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BRENDAN WHITECROSS

AFL Footballer - Hawthorn

At a Glance

From:  Zillmere Eagles
Born: 25 January 1990
Height: 183cm
Weight: 80kg

Key Statistics

Recruited from: Zillmere Eagles / Kedron 
Draft Details: Selection #29 - 2007 AFL National Draft
AFL Debut: Hawthorn v Geelong, MCG - Rd 1, 2009 - 27 March 2009
AFL Games:  13
AFL Goals :1

Statistics to end of 2009 season.

SnapshotEarly days at Hawthorn

A high-possession utility player who can play across half back, half forward and through the midfield. A Kedron junior product, he was a regular Queensland reepresentative throughout his junior days who switched to the Zillmere Eagles to play in the AFLQ State Leaugue in 2007, when he was a member of the AIS/AFL Academy Squad and the Queensland U18 side. An outstanding athlete with excellent speed and endurance bound for a distinguished career at the elite level.

Season 2009 - At a Glance

Made an eye-catching NAB Cup debut against Melbourne in Launceston when, playing as a small defender, he had 16 possessions and was cool under pressure as th Hawks came from 33 points down at three-quarter time to win. Followed up with 13 touches in a losing NAB Cup quarter-final against Carlton when he restricted Eddie Betts to just seven, and made his AFL debut in Round 1 against Geelong in the grand final replay - a phenomenal effort. Had to wait until Round 3 against North Melbourne to taste AFL victory for the first time, and in the same game 'arrived' as a quality playing, finishing with 29 possessions after 20 in the first half..He played the first 10 games of the season in an outstanding achievement for a teenager breaking into a premiership season. Missed Round 11 following the death of his grandmother, but signed a new two-contract on 13 June 2009. Returned in Round 13 only to suffer a knee injury against West Coast in Perth. Kicked his first goal in Round 18 against Port Adelaide.

Season 2008 - At a Glance

Is playing with Box Hill in the VFL, Hawthorn's affiliate club. Has been a consistent performer in side that has found wins few and far between, and has played above his tender years. Was included in the AFL match squad for the first time when he travelled to Launceston as an emergency for Round 11 game against the Western Bulldogs. Was regularly on the fringe of senior selection through the middle stages of the season as the Hawks consolidated a top four spot.

Background

Brendan Whitecross was born to be a footballer. His great uncle Doug Beasy played 129 games at Carlton (1951-59), winning the 56 B&F and representing Victoria in 1955 and 57. And his great grandfather Maurie Beasy played 75 games at Carlton (1920-28) and represented Victoria six times, including the 1924 carnival.

From the age of six, when he began playing Auskick at Kedron, Brisbane-born Whitecross had a special football passion.

A standout junior, he won the Kedron B&F at U12's (2002), U14's (2003-04) and U16's (2005-06), represented Queensland at U12, U16 and U18 level and was a member of the 2007 AIS/AFL Academy squad, touring South Africa in April in what he described as the trip of a lifetime .

It was a family thing. His father Phil was his coach from U8's to U12's and president of the Kedron juniors for 10 years. All Brendan has ever wanted to do was play in the AFL

On Saturday, 24 November, 2007, his life-time dream became reality when he was drafted by Hawthorn.

The 17-year-old utility, still eligible to play U18 football next year, was the first Queenslander taken in the draft when claimed by the Hawks in the second round, No.29 overall.

"I'm just rapt - I ve dreamed of this day all my life," said Whitecross. "And I'm rapt to be going to a Melbourne club because Melbourne is the football capital. It's where I always wanted to play."

It was the beginning of a new chapter for the self-confessed all-sports "nut", who divided his AFL loyalties between Carlton and Brisbane, listed Michael Voss as his first fooBrendan Whitecross ... in the 2007 Queensland U18 sidetball hero and Glenn Archer and Jason McCartney as his most admired player.

Whitecross admitted he didn't get a lot of sleep the night before the draft. "I was just so nervous because it meant so much to me," he said.

And as much as he tried to convince those around him he was "pretty calm" on draft morning, his mother Colette said otherwise. "He was shaking like the rest of us," she said.

Whitecross, who until he was drafted lived at Carseldine on Brisbane's northern outer, listened to the draft on the car radio at a farm at Warrnambool in western Victoria, owned by his aunt Mary Melican.He and his parents were outside helping to prepare for Mary's 40th birthday party on Saturday night.

Whitecross, a non-drinker, had spent the week leading into the draft helping out around the farm in preference to attending the annual "Schoolies Week" celebrations on the Gold Coast.

"I couldn't see much point in going to Schoolies - I would have just been a nurse to a lot of drunk bodies all week," he said, having recently completed Year 12 at St.Patrick's College, Shorncliffe.

Whitecross, also a former Queensland middle-distance runner and his school s First XI Cricketer of the Year, is described by AFL Queensland Talent Manager and former Sydney Swans champion Mark Browning as "an outstanding prospect with strong leadership potential".

"He's a very complete player, with excellent skills on both sides of his body, good lateral movement, outstanding speed and endurance, and a good mark for Receiving his Australian jumper from Michael Voss (left) in South Africahis size," Browning said of the 2006 Queensland U16 captain.

Voss, who worked with Whitecross in the AIS squad over the past 12 months, is another big fan. "He's an exciting talent. He's an exceptional kick, he reads the play well and he already prepares like a professional," said the AIS assistant-coach.

"He has a great work ethic and a very good lifestyle. He's a young man who you have to pull back rather than be at him to work harder. 'Whitey' doesn't have a big body but he uses it well and he could play some senior football next year," Voss added. 

A genuine utility player at 183cm and 80kg, Whitecross plays at half back, half forward and through the midfield and tested exceptionally well at the AFL Draft Camp in Canberra in October. He was third overall in the beep test (14.10), fifth overall in the 20m sprint (2.91sec), and eighth overall for both agility (8.36sec) and the repeat 30m sprint (24.25 sec).

Whitecross found himself alongside two other ex-Queensland U18 players at Hawthorn - Michael Osborne, who established himself in the senior side this year, and Brent Renouf, who was drafted by the Hawks 12 months earlier. Both, ironically, would figure in Hawthorn's 2008 premieship side to set a high benchmark for their fellow Queenslander.

 

 - BRENDAN WHITECROSS -
AFL CAREER STATISTICS & AWARDS

 Year

Games 

Goals

Awards

 2009

13

1

Hawthorm 'Most Improved' Player

 Total

13

1

 


Brendan Whitecross Statistics - Match by Match 

Brendan Whitecross News File

 

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