Steven Koops
Encyclopedia
Steven John Koops is a former professional Australian rules football
er who played for the Fremantle Football Club
and Western Bulldogs
in the Australian Football League
(AFL).
based Southern Districts Football Club
in the NTFL
, Koops was drafted from the West Perth Football Club
in the WAFL
. He represented the Northern Territory at the 1994 and 1996 Under 18 Championships and won the Hunter Harrison Medal in 1995 as the best player in Division 2.
for pick 19 in the 2003 draft
. He made his debut in Round 5 of the 1996 AFL season at the age of 17 years and 277 days, the youngest ever to debut for Fremantle.
In 1999 he suffered a knee injury and was drug tested the day after surgery, returning a positive test for pethidine
, a banned substance. Upon advice from the club, he pled guilty to the charge, but no penalty was imposed. However, due to the guilty finding, his name was entered onto the Australian Sports Drug Agency
register, even after the AFL overturned the guilty finding and cleared Koops' name. Fremantle Football Club was fined $5000 for not notifying the AFL of the operation.
His first year at the Bulldogs continued his injury woes, with a thigh strain, broken jaw and punctured lung restricting him to just 11 games in 2004
. Shoulder injuries and family reasons forced him to retire in 2005 at only 26 years of age, managing a total of only 89 AFL games over 10 seasons.
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 who played for the Fremantle Football Club
Fremantle Football Club
The Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed The Dockers, is an Australian rules football team which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in the port city of Fremantle at the mouth of the Swan River in Western Australia...
and 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...
(AFL).
Early life
Originally from the DarwinDarwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
based Southern Districts Football Club
Southern Districts Football Club
The Southern Districts Football Club, nicknamed, Crocs, is an Australian rules football club established in 1981. The club plays in the Northern Territory Football League at semi-professional level....
in the NTFL
Northern Territory Football League
The Northern Territory Football League is an 8 team Australian rules football semi-professional league operating in Darwin in the Northern Territory.The premier grade is the largest Australian rules football league in the Northern Territory...
, Koops was drafted from the West Perth Football Club
West Perth Football Club
The West Perth Football Club, nicknamed the Falcons, is an Australian rules football club located in Joondalup, Western Australia, competing in the West Australian Football League . It is the oldest existing Australian rules football club in Western Australia. It competes in the West Australian...
in the WAFL
West Australian Football League
The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League...
. He represented the Northern Territory at the 1994 and 1996 Under 18 Championships and won the Hunter Harrison Medal in 1995 as the best player in Division 2.
AFL career
In his first four seasons at Fremantle he only played 16 games and in total only played 78 games in eight seasons before being traded to the Western BulldogsWestern 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...
for pick 19 in the 2003 draft
2003 AFL Draft
The 2003 AFL Draft was the 2003 instance of the AFL Draft, the annual draft of talented players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League...
. He made his debut in Round 5 of the 1996 AFL season at the age of 17 years and 277 days, the youngest ever to debut for Fremantle.
In 1999 he suffered a knee injury and was drug tested the day after surgery, returning a positive test for pethidine
Pethidine
Pethidine or meperidine Pethidine (INN) or meperidine (USAN) Pethidine (INN) or meperidine (USAN) (commonly referred to as Demerol but also referred to as: isonipecaine; lidol; pethanol; piridosal; Algil; Alodan; Centralgin; Dispadol; Dolantin; Mialgin (in Indonesia); Petidin Dolargan (in Poland);...
, a banned substance. Upon advice from the club, he pled guilty to the charge, but no penalty was imposed. However, due to the guilty finding, his name was entered onto the Australian Sports Drug Agency
Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority
The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority is a government department tasked to protect Australia's sporting integrity through the elimination of doping....
register, even after the AFL overturned the guilty finding and cleared Koops' name. Fremantle Football Club was fined $5000 for not notifying the AFL of the operation.
His first year at the Bulldogs continued his injury woes, with a thigh strain, broken jaw and punctured lung restricting him to just 11 games in 2004
2004 AFL season
Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2004.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-Wizard Home Loans Cup:The Wizard Home Loans Cup Final saw St...
. Shoulder injuries and family reasons forced him to retire in 2005 at only 26 years of age, managing a total of only 89 AFL games over 10 seasons.