Shane Valenti
Encyclopedia
Shane Valenti is an Australian rules footballer, who played for the Melbourne Football Club
in the Australian Football League
(AFL) and currently plays for Port Melbourne in the Victorian Football League
(VFL).
Valenti was selected with the 51st selection in the 2007 NAB AFL Rookie Draft, which was Melbourne's final draft selection for that season. He made his mark in the Victorian Football League, playing with Melbourne's VFL-affiliate Sandringham
, as a tough, in and under midfielder, and won the Fothergill-Round Medal
as the league's most outstanding young player.
Valenti made his senior debut for the Demons in round 8 against Adelaide
in the 2008 season, he played a total of nine games for the year. The 2009 season saw Valenti only manage six senior games for Melbourne, spending majority of the season as a consistent performer in the VFL, with Melbourne's new affiliate team Casey
and finishing fifth in Casey's best and fairest
.
At the end of the 2009 season, Valenti was delisted by the Demons.
In 2010, Valenti moved to the Port Melbourne Borough in the VFL. He had an outstanding second half of the season, and was joint winner of the J. J. Liston Trophy
, tying on 20 votes with North Ballarat
's Steve Clifton. He became the first player in league history to win both the Fothergill-Round Medal and the Liston Trophy. He was also named in the VFL team of the year.
In 2011, Valenti won his second consecutive J. J. Liston Trophy, becoming the third player in VFA/VFL history to win the award back-to-back. With his win, there was speculation that he may be recruited by new AFL side. Greater Western Sydney.
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) and currently plays for Port Melbourne in the Victorian Football League
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
(VFL).
Valenti was selected with the 51st selection in the 2007 NAB AFL Rookie Draft, which was Melbourne's final draft selection for that season. He made his mark in the Victorian Football League, playing with Melbourne's VFL-affiliate Sandringham
Sandringham Zebras
The Sandringham Football Club, nicknamed The Zebras, is an Australian rules football club based in Melbourne that was formed in 1929 and plays in the Victorian Football League . The Zebras have a 5 year alignment agreement with AFL club St Kilda Football Club of which the first season was 2009...
, as a tough, in and under midfielder, and won the Fothergill-Round Medal
Fothergill-Round Medal
The Fothergill-Round Medal is a VFL award that is presented to the most promising young talent in the VFL competition. Named after Des Fothergill and Barry Round, the only two players who have won both the J. J. Liston Trophy and the Brownlow Medal, the medal has been awarded annually since...
as the league's most outstanding young player.
Valenti made his senior debut for the Demons in round 8 against Adelaide
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 2008 season, he played a total of nine games for the year. The 2009 season saw Valenti only manage six senior games for Melbourne, spending majority of the season as a consistent performer in the VFL, with Melbourne's new affiliate team Casey
Casey Scorpions
The Casey Scorpions Football Club is an Australian rules football club in the Victorian Football League . The club was founded in 1903 as the Springvale Football Club and played under the name Springvale. In its history it has won 21 premierships...
and finishing fifth in Casey's best and fairest
Best and Fairest
Best and Fairest is the term commonly used in Australian sport to describe the player adjudged to have had the best performance in a game or over a season for a given sporting club or competition while not receiving a suspension for misconduct or breaching the rules during that season.In the...
.
At the end of the 2009 season, Valenti was delisted by the Demons.
In 2010, Valenti moved to the Port Melbourne Borough in the VFL. He had an outstanding second half of the season, and was joint winner of the J. J. Liston Trophy
J. J. Liston Trophy
The J. J. Liston Trophy is awarded to the best and fairest senior player in the Victorian Football League .-History:The VFA awarded the Recorder Cup from 1923 to 1941, and also ran a different award known as the VFA Medal .After a hiatus in 1942 to 1944 due to World War II, a best and fairest award...
, tying on 20 votes with North Ballarat
North Ballarat Football Club
North Ballarat Football Club, nicknamed The Roosters, is an Australian rules football club based at Northern Oval in Ballarat. The club is locally known as the Roosters and plays in the Victorian Football League are current competition premiers and one of only four clubs based outside of Melbourne...
's Steve Clifton. He became the first player in league history to win both the Fothergill-Round Medal and the Liston Trophy. He was also named in the VFL team of the year.
In 2011, Valenti won his second consecutive J. J. Liston Trophy, becoming the third player in VFA/VFL history to win the award back-to-back. With his win, there was speculation that he may be recruited by new AFL side. Greater Western Sydney.