Scott West
Encyclopedia
Scott West is a former Australian rules football
player who played for the Western Bulldogs
in the Australian Football League
. West was a tough "in-and-under" midfielder who was hard at the ball, especially around the stoppages, and was regularly one of the leading possession accumulators in the competition.
' departure to Fizroy
All-Australian selection on five occasions in 1998, 2000, 2004, 2005 and 2006. He won seven club best-and-fairest awards (Charles Sutton Medal
s); his victory in 2005 overtaking Gary Dempsey
's previous record of six.
Late in 2006 West had been described as being in the best form of his career despite him being 32 years of age and completing his 300th game. This run of form included an incredible career best 45 disposals in one match against the Adelaide Crows
. In the 2006 season, West became the first player on record (recorded since 1987) to amass more than 400 handpasses in a season, finishing with 423.
Scott West is considered to be one of the best ever players not to have won a Brownlow medal. He came third in 1999, second (by two votes) in 2000 and (by three votes) in 2006 and fourth in 2004 and 2005. In 2006 he won the Sunday Footy Show's Lou Richards award for best player as voted by Channel 9's football commentators. He was the crowd favourite to win the Brownlow Medal
in 2006, due to his string of close misses and secondly, because he was one of the few Victoria-based players with a high chance of winning the award, during a period when non-Victorian teams were dominating the league. West ended up finishing second in 2006 behind Adam Goodes
.
On September 23, 2008, his illustrated career came to an end after the club said he was no longer required at the club. Despite being 33 years old when he retired, many considered it to be a premature end to his career as he was still greatly contributing to the Western Bulldogs in a key midfielder position.
In early 2008, West was named in the Western Bulldogs Team of the Century along with Footscray great Ted Whitten
. The Scott West Award was named in his honour.
West immediately found adjusting to a "normal" life after football extremely difficult, turning to alcohol to help deal with a life he described as "lost, lonely and scary". He then began a month-long drinking binge.
In 2009, West took up a part-time Assistant Coach position at the Melbourne Football Club
.
ad with Melbourne
's David Neitz
.
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 who played for the Western Bulldogs
Western Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
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...
. West was a tough "in-and-under" midfielder who was hard at the ball, especially around the stoppages, and was regularly one of the leading possession accumulators in the competition.
Early career
West attended Essendon Grammar and was recruited to the Footscray Football Club (now Western Bulldogs) where he made his debut in 1993. He won an AFL Rising Star nomination that season. From 1993 to 1997 He wore the number 14 guernsey on the back of his western bulldogs jumper before changing to his famous number 7 in the wake of Doug HawkinsDoug Hawkins
Doug Hawkins is a former Australian rules footballer in the VFL/AFL who made a name for himself in the media in his post-football career.-Early career:...
' departure to Fizroy
AFL career
West is regarded as one of the most consistent players in the AFL over a long time-frame. He has regularly made the most disposals in the AFL in the past ten years, and has made AFLAustralian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
All-Australian selection on five occasions in 1998, 2000, 2004, 2005 and 2006. He won seven club best-and-fairest awards (Charles Sutton Medal
Charles Sutton Medal
The Charles Sutton Medal is awarded to the player adjudged Best and Fairest for the Western Bulldogs. Scott West holds the record at the club, winning seven medals, followed by Gary Dempsey, with six...
s); his victory in 2005 overtaking Gary Dempsey
Gary Dempsey
Gary Dempsey is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Footscray and North Melbourne in the Victorian Football League....
's previous record of six.
Late in 2006 West had been described as being in the best form of his career despite him being 32 years of age and completing his 300th game. This run of form included an incredible career best 45 disposals in one match against the Adelaide Crows
Adelaide Crows
The Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed The Crows, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Adelaide, South Australia, playing in the Australian Football League ....
. In the 2006 season, West became the first player on record (recorded since 1987) to amass more than 400 handpasses in a season, finishing with 423.
Scott West is considered to be one of the best ever players not to have won a Brownlow medal. He came third in 1999, second (by two votes) in 2000 and (by three votes) in 2006 and fourth in 2004 and 2005. In 2006 he won the Sunday Footy Show's Lou Richards award for best player as voted by Channel 9's football commentators. He was the crowd favourite to win the 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...
in 2006, due to his string of close misses and secondly, because he was one of the few Victoria-based players with a high chance of winning the award, during a period when non-Victorian teams were dominating the league. West ended up finishing second in 2006 behind Adam Goodes
Adam Goodes
Adam Goodes is a professional Australian rules football player with the Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League ....
.
On September 23, 2008, his illustrated career came to an end after the club said he was no longer required at the club. Despite being 33 years old when he retired, many considered it to be a premature end to his career as he was still greatly contributing to the Western Bulldogs in a key midfielder position.
In early 2008, West was named in the Western Bulldogs Team of the Century along with Footscray great Ted Whitten
Ted Whitten
Edward James "EJ" Whitten was an Australian rules football player and media personality. He played a then-record 321 Victorian Football League games for the Footscray Football Club between 1951 and 1970...
. The Scott West Award was named in his honour.
West immediately found adjusting to a "normal" life after football extremely difficult, turning to alcohol to help deal with a life he described as "lost, lonely and scary". He then began a month-long drinking binge.
In 2009, West took up a part-time Assistant Coach position at 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....
.
Media Profile
West has made several appearances on the AFL Footy Show and appeared on a pizzaPizza
Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.Originating in Italy, from the Neapolitan cuisine, the dish has become popular in many parts of the world. An establishment that makes and sells pizzas is called a "pizzeria"...
ad with Melbourne
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....
's David Neitz
David Neitz
David Neitz , nicknamed Neita, is a retired Australian rules footballer. The strongly built centre half back who became a full forward was the longest-serving captain in the history of the Melbourne Football Club and the first Melbourne player to achieve the 300-game milestone.Neitz was born in...
.