October 2010 he was delisted by the Tigers after 56 senior games in his six season at the club.
On 18 November 2010 Polo was drafted by St Kilda for the 2011 season, he played 15 games and kicked 6 goals in his first season at the saints and proved that he can play football at the highest level.
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 plays for St Kilda 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).
Polo was drafted by the Richmond Football Club
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,...
with the 20th selection in the 2004 AFL Draft
2004 AFL Draft
The 2004 AFL Draft, concerning player acquisitions in the 2004/05 Australian Football League off-season, consisted of a trade period, a national draft, a pre-season draft, and the elevation of rookies...
.
In his first season at Richmond in 2005, Polo initially struggled with the move from a small country town to the "big city", and was dropped to the Coburg
Coburg Tigers
Coburg Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club based in Coburg, a northern suburb of Melbourne, and currently playing in the Victorian Football League. Coburg have an alignment in place with the AFL's Richmond Football Club which saw the Coburg club change its...
reserves early on in the season. However in the second half of the season his performances earned him a promotion to the Coburg
Coburg Tigers
Coburg Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club based in Coburg, a northern suburb of Melbourne, and currently playing in the Victorian Football League. Coburg have an alignment in place with the AFL's Richmond Football Club which saw the Coburg club change its...
seniors, where his performances continued to improve to the point where he was considered a possibility to debut for Richmond towards the end of the 2005 season.
After starring for Coburg in the early part of the 2006 season, Polo made his AFL debut in Round 6 against Essendon
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
in the "Dreamtime at the 'G
Dreamtime at the 'G
Dreamtime at the 'G is an annual Australian rules football match between Australian Football League clubs and .The name of the match comes from Australian Aboriginal mythology The Dreaming or Dreamtime and the Australian, but more specifically Victorian, colloquial reference to the Melbourne...
" game. He starred in the game, collecting 28 disposals and kicking three goals, helping 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,...
beat their arch-rivals Essendon. Polo was rewarded with the Yiooken Award for his best-on-ground performance and was also nominated for the 2006 NAB Rising Star award.
In 2010 Polo was banned by the club for one week following a drunken incident in a Sydney hotel. This only added to the pain of Richmond's previously-winless start to the season. On 14 October 2010 he was delisted by the Tigers after 56 senior games in his six season at the club.
On 18 November 2010 Polo was drafted by St Kilda for the 2011 season, he played 15 games and kicked 6 goals in his first season at the saints and proved that he can play football at the highest level.