Jeff Farmer (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Jeff Farmer is a former Australian rules football
er of Aboriginal
descent. He was the first indigenous player to kick 400 goals in the Australian Football League
(AFL).
in 1995. Farmer has always been one of the AFL
's most exciting players.
His career best goalkicking performance came against Collingwood
at the MCG
in 2000 when he kicked 9 goals in the second half after barely being able to get a touch in the first two quarters. He was taken from the field for the third quarter and was on the interchange bench before Ben Beams
suffered a broken wrist and was unable to continue. He finished the 2000 season with a career best 76 goals and was named in the All-Australian team.
After 118 games and 259 goals for Melbourne, he was traded to Fremantle
at the end of 2001.
During the 2006 home and away season, Farmer had his most productive season since 2000, kicking 55 goals from just 19 games, with a 31 goals in 7 games effort towards the end of the season. Due to this run of good form, he was thought by many to be a good chance of making All-Australian selection in the forward pocket
. He was not, however, selected.
At the end of the 2008 AFL season
Farmer announced his retirement from AFL football, leaving him stranded on 249 games. His 483 career goals, including three in his final game, is the 49th most in VFL/AFL history and his 224 goals for Fremantle is second behind Matthew Pavlich
.
In December 2006 he was alleged to have been involved in a nightclub fight in which a Subiaco Football Club
player, Greg Broughton
, suffered a broken eye socket. No charges were laid.
Farmer was arrested in April 2007 and charged with assault for knocking out a security guard at a Perth nightclub after being refused entry. The Fremantle Football Club fined him $5,100 and suspended him for a further 6 weeks on top of his existing AFL enforced suspension for eye gouging another player during a pre-season game, which was his 10th suspension and his 14th appearance before the tribunal. In court, Farmer pleaded guilty to assault and was fined $3,000.
After serving his full suspension, Farmer returned to the Fremantle side on 30 June in the round 13 game against Carlton at Subiaco Oval
. Farmer together with Des Headland, who was himself implicated in another nightclub fight during the week, were amongst the best players on the field and led the way to a 77 point thrashing. This was Fremantle's second highest ever score and their greatest winning margin ever against Carlton. Headland kicked 5 goals and Farmer kicked 4 goals and each set up many more for their teammates.
In July 2007, police charged Farmer with criminal damage after he smashed a car's side mirror in a rage after being ejected from Burswood Casino. In court he pleaded guilty to the charge and was fined $750 (with $400 compensation and $58 costs). Despite the previous conviction which was considered his last chance at the club, Fremantle did not suspend him, but fined him $10,000 (the maximum allowed under the AFLPA rules) and requested he donate $20,000 to charity. He was recalled to play for Fremantle the following week against league leaders Geelong.
On 18 August 2007, in the third quarter of a match against St Kilda
at Telstra Dome
, Farmer received facial injuries from a behind the play incident and was assisted from the playing area, bleeding and suffering a concussion. The incident was not witnessed by umpires, nor by any of the TV broadcast cameras. Network Ten
commentator Michael Voss
stated soon afterwards that he saw what happened and added that St Kilda tagger Steven Baker would be hoping it had not been captured by TV cameras. Farmer took no further part in the match, which St Kilda won by 30 points. Baker was later handed a 7 game suspension by the AFL tribunal, after being charged with rough conduct on Farmer. St Kilda appealed the decision, and included a letter from Farmer to the AFL pleading for leniency on Baker, describing Baker as one of his most respected opponents. The letter could not be accepted in the appeal, because it was new evidence. The appeal was rejected and the suspension remained.
On 25 June 2008 it was announced that Farmer was suspended for a week by the Fremantle Football Club for not attending a compulsory recovery session after the weekend's loss to St Kilda in Melbourne.
Farmer retired at the conclusion of the 2008 AFL season.
in WAFL
for 2009 season.
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 of Aboriginal
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
descent. He was the first indigenous player to kick 400 goals 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).
Melbourne career
Known as "The Wizard" (or "The Wiz") because of his uncanny ability to create goals from nothing, Farmer began his professional football career with the Melbourne Football ClubMelbourne 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....
in 1995. Farmer has always been one of the AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
's most exciting players.
His career best goalkicking performance came against Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
at the MCG
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
in 2000 when he kicked 9 goals in the second half after barely being able to get a touch in the first two quarters. He was taken from the field for the third quarter and was on the interchange bench before Ben Beams
Ben Beams
Ben Beams is an Australian rules football player who played for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League between 1999 and 2001 and the Tasmanian Devils Football club in the Victorian Football League from 2002 until 2006.-AFL career:Recruited from Glenorchy, Tasmania he made...
suffered a broken wrist and was unable to continue. He finished the 2000 season with a career best 76 goals and was named in the All-Australian team.
After 118 games and 259 goals for Melbourne, he was traded to Fremantle
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...
at the end of 2001.
