John Benetti
Encyclopedia
John Benetti is a former Australian rules football
er who played with Carlton
in the Victorian Football League
(VFL).
Benetti, who debuted for Carlton in 1958, had played schoolboy football at CBC Parade alongside his cousin Sergio Silvagni
, who also started at Carlton that year. From 16 games in 1958, Benetti polled 12 Brownlow Medal
votes to finished equal 13th overall and the best placed Carlton player. After such a strong showing in his first season, he only played eight games in 1959, but got his first taste of finals football when he appeared in a preliminary final.
Used mostly as a defender during his career, Benetti played finals again in 1962 and was in the back pocket
in the Carlton side which lost the 1962 VFL Grand Final
. The following year he was one of four Carlton players to appear in all 18 rounds and represented the VFL in an interstate match against South Australia.
He played his final VFL game in 1965, then joined Oakleigh
as their senior coach for the 1966 Victorian Football Association
season. With the club struggling financially, Benetti was unable to stop them from being demoted to the second division, managing just two wins for the year.
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 with Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
in the Victorian 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...
(VFL).
Benetti, who debuted for Carlton in 1958, had played schoolboy football at CBC Parade alongside his cousin Sergio Silvagni
Sergio Silvagni
Sergio 'Serge' Silvagni is a former Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League .Silvagni made his debut for the Carlton Football Club in Round 7, 1958...
, who also started at Carlton that year. From 16 games in 1958, Benetti polled 12 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...
votes to finished equal 13th overall and the best placed Carlton player. After such a strong showing in his first season, he only played eight games in 1959, but got his first taste of finals football when he appeared in a preliminary final.
Used mostly as a defender during his career, Benetti played finals again in 1962 and was in the back pocket
Back pocket
In Australian rules football, the back pocket refers to a position on the field deep in defence.Back pocket players, situated in the backline, need to have good spoiling skills and usually, quality back-pockets are noted for their hardness....
in the Carlton side which lost the 1962 VFL Grand Final
1962 VFL Grand Final
The 1962 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Essendon Football Club and Carlton Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 29 September 1962. It was the 66th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
. The following year he was one of four Carlton players to appear in all 18 rounds and represented the VFL in an interstate match against South Australia.
He played his final VFL game in 1965, then joined Oakleigh
Oakleigh Football Club
Oakleigh Football Club, nicknamed the Devils, was an Australian rules football club from Oakleigh which played in the VFA from 1929 until 1994...
as their senior coach for the 1966 Victorian Football Association
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...
season. With the club struggling financially, Benetti was unable to stop them from being demoted to the second division, managing just two wins for the year.