Mark Jamar
Encyclopedia
Mark "Russian" Jamar is a professional Australian rules football
er currently playing with the Melbourne Football Club
in the Australian Football League
(AFL).
n town of Port Pirie. He played his early football at the Lions Football Club of the Spencer Gulf Football League
, before moving to North Adelaide in the South Australian National Football League
.
Jamar was a standout performer at the 2001 AFL National Under 18 Championships being selected in the All Australian team. However, despite this he was overlooked in that years Draft
. He was, however, selected at pick 6 of the Rookie Draft by Melbourne.
who sometimes fills in up forward.
He kicked 5 goals straight in a game against Carlton in 2009 and also beat young West Coast ruckman Nicholas Naitanui so convincingly that the youngster was forced into light training duties during the next few weeks.
2003 Mark Jamar was drafted at pick number 6 to the Melbourne Demons in the 2001 Rookie Draft. He debuted in the opening round of the 2003 season against Hawthorn, which the Demons won 106–100. He had a quiet debut with only 4 disposals, a mark and a hit-out on the stats sheet. However he improved in his next match, a 27-point win over the Port Adelaide Power in which he registered 6 disposals, 10 hit-outs and his first AFL goal. He went on to play another 7 games that season, all 7 of which Melbourne lost. They finished 14th and did not play in the finals. Jamar ranked 4th among rising stars in total hit-outs in 2003 and 3rd among rising stars in hit-outs per game in 2003.
2004
Jamar only played 3 games this season, including an elimination final that the Demons lost in a 5-point match against Essendon. He averaged 5 disposals and 7 hit-outs. The Demons finished 5th.
2005
Throughout season 2005 Jamar played 8 games of which the Demons won 5. He averaged 3 disposals and 8 hit-outs and kicked 1 goal in the ruck. Melbourne finished 7th and played in the elimination final against the Geelong Cats, which they lost 116–61.
2006
In his best season so far, Jamar missed only 1 game in the whole premiership season. He consolidated himself as a reliable ruckman for the Demons. He averaged 10 hit-outs and 4 disposals and kicked 10 goals and 2 behinds for the complete season. Melbourne finished the season 7th on the ladder and played St Kilda in the elimination final, which the Demons won 90–72. Jamar contributed in the ruck with 7 hit-outs and 4 disposals. He did not play against Fremantle the following week when the Demons were defeated by 28 points and eliminated from the finals.
2007
Jamar missed the middle part of the season, but played the first and last 5 games of the season. He only played in 2 winning matches and averaged 6 disposals and 10 hit-outs as well as kicking 4 goals for the season. The Demons finished 14th.
2008
In his 6th and arguably best season, Jamar played 14 games and averaged 8 disposals and 19 hit-outs and kicked 4 goals. Though Melbourne finished last and did not qualify for finals, Jamar had made himself known in the AFL, performing reliably in the ruck. He ranked 9th in hit-outs per game for 2008.
2009
A stress fracture in his foot resulted in Jamar missing a lot of the 2009 season. In the games he did play he played in the primary ruck position, averaging 23 hit-outs and 11 disposals. Once again the Demons finished bottom of the ladder, but Jamar's efforts as Melbourne's main big man did not go unnoticed. He ranked 7th in hit-outs per game for the year.
2010
Jamar has gone from strength to strength as Melbourne's number one ruck in 2010, playing an instrumental part in the Demons' rise up the ladder this year, averaging 29 hit-outs, 12 disposals and three contested marks per game, with four goals over the first seven rounds. He was ranked second in the AFL for hit-outs per game, was named as the second ruckman for the 2010 All-Australian squad and finished third in Melbourne's Best and Fairest
, behind Brad Green
and James Frawley
.
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 currently playing with the Melbourne Football Club
Melbourne 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 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).
Early life
Jamar was born and raised in the country South AustraliaSouth Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
n town of Port Pirie. He played his early football at the Lions Football Club of the Spencer Gulf Football League
Spencer Gulf Football League
The Spencer Gulf Football League is an Australian rules football competition based at the head of the Spencer Gulf in South Australia. It is an affiliated member of the South Australian National Football League....
, before moving to North Adelaide 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....
.
