Lenny Hayes
Encyclopedia
Lenny Hayes is a professional Australian rules football
er playing with St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League
.
Hayes is a former captain of St Kilda and continues to be an onfield leader in the Saints' midfield.
and began playing junior football with Pennant Hills
in the Sydney AFL
.
In 1998, Hayes was a standout player for NSW/ACT in the representative TAC Cup
, taking out the Morrish Medal
as the best player in the competition.
Hayes debuted the following year in the AFL. Although he started well, he improved throughout the year, earning an AFL Rising Star nomination in the final round of the season (R22).
Hayes was captain in St Kilda’s 2004 Wizard Home Loans Cup
winning side, the club's second pre-season cup win.
After a strong start to the 2006 season, Hayes ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament
against the Kangaroos
in Round 9, requiring a minor knee reconstruction which sidelined him until the 2007 season
. In just his fifth game back in the 2007 season he suffered a broken collarbone, sidelining him for three weeks, although he managed to come back and play 19 games for the year.
, Luke Ball
(co-captain) and Nick Riewoldt
(co-captain). Also included in the leadership group were Aaron Hamill
, Fraser Gehrig
, Nick Dal Santo
and Robert Harvey
.
winning side, the club’s third pre-season cup win.
at Docklands Stadium. During the match he gained 31 possessions in the Saints' 16 point victory. He finished third in the 2009 Brownlow Medal
.
Hayes played in 19 of the 22 matches in the 2009 home and away rounds in which St Kilda qualified in first position for the finals series, winning the club’s third minor premiership
.
Hayes was recognised for his excellent season with selection in the 2009 All-Australian Team
as a midfield player, his third All-Australian Team award.
St Kilda qualified for the 2009 AFL Grand Final
after qualifying and preliminary final wins. Hayes played in the grand final in which St Kilda were defeated by 12 points.
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 playing with St Kilda Football Club 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...
.
Hayes is a former captain of St Kilda and continues to be an onfield leader in the Saints' midfield.
Overview
Hayes grew up in suburban SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and began playing junior football with Pennant Hills
Pennant Hills Demons AFC
Pennant Hills Demons is an Australian rules football club competing in the Sydney AFL league and based out of the Sydney suburb of Pennant Hills. Their home ground is Ern Holmes Oval.-History:The club was formed in 1971...
in the Sydney AFL
Sydney AFL
The "AFL Sydney" is an Australian rules football League, based in metropolitan Sydney, Australia.The AFL Sydney competition comprises 21 clubs playing across 5 senior divisions with 2 under 18 competitions.-History:...
.
In 1998, Hayes was a standout player for NSW/ACT in the representative 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....
, taking out the Morrish Medal
Morrish Medal
The Morrish Medal is an Australian rules football award.Formerly awarded to the Best and Fairest player in the VFL Under 19 competition , since 1992 the award has been given to the best player in the Victorian TAC Cup Under 18 competition.The Morrish Medal was named in honour of Tom Morrish, a...
as the best player in the competition.
Hayes debuted the following year in the AFL. Although he started well, he improved throughout the year, earning an AFL Rising Star nomination in the final round of the season (R22).
2004: Captain
Hayes was captain for the 2004 season as part of St Kilda's then policy of rotating the captaincy to a different player each season.Hayes was captain in St Kilda’s 2004 Wizard Home Loans Cup
2004 Wizard Home Loans Cup
The 2004 Wizard Home Loans Cup was the Australian Football League competition played in its entirety before the Australian Football League's 2004 Premiership Season began...
winning side, the club's second pre-season cup win.
After a strong start to the 2006 season, Hayes ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
against the Kangaroos
Kangaroos Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
in Round 9, requiring a minor knee reconstruction which sidelined him until the 2007 season
2007 AFL season
The 2007 AFL Season was the 111th season of the Australian Football League, the highest-level professional Australian rules football league in Australia...
. In just his fifth game back in the 2007 season he suffered a broken collarbone, sidelining him for three weeks, although he managed to come back and play 19 games for the year.
2007: Co-captain
Hayes was a co-captain and part of the Saints' 2007 leadership group – dubbed the "Young Saints", which also included Justin KoschitzkeJustin Koschitzke
Justin Gregory Koschitzke is an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.-Career overview:Recruited in the 2000 AFL Draft at pick number two, there were high expectations on Koschitzke from a young age...
, Luke Ball
Luke Ball
Luke Patrick Ball is a professional Australian rules football player currently playing for in the Australian Football League....
(co-captain) and Nick Riewoldt
Nick Riewoldt
Nick Riewoldt is an Australian rules footballer who is the current captain of the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League . He was the first draft selection in the 2000 AFL Draft.-Early life:...
(co-captain). Also included in the leadership group were Aaron Hamill
Aaron Hamill
Aaron "Sammy" Hamill is a former professional Australian rules footballer who is best known for his time at the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League when he briefly captained the club....
, Fraser Gehrig
Fraser Gehrig
Fraser Gehrig is a retired Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League who played for the St Kilda Football Club and the West Coast Eagles...
, Nick Dal Santo
Nick Dal Santo
Nick Dal Santo is an Australian rules footballer for the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League .-Early career:...
and Robert Harvey
Robert Harvey (footballer)
Robert Jeffrey Harvey is a former Australian rules football player for the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League...
.
2008 season
Hayes played in St Kilda’s 2008 NAB Cup2008 NAB Cup
The 2008 NAB Cup was the Australian Football League pre-season competition played in its entirety before the Australian Football League's 2008 Premiership season began...
winning side, the club’s third pre-season cup win.
2009 season
In 2009, Hayes played his 200th AFL game in Round 9 against the Brisbane LionsBrisbane Lions
The Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996...
at Docklands Stadium. During the match he gained 31 possessions in the Saints' 16 point victory. He finished third in the 2009 Brownlow Medal
2009 Brownlow Medal
-Voting Procedure:The three field umpires confer after each match and award 3 votes, 2 votes and 1 vote to the players they regard as the best, second best and third best in the match respectively.-Ineligible players:As the award is for the Best and Fairest player in the league, players found guilty...
.
Hayes played in 19 of the 22 matches in the 2009 home and away rounds in which St Kilda qualified in first position for the finals series, winning the club’s third minor premiership
2009 AFL season
-Round 1 :-Round 2:-Round 3 :-Round 4:-Round 5 :-Round 6:-Round 7:-Round 8:-Round 9 :-Round 10:...
.
Hayes was recognised for his excellent season with selection in the 2009 All-Australian Team
2009 All-Australian team
The 2009 All-Australian team represents the best performed Australian Football League players during the 2009 AFL season. It was announced on 14 September 2009, as a complete Australian rules football team of 22 players and a coach. An initial squad of 40 players was previously announced on 1...
as a midfield player, his third All-Australian Team award.
St Kilda qualified for the 2009 AFL Grand Final
2009 AFL Grand Final
The 2009 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the St Kilda Football Club and the Geelong Football Club at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 26 September 2009...
after qualifying and preliminary final wins. Hayes played in the grand final in which St Kilda were defeated by 12 points.
2010 season
Hayes played 25 games in 2010, including four finals, and received a number of accolades for his performances during the season:- Trevor Barker medallist for St Kilda's best & fairest player in 2010.
- 2010 Norm Smith Medallist (1st Grand Final).
- St Kilda's player of the finals series (jointly with Zac Dawson).