Matthew Kreuzer
Encyclopedia
Matthew Kreuzer is an Australian rules footballer for the Carlton Football Club
. He was selected with the first pick overall in the 2007 AFL National Draft
.
Kreuzer played for St Marys Greensborough Junior Football Club and Bundoora Football Club as a junior before moving to the Northern Knights to play under-18s football with them in the TAC Cup
in 2006 and 2007. Kreuzer established himself as both the team's No. 1 ruckman and as a key forward during that time, scoring 51 goals in his 33 games with the Knights. In 2007, he won the Morrish Medal
and the Knights' best and fairest, and he was selected in the Victorian Metropolitan and All-Australian under-18s teams, and the TAC Cup Teams of the Year in both 2006 and 2007.
Noted for possessing a level of agility and endurance unusual for a player of his size, Kreuzer was widely expected to be selected early in the 2007 AFL Draft. He was selected by Carlton with its priority draft pick
(No. 1 overall) in the draft; Carlton received that draft pick only after losing its final round match against in 2007
, a controversial match which became known as the Kreuzer Cup.
Kreuzer made his AFL debut in Round 3 of the 2008 season against Essendon
at the MCG
on 5 April 2008, impressing on debut and scoring a goal with his first kick. He played largely as the second ruckman through the early part of the season. He earned a NAB Rising Star nomination in his ninth game (against Port Adelaide), after moving into the forward-line in the final quarter and scoring three goals, which helped Carlton overcome a 30-point deficit in wet conditions; he would ultimately poll eleven votes to finish fourth for the award. Towards the end of the season, Kreuzer was playing both ruck and forward roles. He was noted for his accuracy in front of goal, scoring 13 goals and only one behind in his debut season.
Kreuzer played all twenty-three games in his second season, again sharing ruck duties and spending some time in the forward-line, scoring thirteen goals. Kreuzer finished fifth in the John Nicholls Medal
.
Kreuzer continued as one of the club's top two ruckmen in 2010. He played his 50th AFL game in Round 7. Unfortunately, Kreuzer ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament
after landing awkwardly in a marking contest Round 13, 2010 (after 56 consecutive games from debut). He had a conventional knee reconstruction, and missed eleven months of football, returning to VFL football in May 2011 and to Carlton in Round 12, 2011.
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...
. He was selected with the first pick overall in the 2007 AFL National Draft
2007 AFL Draft
The 2007 AFL Draft consisted of four opportunities for player acquisitions during the 2007/08 Australian Football League off-season. These were trade week, the National Draft, the Pre-Season Draft and the Rookie Draft.- Trades :...
.
Kreuzer played for St Marys Greensborough Junior Football Club and Bundoora Football Club as a junior before moving to the Northern Knights to play under-18s football with them in the 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....
in 2006 and 2007. Kreuzer established himself as both the team's No. 1 ruckman and as a key forward during that time, scoring 51 goals in his 33 games with the Knights. In 2007, he won 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...
and the Knights' best and fairest, and he was selected in the Victorian Metropolitan and All-Australian under-18s teams, and the TAC Cup Teams of the Year in both 2006 and 2007.
Noted for possessing a level of agility and endurance unusual for a player of his size, Kreuzer was widely expected to be selected early in the 2007 AFL Draft. He was selected by Carlton with its priority draft pick
Priority draft pick
The priority draft pick is a type of draft selection in the Australian Football League's AFL Draft. Priority draft picks are additional draft picks, located at or near the start of the draft, which are given only to the poorest performing teams, to provide additional help for those teams to improve...
(No. 1 overall) in the draft; Carlton received that draft pick only after losing its final round match against in 2007
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...
, a controversial match which became known as the Kreuzer Cup.
Kreuzer made his AFL debut in Round 3 of the 2008 season against Essendon
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
at the MCG
McG
Joseph McGinty Nichol , better known as McG, is an American director and producer of film and television, as well as a former record producer....
on 5 April 2008, impressing on debut and scoring a goal with his first kick. He played largely as the second ruckman through the early part of the season. He earned a NAB Rising Star nomination in his ninth game (against Port Adelaide), after moving into the forward-line in the final quarter and scoring three goals, which helped Carlton overcome a 30-point deficit in wet conditions; he would ultimately poll eleven votes to finish fourth for the award. Towards the end of the season, Kreuzer was playing both ruck and forward roles. He was noted for his accuracy in front of goal, scoring 13 goals and only one behind in his debut season.
Kreuzer played all twenty-three games in his second season, again sharing ruck duties and spending some time in the forward-line, scoring thirteen goals. Kreuzer finished fifth in the John Nicholls Medal
John Nicholls Medal
The John Nicholls Medal is an Australian rules football award given to the player adjudged Best and Fairest for the Carlton Football Club for the season....
.
Kreuzer continued as one of the club's top two ruckmen in 2010. He played his 50th AFL game in Round 7. Unfortunately, Kreuzer 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...
after landing awkwardly in a marking contest Round 13, 2010 (after 56 consecutive games from debut). He had a conventional knee reconstruction, and missed eleven months of football, returning to VFL football in May 2011 and to Carlton in Round 12, 2011.