Mark West (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Mark West is a former Australian rules football
er who played with the Western Bulldogs
in the Australian Football League
(AFL) during the 1990s.
An Indigenous Australian, West was from the Northern Territory and played with Darwin
before embarking on a football journey which would see him play in three states. He joined the Brisbane Bears
in 1991 and played reserves football at the club for two seasons before continuing his career in South Australia with South Adelaide
.
It was from South Adelaide that he was recruited to the AFL, with Footscray using the 43rd selection in the 1995 Draft
to secure his services. The dreadlocked West was already 23 when he made his senior AFL debut in 1996 and made only four appearances in his debut season.
He struggled to make much of an impact in 1997 until the finals series, with a career high 24 disposals and two goals coming in the preliminary final loss to Adelaide. With just under three minutes remaining, West received a handball inside the forward 50 and had a running shot at goal which missed to the left. Had he kicked the goal, the Bulldogs would have gone eight points up.
West missed most of the 1998 AFL season with a shoulder injury but recovered in time to play in another preliminary final, where his club was again defeated by Adelaide.
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 with the 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) during the 1990s.
An Indigenous Australian, West was from the Northern Territory and played with Darwin
Darwin Football Club
The Darwin Football Club, nicknamed, Buffaloes, is a member club of the Northern Territory Football League.-History:The club was formed in 1917.The Buffaloes won the 2005/06 NTFL Grand Final.Gilbert McAdam was coach for the 2006/07 season....
before embarking on a football journey which would see him play in three states. He joined the Brisbane Bears
Brisbane Bears
The Brisbane Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Bears was an Australian rules football club and the first Queensland-based club in the Victorian Football League . The club played its first match in 1987, but struggled on and off the field until it made the finals for the first time in 1995...
in 1991 and played reserves football at the club for two seasons before continuing his career in South Australia with South Adelaide
South Adelaide Football Club
South Adelaide Football Club competes in the South Australian National Football League . Known as the Panthers, their home ground is Hickinbotham Oval , located in Noarlunga Downs in the southern suburbs of Adelaide....
.
It was from South Adelaide that he was recruited to the AFL, with Footscray using the 43rd selection in the 1995 Draft
1995 AFL Draft
The 1995 AFL Draft was held at the conclusion of the 1995 Australian Football League season.The AFL Draft is the annual draft of new unsigned players by Australian rules football clubs that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.Clubs receive picks based...
to secure his services. The dreadlocked West was already 23 when he made his senior AFL debut in 1996 and made only four appearances in his debut season.
He struggled to make much of an impact in 1997 until the finals series, with a career high 24 disposals and two goals coming in the preliminary final loss to Adelaide. With just under three minutes remaining, West received a handball inside the forward 50 and had a running shot at goal which missed to the left. Had he kicked the goal, the Bulldogs would have gone eight points up.
West missed most of the 1998 AFL season with a shoulder injury but recovered in time to play in another preliminary final, where his club was again defeated by Adelaide.