Jeff Fehring
Encyclopedia
Jeff Fehring was an Australian rules football
er who played for Geelong
and St Kilda in the Victorian Football League (as the AFL
was then known) from 1977 to 1981.
Fehring was born at Leitchville
, on the Murray River
, near Echuca
. He made his debut as a ruckman
with the Geelong Football Club
in 1977, playing 19 games and kicking 1 goal until 1979. He moved to St Kilda in 1980, and in 1981 his moment of fame came. While he only went on to play 17 games and kick 3 goals for St Kilda, one of those goals was a huge torpedo punt
that was measured at 94 yard
s (around 86 metres), kicked from the centre circle at Moorabbin in 1981. The goal came minutes after he was reported, and he was so fired up that he kicked the (wind-assisted) goal, one of the biggest in Australian rules football
history.
Fehring's VFL career was over at the end of the 1981 season, and he moved to Adelaide
to play for Norwood Football Club
in the South Australian National Football League
(SANFL). After playing in Norwood's 1982 premiership, Fehring retired from football and became a cattle
farmer
after marrying in 1984, but with water prices affected by drought
, he was forced to sell his farm and livestock and move to Alexandra
where it was hoped there would be more rain. Despite working several jobs, Fehring lost his emu
and cattle farm, and his marriage. Taking custody of his two children, he moved to Darwin
briefly, before buying a pub and hotel in Deniliquin in southern New South Wales
. That business also failed, and beset by health problems including Type 2 diabetes and recurring heart problems, Fehring committed suicide
on 25 July 2008.
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 for Geelong
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
and St Kilda in the Victorian Football League (as 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...
was then known) from 1977 to 1981.
Fehring was born at Leitchville
Leitchville, Victoria
Leitchville is a town in northern Victoria, Australia. The town is located in the Shire of Gannawarra Local Government Area, 262 kilometres of the state capital, Melbourne...
, on the Murray River
Murray River
The Murray River is Australia's longest river. At in length, the Murray rises in the Australian Alps, draining the western side of Australia's highest mountains and, for most of its length, meanders across Australia's inland plains, forming the border between New South Wales and Victoria as it...
, near Echuca
Echuca, Victoria
Echuca is a town located on the banks of the Murray River and Campaspe river in Victoria, Australia. The Border town Moama is on the northern side of the Murray river in New South Wales. It is the administrative centre and largest settlement in the Shire of Campaspe...
. He made his debut as a ruckman
Ruckman (Australian rules football position)
In Australian rules football, a ruckman is typically a tall and athletic player who contests at centre bounces and stoppages . The ruckman is one of the most important players on the field...
with the Geelong Football Club
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
in 1977, playing 19 games and kicking 1 goal until 1979. He moved to St Kilda in 1980, and in 1981 his moment of fame came. While he only went on to play 17 games and kick 3 goals for St Kilda, one of those goals was a huge torpedo punt
Torpedo punt
The torpedo punt, similar to a punt in American Football, is a kicking technique implemented in Rugby League, Rugby Union and Australian rules football to enhance the distance the ball is kicked....
that was measured at 94 yard
Yard
A yard is a unit of length in several different systems including English units, Imperial units and United States customary units. It is equal to 3 feet or 36 inches...
s (around 86 metres), kicked from the centre circle at Moorabbin in 1981. The goal came minutes after he was reported, and he was so fired up that he kicked the (wind-assisted) goal, one of the biggest in Australian rules football
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...
history.
Fehring's VFL career was over at the end of the 1981 season, and he moved to Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
to play for Norwood Football Club
Norwood Football Club
Norwood Football Club, nicknamed, Redlegs, is an Australian rules football club belonging to the South Australian National Football League in the state of South Australia...
in the South Australian National Football League
South Australian National Football League
The South Australian National Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia....
(SANFL). After playing in Norwood's 1982 premiership, Fehring retired from football and became a cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
after marrying in 1984, but with water prices affected by drought
Drought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
, he was forced to sell his farm and livestock and move to Alexandra
Alexandra, Victoria
Alexandra is a town in Victoria, Australia. It is located at the junction of the Goulburn Valley Highway and Maroondah Highway , 26 kilometres west of Eildon, in the Shire of Murrindindi local government area...
where it was hoped there would be more rain. Despite working several jobs, Fehring lost his emu
Emu
The Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae) is the largest bird native to Australia and the only extant member of the genus Dromaius. It is the second-largest extant bird in the world by height, after its ratite relative, the ostrich. There are three subspecies of Emus in Australia...
and cattle farm, and his marriage. Taking custody of his two children, he moved to Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
briefly, before buying a pub and hotel in Deniliquin in southern New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. That business also failed, and beset by health problems including Type 2 diabetes and recurring heart problems, Fehring committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
on 25 July 2008.