Adam Bentick
Encyclopedia
Adam Bentick is an Australian rules football
er who played for the Carlton Football Club
in the Australian Football League
(AFL).
Bentick played for two years in Victoria's top under-18s competition, the TAC Cup
for the Calder Cannons
. In that time, he established himself as a promising mid-fielder who was particularly good at roving the hit-outs and getting a quick kick out of the packs. Calder dominated the TAC Cup through these years, and under Bentick's captaincy won the 2003 premiership.
Despite captaining the premiers and averaging 20 disposals per game in the TAC Cup, Bentick was passed over in the 2003 National Draft
. He was eventually picked up as a rookie by Carlton
in the rookie draft.
Bentick played most of 2004 in Carlton's , the Northern Bullants
. He made a strong impression in the VFL, and was elevated to the senior list late in the season. He played the final five games for 2004, debuting at Optus Oval
against the Fremantle Dockers
.
Bentick began 2005 in the Bullants, and was re-elevated to the seniors in Round 8, playing for four weeks, including the Round 9 Optus Oval farewell game against Melbourne
. He was dropped after Round 11. His recall to the seniors in Round 18 heralded his permanent position in the team. Given the midfield role he relished, he amassed a high number of possessions, as well as a strong tackling game which could not be ignored. In Round 20 against Collingwood
, Bentick's twelfth game, he amassed 34 disposals and 5 tackles. This eye-catching performance earned him an AFL Rising Star award
nomination, as well as three Brownlow Medal votes.
Bentick was a regular in the team for the next three years. He played the first twenty games of the 2006 season, before missing the final two with a shoulder injury, and played another twenty games in 2007 and fourteen in 2008. He developed into one of the club's most important inside midfielders, adept at winning the hard ball and tackling, a style reminiscent of Brett Ratten
, (who was both an assistant coach, and later the head coach, during Bentick's time at Carlton, and whose #7 guernsey Bentick adopted in 2007). Bentick's career-best disposal haul of 36 came in Round 21, 2007 against the Kangaroos
, allowing Bentick to achieve the rare feat of earning a Brownlow Medal
vote in an 82-point loss. At the time of he was delisted, his career average of 5.0 tackles per game was amongst the highest in VFL/AFL history.
Bentick was injured for most of the 2009 season. He played the latter part of the season with the Bullants, including their grand final loss against North Ballarat
, but did not play a game for Carlton. Bentick was delisted by Carlton at the end of the 2009 season.
Since being delisted, Bentick has played for the Port Melbourne Football Club
in the VFL.
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 Carlton Football Club
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
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).
Bentick played for two years in Victoria's top under-18s competition, the TAC Cup
TAC Cup
The TAC Cup is an under 18 Australian rules football representative competition held in Victoria, Australia. It is based on geographic regions throughout country Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne with each team representing 12 Victorian regions....
for the Calder Cannons
Calder Cannons
The Calder Cannons are an Australian rules football club from Melbourne, Australia.The club competes in the TAC Cup and fields squads in the U15, 16 and most importantly the U18s. The club was formed in 1995 after the need for two more metropolitan clubs...
. In that time, he established himself as a promising mid-fielder who was particularly good at roving the hit-outs and getting a quick kick out of the packs. Calder dominated the TAC Cup through these years, and under Bentick's captaincy won the 2003 premiership.
Despite captaining the premiers and averaging 20 disposals per game in the TAC Cup, Bentick was passed over in the 2003 National Draft
AFL Draft
The AFL Draft is the annual draft of new unsigned players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.-History:...
. He was eventually picked up as a rookie by Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
in the rookie draft.
Bentick played most of 2004 in Carlton's , the Northern Bullants
Northern Bullants
Northern Blues Football Club is a long-established Australian rules football club based in Preston and currently playing in the Victorian Football League representing the central and outer areas of Melbourne...
. He made a strong impression in the VFL, and was elevated to the senior list late in the season. He played the final five games for 2004, debuting at Optus Oval
MC Labour Park
Princes Park is an Australian rules football ground located at Princes Park in the inner Melbourne suburb of Carlton North, Victoria....
against the Fremantle Dockers
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...
.
Bentick began 2005 in the Bullants, and was re-elevated to the seniors in Round 8, playing for four weeks, including the Round 9 Optus Oval farewell game against 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....
. He was dropped after Round 11. His recall to the seniors in Round 18 heralded his permanent position in the team. Given the midfield role he relished, he amassed a high number of possessions, as well as a strong tackling game which could not be ignored. In Round 20 against Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
, Bentick's twelfth game, he amassed 34 disposals and 5 tackles. This eye-catching performance earned him an AFL Rising Star award
AFL Rising Star award
The NAB AFL Rising Star award is given annually to a standout young player in the Australian Football League. Since 2007 the winner has been presented with the Ron Evans Medal and was first awarded in 1993...
nomination, as well as three Brownlow Medal votes.
Bentick was a regular in the team for the next three years. He played the first twenty games of the 2006 season, before missing the final two with a shoulder injury, and played another twenty games in 2007 and fourteen in 2008. He developed into one of the club's most important inside midfielders, adept at winning the hard ball and tackling, a style reminiscent of Brett Ratten
Brett Ratten
Brett "Ratts" Ratten is a former Australian rules footballer and the current coach of the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League....
, (who was both an assistant coach, and later the head coach, during Bentick's time at Carlton, and whose #7 guernsey Bentick adopted in 2007). Bentick's career-best disposal haul of 36 came in Round 21, 2007 against the Kangaroos
Kangaroos Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
, allowing Bentick to achieve the rare feat of earning a 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...
vote in an 82-point loss. At the time of he was delisted, his career average of 5.0 tackles per game was amongst the highest in VFL/AFL history.
Bentick was injured for most of the 2009 season. He played the latter part of the season with the Bullants, including their grand final loss against 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...
, but did not play a game for Carlton. Bentick was delisted by Carlton at the end of the 2009 season.
Since being delisted, Bentick has played for the Port Melbourne Football Club
Port Melbourne Football Club
The Port Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Borough, is an Australian rules football club based in the Melbourne suburb of Port Melbourne and is currently playing in the Victorian Football League ....
in the VFL.