Mark Lee (Australian rules footballer)
Encyclopedia
Mark Lee, known affectionately as "The General" is a former Australian rules football
player for the Richmond Football Club
. Recruited from Richmond’s country zone in Mildura, Lee played a couple of games in 1977 but took off the following year as the team’s regular ruckman, allowing David Cloke
to become a centre-half-forward and solving a problem the team had had since the loss of Michael Green
and Brian Roberts
a few years beforehand. He remained static in 1979, but the following year Lee moved into the elite of Australian Rules as his ability as a knock ruckman combined with the running power of fellow Mildura recruit Dale Weightman
, Robert Wiley
, Geoff Raines
and Bryan Wood
to give one of the most potent forward lines in Australian Rules history an abundance of ball.
The Tigers won eleven successive matches early in the season and, after a slump as injuries took toll late on the home-and-away rounds, returned to their most devastating form in the finals. They easily beat Carlton
in the Qualifying Final, withstood a powerful Geelong
defence in the Second Semi, and set a record winning margin against a jaded Collingwood side
in the Grand Final. Although Kevin Bartlett unanimously won the Norm Smith Medal, Lee’s form in annihilating reigning Brownlow Medal
list Peter Moore in the ruck was widely praised and Lee was seen as a “superstar” for the 1980s.
However, as it turned out Lee never lived up to what was expected of him during the 1980s. 1981 was a mediocre season, and 1982 began with Lee hit by a succession of injuries. He broke his wrist in a practice match and did not play until the eighth round, then hamstring trouble kept him idle after one match until the thirteenth round. When Lee did return for good, Michael Roach
had been so successful in the ruck that Lee was used initially at full forward; but though he kicked nine goals against St. Kilda
in Round 17 that experiment did not last. In the Grand Final
Lee’s nullification by Warren “Wow” Jones was a decisive factor in Richmond’s loss.
1983 and 1984 saw Lee back to his 1980 form as unchallenged Number One ruckman for the Tigers, in spite of the club declining to near the bottom of the ladder with only seven wins. Lee was regarded as a leading candidate for the Brownlow in both seasons and in 1984 won his club’s best-and-fairest by a record margin, in the process being listed as one the VFL “PLayers of the Year”. However, 1985 saw a succession of major injuries begin to decimate the remainder of Mark Lee’s career: he missed the second half of 1985 with medial ligament damage to his left knee and from 1986 to 1991 played just eighty-seven senior games. After two games in 1991, Lee was dropped to the reserves and he retired officially mid-season. Lee then switched to Burnie in Tasmania as captain-coach for two seasons in 1992 and 1993 and continued as non-playing coach for one more year after merging with Cooee to form the Burnie Hawks.
He is now a Senior Constable within Victoria Police. He is currently based in Mildura.
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...
player for the Richmond Football Club
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
. Recruited from Richmond’s country zone in Mildura, Lee played a couple of games in 1977 but took off the following year as the team’s regular ruckman, allowing David Cloke
David Cloke
David Cloke is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL/AFL.Cloke was a powerful ruckman and occasional forward who enjoyed a marvellous career at two VFL/AFL clubs. He began with Oakleigh where he played alongside his brother Peter, and in 1974 he went to Richmond...
to become a centre-half-forward and solving a problem the team had had since the loss of Michael Green
Michael Green (Australian rules footballer)
Michael Green is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1966 and 1971 and then again between 1973 and 1975 for the Richmond Football Club.Green is now well known in the Melbourne legal community...
and Brian Roberts
Brian Roberts (Australian rules footballer)
Brian Stanley Roberts is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1971 and 1975 for the Richmond Football Club ....
a few years beforehand. He remained static in 1979, but the following year Lee moved into the elite of Australian Rules as his ability as a knock ruckman combined with the running power of fellow Mildura recruit Dale Weightman
Dale Weightman
Dale "Flea" Weightman is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Richmond in the Australian Football League between 1978 and 1993....
, Robert Wiley
Robert Wiley
Robert John Wiley is a former Australian rules footballer who played with in the Western Australian National Football League / West Australian Football League and Richmond and West Coast in the Victorian Football League .-Career:Born in Perth, and educated at Scotch College, Wiley was zoned to ...
, Geoff Raines
Geoff Raines
Geoff Raines was a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1976 and 1982 for the Richmond Football Club, between 1983 and 1985 for the Collingwood Football Club, in 1986 for the Essendon Football Club and between 1987 and 1989 for the Brisbane Bears Football Club.-...
and Bryan Wood
Bryan Wood
Bryan Wood is a former Australian rules football player who played in the Victorian Football League between 1972 and 1982 for the Richmond Football Club and between 1983 and 1986 for the Essendon Football Club.-References:...
to give one of the most potent forward lines in Australian Rules history an abundance of ball.
The Tigers won eleven successive matches early in the season and, after a slump as injuries took toll late on the home-and-away rounds, returned to their most devastating form in the finals. They easily beat 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 Qualifying Final, withstood a powerful 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...
defence in the Second Semi, and set a record winning margin against a jaded Collingwood side
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
in the Grand Final. Although Kevin Bartlett unanimously won the Norm Smith Medal, Lee’s form in annihilating reigning 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...
list Peter Moore in the ruck was widely praised and Lee was seen as a “superstar” for the 1980s.
However, as it turned out Lee never lived up to what was expected of him during the 1980s. 1981 was a mediocre season, and 1982 began with Lee hit by a succession of injuries. He broke his wrist in a practice match and did not play until the eighth round, then hamstring trouble kept him idle after one match until the thirteenth round. When Lee did return for good, Michael Roach
Michael Roach (footballer)
Michael Terrence Roach is a former Australian rules football player who represented Richmond in the Victorian Football League from 1977 to 1989....
had been so successful in the ruck that Lee was used initially at full forward; but though he kicked nine goals 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....
in Round 17 that experiment did not last. In the Grand Final
1982 VFL Grand Final
The 1982 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Richmond Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 25 September 1982. It was the 86th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
Lee’s nullification by Warren “Wow” Jones was a decisive factor in Richmond’s loss.
1983 and 1984 saw Lee back to his 1980 form as unchallenged Number One ruckman for the Tigers, in spite of the club declining to near the bottom of the ladder with only seven wins. Lee was regarded as a leading candidate for the Brownlow in both seasons and in 1984 won his club’s best-and-fairest by a record margin, in the process being listed as one the VFL “PLayers of the Year”. However, 1985 saw a succession of major injuries begin to decimate the remainder of Mark Lee’s career: he missed the second half of 1985 with medial ligament damage to his left knee and from 1986 to 1991 played just eighty-seven senior games. After two games in 1991, Lee was dropped to the reserves and he retired officially mid-season. Lee then switched to Burnie in Tasmania as captain-coach for two seasons in 1992 and 1993 and continued as non-playing coach for one more year after merging with Cooee to form the Burnie Hawks.
He is now a Senior Constable within Victoria Police. He is currently based in Mildura.