Jamar was a standout performer at the 2001 AFL National Under 18 Championships being selected in the All Australian team. However, despite this he was overlooked in that years Draft
2001 AFL Draft
The 2001 AFL Draft consisted of a national draft, a rookie draft, a pre-season draft and a trade period. The AFL Draft is the annual draft of players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League .In 2001 there were 83...
. He was, however, selected at pick 6 of the Rookie Draft by Melbourne.
AFL career
He was elevated to the senior list, and debuted in 2003. Jamar wears the number 40 and is a 100 kg+ ruckmanRuckman (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...
who sometimes fills in up forward.
He kicked 5 goals straight in a game against Carlton in 2009 and also beat young West Coast ruckman Nicholas Naitanui so convincingly that the youngster was forced into light training duties during the next few weeks.
2003 Mark Jamar was drafted at pick number 6 to the Melbourne Demons in the 2001 Rookie Draft. He debuted in the opening round of the 2003 season against Hawthorn, which the Demons won 106–100. He had a quiet debut with only 4 disposals, a mark and a hit-out on the stats sheet. However he improved in his next match, a 27-point win over the Port Adelaide Power in which he registered 6 disposals, 10 hit-outs and his first AFL goal. He went on to play another 7 games that season, all 7 of which Melbourne lost. They finished 14th and did not play in the finals. Jamar ranked 4th among rising stars in total hit-outs in 2003 and 3rd among rising stars in hit-outs per game in 2003.
2004
Jamar only played 3 games this season, including an elimination final that the Demons lost in a 5-point match against Essendon. He averaged 5 disposals and 7 hit-outs. The Demons finished 5th.
2005
Throughout season 2005 Jamar played 8 games of which the Demons won 5. He averaged 3 disposals and 8 hit-outs and kicked 1 goal in the ruck. Melbourne finished 7th and played in the elimination final against the Geelong Cats, which they lost 116–61.
2006
In his best season so far, Jamar missed only 1 game in the whole premiership season. He consolidated himself as a reliable ruckman for the Demons. He averaged 10 hit-outs and 4 disposals and kicked 10 goals and 2 behinds for the complete season. Melbourne finished the season 7th on the ladder and played St Kilda in the elimination final, which the Demons won 90–72. Jamar contributed in the ruck with 7 hit-outs and 4 disposals. He did not play against Fremantle the following week when the Demons were defeated by 28 points and eliminated from the finals.
2007
Jamar missed the middle part of the season, but played the first and last 5 games of the season. He only played in 2 winning matches and averaged 6 disposals and 10 hit-outs as well as kicking 4 goals for the season. The Demons finished 14th.
2008
In his 6th and arguably best season, Jamar played 14 games and averaged 8 disposals and 19 hit-outs and kicked 4 goals. Though Melbourne finished last and did not qualify for finals, Jamar had made himself known in the AFL, performing reliably in the ruck. He ranked 9th in hit-outs per game for 2008.
2009
A stress fracture in his foot resulted in Jamar missing a lot of the 2009 season. In the games he did play he played in the primary ruck position, averaging 23 hit-outs and 11 disposals. Once again the Demons finished bottom of the ladder, but Jamar's efforts as Melbourne's main big man did not go unnoticed. He ranked 7th in hit-outs per game for the year.
2010
Jamar has gone from strength to strength as Melbourne's number one ruck in 2010, playing an instrumental part in the Demons' rise up the ladder this year, averaging 29 hit-outs, 12 disposals and three contested marks per game, with four goals over the first seven rounds. He was ranked second in the AFL for hit-outs per game, was named as the second ruckman for the 2010 All-Australian squad and finished third in Melbourne's Best and Fairest
Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Medal
The Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Memorial Trophy is awarded to the Melbourne Football Club player judged Best and Fairest for the season.It is named in honor of Keith 'Bluey' Truscott, a former dual premiership player and World War II fighter ace killed in 1943....
, behind Brad Green
Brad Green (footballer)
Brad Green is a professional Australian rules football player and the current captain of the Melbourne Football Club's in the Australian Football League .-Early life:...
and James Frawley
James Frawley (Australian rules footballer)
James Frawley is a professional Australian rules footballer, playing with the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League ....
.