List of AFL left-footers
Although players in the AFL are trained on both sides of their body extensively, they have a naturally preferred foot that they find easier to kick the football with, much like how each person prefers to write with either his/her left or right hand. 'Lefties' or 'molly-dookers' are not as numerous as natural right-footers, but a higher percentage of them find their way into AFL clubs because of a modern approach to balancing the numbers in a team.
There are many current players who are natural left-footers, as well as many past players whose names are well-known. Hawthorn is notable in recent years in preferentially drafting and trading for many left footers due to their kicking efficiency averaging three percent higher than right-footers.
Notable past players
*minimum 50 VFL/AFL games
'''Player |
Club(s) |
Years ACTIVE |
Games |
Goals''' |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Mark Bayes |
Sydney Swans |
1985–98 |
246 |
174 |
Simon Beaumont |
Carlton/Hawthorn |
1995–2005 |
179 |
101 |
Heath Black |
Fremantle/St. Kilda |
1997–2008 |
192 |
80 |
Barry Cable |
North Melbourne |
1970, 1974–77 |
116 |
|
Ang Christou |
Carlton |
1991–2002 |
151 |
20 |
Stuart Dew |
Port Adelaide/Hawthorn |
1997–2009 |
206 |
265 |
Nathan Eagleton |
Port Adelaide/Western Bulldogs |
1997–2010 |
221 |
186 |
Graham 'Polly' Farmer |
Geelong |
1962–67 |
91 |
2 |
Bob Flanigan |
Footscray/Essendon |
1936–42, 1944–45 |
101 |
65 |
Ben Graham |
Geelong |
1993–2004 |
219 |
145 |
Don Gross |
Essendon |
1965–74 |
121 |
105 |
Royce Hart |
Richmond |
1967–77 |
187 |
369 |
George Hassell |
Essendon |
1946–50 |
63 |
4 |
Kevin Higgins |
Geelong/Fitzroy |
1970, 1972–80 |
153 |
35 |
Leon Higgins |
Sydney Swans/Hawthorn |
1987–96 |
122 |
80 |
Wayne Johnston |
Carlton |
1979–90 |
209 |
283 |
Darren Kappler |
Fitzroy/Sydney Swans/Hawthorn |
1987–98 |
187 |
152 |
Joe Kelly |
Carlton |
1926–34 |
137 |
15 |
Chris Ladhams |
Adelaide |
2001–04 |
54 |
37 |
Geoff Leek |
Essendon |
1951–62 |
191 |
98 |
Matthew Lloyd |
Essendon |
1995–2009 |
270 |
926 |
Scott Lucas |
Essendon |
1996–2009 |
270 |
471 |
Simon Madden |
Essendon |
1974–92 |
378 |
575 |
Michael Mansfield |
Geelong/Carlton |
1990–2002 |
235 |
118 |
Tony McGuinness |
Footscray/Adelaide |
1986–96 |
222 |
187 |
Martin McKinnon |
Adelaide/Geelong/Brisbane Lions |
1994–2000 |
86 |
50 |
Des Meagher |
Hawthorn |
1966–76 |
198 |
96 |
Thorold Merrett |
Collingwood |
1950–60 |
180 |
48 |
Angie Muller |
Geelong/Fitzroy |
1933–42 |
116 |
38 |
Wyn Murray |
Melbourne |
1929–34 |
65 |
4 |
Laurie Nash |
South Melbourne |
1933–37, 1945 |
99 |
246 |
Rod Oborne |
Collingwood/Richmond |
1972–81 |
92 |
92 |
Rick Olarenshaw |
Essendon/Collingwood/North Melbourne |
1993–2001 |
83 |
14 |
Val Perovic |
St. Kilda/Carlton |
1973, 1975–85 |
174 |
13 |
John Pitura |
South Melbourne/Richmond |
1969–77 |
133 |
95 |
Luke Power |
Brisbane Lions |
1998–2011 |
282 |
226 |
Peter Riccardi |
Geelong |
1992–2006 |
288 |
286 |
Maurice Rioli |
Richmond |
1982–87 |
118 |
80 |
Kevin Roberts |
St Kilda |
1960–63,1965–69 |
106 |
110 |
Bob Skiltoni |
South Melbourne |
1956–71 |
238 |
403 |
Ian Stewart |
St. Kilda/Richmond |
1963–75 |
205 |
80 |
Peter Sumich |
West Coast |
1989−1997 |
150 |
514 |
Geoff Tunbridge |
Melbourne |
1957−1962 |
117 |
129 |
i it was impossible to tell if Skilton was naturally right or left-footed, since he could kick exceptionally well with either foot
Current AFL players (to end of Preliminary Finals 2011 season) by club
Brisbane Lions
Player |
Debut year |
Games |
Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
Josh Drummond |
2005 - 2012 |
79 |
32 |
Carlton Blues
Player |
Debut year |
Games |
Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
Matthew Watson |
2011 |
3 |
0 |
Collingwood Magpies
Player |
Debut year |
Games |
Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
Alan Didak |
2001 |
200 |
265 |
Scott Pendlebury |
2006 |
126 |
84 |
Alan Toovey |
2007 |
85 |
8 |
Essendon Football Club
Player |
Debut year |
Games |
Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
Dyson Heppell |
2011 |
23 |
3 |
Fremantle Football Club
Player |
Debut year |
Games |
Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
Zac Dawson |
|||
Stephen Hill |
|||
Nic Suban |
|||
Michael Walters |
Geelong Cats
Player |
Debut year |
Games |
Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
Shannon Byrnes |
2004 |
104 |
99 |
Josh Hunt |
2001 |
167 |
21 James Podsiadly Jordan Murdoch |
Hawthorn Hawks
Player |
Debut year |
Games |
Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
Simon Cox |
2005i |
93 |
41 |
Lance 'Buddy' Franklin |
2005 |
140 |
444 |
Joshua Gibson |
2006ii |
101 |
2 |
Stephen Gilham |
2005iii |
93 |
3 |
Brent Guerra |
|||
Cyril Rioli |
2008 |
79 |
97 |
Isaac Smith |
2011 |
16 |
20 |
Matt Suckling |
2011 |
||
Clinton Young |
2005 |
96 |
47 |
i debuted with the Western Bulldogs
ii debuted with North Melbourne
iii debuted with Port Adelaide
Melbourne Demons
Player |
Debut year |
Games |
Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
Brad Green |
2000 |
241 |
331 |
Port Adelaide Power
Player |
Debut year |
Games |
Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
Troy Chaplin |
2004 |
122 |
10 |
Jasper Pittard |
2010 |
13 |
2 |
Richmond Tigers
Player |
Debut year |
Games |
Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
Bachar Houli |
2007i |
48 |
14 |
i debuted with Essendon
Sydney Swans
Player |
Debut year |
Games |
Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
Daniel Hannebery |
2009 |
51 |
16 |
Kieren Jack |
2007 |
89 |
51 |
Nick Malceski |
2005 |
104 |
48 |
Martin Mattner |
2002i |
191 |
39 |
Ryan O'Keefe |
2000 |
233 |
228 |
Nick Smith |
2008 |
52 |
8 |
i debuted with Adelaide
West Coast Eagles
Player |
Debut year |
Games |
Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
Beau Waters |
2004 |
93 |
17 |