Fremantle career
Farmer's first two seasons with Fremantle were disappointing, with less than 30 goals in each year, but in 2004, his consistency improved and he was the Dockers' 2nd most productive forward for each of the 2004, 2005 and 2006 seasons.During the 2006 home and away season, Farmer had his most productive season since 2000, kicking 55 goals from just 19 games, with a 31 goals in 7 games effort towards the end of the season. Due to this run of good form, he was thought by many to be a good chance of making All-Australian selection in the forward pocket
Forward pocket
In Australian rules football, the forward pocket refers to a position on the field deep in offense.Forward pocket players, situated in the forward line, need to have good avoidance and goal sneak skills and usually, quality forward-pockets are noted for their agility and ability to score difficult...
. He was not, however, selected.
At the end of the 2008 AFL season
2008 AFL season
-Round 1 :-Round 2:-Round 3 :-Round 4:-Round 5:-Round 6 :-Round 7:-AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match:-Round 8:...
Farmer announced his retirement from AFL football, leaving him stranded on 249 games. His 483 career goals, including three in his final game, is the 49th most in VFL/AFL history and his 224 goals for Fremantle is second behind Matthew Pavlich
Matthew Pavlich
Matthew Pavlich is a professional Australian rules footballer currently playing with the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League ....
.
Controversial incidents
In November 2004, Farmer pleaded guilty to assaulting his long-time girlfriend and was fined $2,000.In December 2006 he was alleged to have been involved in a nightclub fight in which a Subiaco Football Club
Subiaco Football Club
The Subiaco Football Club, nicknamed the Lions, is an Australian rules football club in the West Australian Football League . It was founded in 1896, and admitted to the WAFL in 1901, along with North Fremantle...
player, Greg Broughton
Greg Broughton
Greg Broughton is an Australian rules footballer for the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League and the Subiaco Football Club in the West Australian Football League ....
, suffered a broken eye socket. No charges were laid.
Farmer was arrested in April 2007 and charged with assault for knocking out a security guard at a Perth nightclub after being refused entry. The Fremantle Football Club fined him $5,100 and suspended him for a further 6 weeks on top of his existing AFL enforced suspension for eye gouging another player during a pre-season game, which was his 10th suspension and his 14th appearance before the tribunal. In court, Farmer pleaded guilty to assault and was fined $3,000.
After serving his full suspension, Farmer returned to the Fremantle side on 30 June in the round 13 game against Carlton at Subiaco Oval
Subiaco Oval
Subiaco Oval , known colloquially as Subi, is the highest capacity sports stadium in Perth, Western Australia...
. Farmer together with Des Headland, who was himself implicated in another nightclub fight during the week, were amongst the best players on the field and led the way to a 77 point thrashing. This was Fremantle's second highest ever score and their greatest winning margin ever against Carlton. Headland kicked 5 goals and Farmer kicked 4 goals and each set up many more for their teammates.
In July 2007, police charged Farmer with criminal damage after he smashed a car's side mirror in a rage after being ejected from Burswood Casino. In court he pleaded guilty to the charge and was fined $750 (with $400 compensation and $58 costs). Despite the previous conviction which was considered his last chance at the club, Fremantle did not suspend him, but fined him $10,000 (the maximum allowed under the AFLPA rules) and requested he donate $20,000 to charity. He was recalled to play for Fremantle the following week against league leaders Geelong.
On 18 August 2007, in the third quarter of a match against St Kilda
St. Kilda Football Club
The St Kilda Football Club, nicknamed The Saints, is an Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The club plays in the Australian Football League, the sport's premier league....
at Telstra Dome
Telstra Dome
Docklands Stadium is a multi-purpose sports and entertainment stadium in the Docklands precinct of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia...
, Farmer received facial injuries from a behind the play incident and was assisted from the playing area, bleeding and suffering a concussion. The incident was not witnessed by umpires, nor by any of the TV broadcast cameras. Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
commentator Michael Voss
Michael Voss
Michael Voss is the senior coach of the Brisbane Lions Australian Football League team and a former professional Australian rules footballer....
stated soon afterwards that he saw what happened and added that St Kilda tagger Steven Baker would be hoping it had not been captured by TV cameras. Farmer took no further part in the match, which St Kilda won by 30 points. Baker was later handed a 7 game suspension by the AFL tribunal, after being charged with rough conduct on Farmer. St Kilda appealed the decision, and included a letter from Farmer to the AFL pleading for leniency on Baker, describing Baker as one of his most respected opponents. The letter could not be accepted in the appeal, because it was new evidence. The appeal was rejected and the suspension remained.
On 25 June 2008 it was announced that Farmer was suspended for a week by the Fremantle Football Club for not attending a compulsory recovery session after the weekend's loss to St Kilda in Melbourne.
Farmer retired at the conclusion of the 2008 AFL season.
South Fremantle career
Jeff Farmer decided to come out of retirement to play for South Fremantle Football ClubSouth Fremantle Football Club
The South Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Bulldogs, is an Australian rules football club, based in Fremantle, Western Australia, playing in the West Australian Football League...
in WAFL
West Australian Football League
The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League...
for 2009 season.