Simon Wiggins
Encyclopedia
Simon Wiggins is a former Australian rules football
er who played in the Australian Football League
(AFL).
He was recruited as the number 15 draft pick in the 2000 AFL Draft
from Glenorchy
. He made his debut for the Carlton Football Club
in Round 5, 2001 against St Kilda.
Wiggins has battled with injury and form at his time at Carlton. He only played six games in his debut season, and has never managed to play a full season since suffering knee, shoulder and hamstring injuries as well as some slumps in form. He broke into the Blues' lineup for the last month of the 2005 season.
Despite his inconsistency, he has surprisingly been retained on the list for several seasons, and is one of the few survivors from the club's 1999–2001 horror recruiting period, despite suffering from severe leg injuries throughout the seasons. The faith shown in him has been repaid, with solid form shown midway through the 2006 season, in a role as a marking forward (similar to Aaron Hamill
), both in leading and tall roles. He typically plays beyond the 50 m arc, setting up attacks rather than finishing them which was illustrated in 2008 where he ranked high for goal assists in the competition. He played fourteen games in 2006, with some quality performances amongst some forgettable outings.
After playing several games as a half-forward in 2008 Wiggins reached his 100th game in round 17, kicking a career high four goals to help Carlton beat the highly fancied Western Bulldogs. In 2009, he continued to impressed with his hardness at the ball and solid marking ability, but injury saw him miss the middle part of the season. Upon return, Wiggins was called upon to fill a hole in Carlton's injury-depleted backline, and he proved to be equally effective in the role. In 2010, he was elevated to the club's leadership group, but his season was hampered by injuries, managing ten VFL games, but none in the AFL. He retired from the AFL at the end of 2010. He played for Sunshine in the Western Region Football League
in 2011.
He is the brother of former AFL player Patrick Wiggins
(with whom he now plays at Sunshine) and is married to Australian diver
, Loudy Wiggins. He is nicknamed "The Chief" due to his last name's similarity to 'Chief Clancy Wiggum' on the American animated sitcom The Simpsons.
The nickname has spread nationally and is now used among commentators across networks. Amongst his team-mates, he is one of the most popular players at the club and was regarded as the most courageous on field, as he was the club's nominee for the Robert Rose Award
in both 2008 and 2009.
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 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).
He was recruited as the number 15 draft pick in the 2000 AFL Draft
2000 AFL Draft
The 2000 AFL Draft was the annual draft of talented Australian rules football players by teams that participate in the Australian Football League. It consisted of a pre-season draft, a national draft, a trade period and a rookie elevation....
from Glenorchy
Glenorchy Football Club
The Glenorchy District Football Club is an Australian rules football club currently playing in the Tasmanian State League and the Southern Football League in Tasmania, Australia.-Origins:...
. He made his debut 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 Round 5, 2001 against St Kilda.
Wiggins has battled with injury and form at his time at Carlton. He only played six games in his debut season, and has never managed to play a full season since suffering knee, shoulder and hamstring injuries as well as some slumps in form. He broke into the Blues' lineup for the last month of the 2005 season.
Despite his inconsistency, he has surprisingly been retained on the list for several seasons, and is one of the few survivors from the club's 1999–2001 horror recruiting period, despite suffering from severe leg injuries throughout the seasons. The faith shown in him has been repaid, with solid form shown midway through the 2006 season, in a role as a marking forward (similar to Aaron Hamill
Aaron Hamill
Aaron "Sammy" Hamill is a former professional Australian rules footballer who is best known for his time at the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League when he briefly captained the club....
), both in leading and tall roles. He typically plays beyond the 50 m arc, setting up attacks rather than finishing them which was illustrated in 2008 where he ranked high for goal assists in the competition. He played fourteen games in 2006, with some quality performances amongst some forgettable outings.
After playing several games as a half-forward in 2008 Wiggins reached his 100th game in round 17, kicking a career high four goals to help Carlton beat the highly fancied Western Bulldogs. In 2009, he continued to impressed with his hardness at the ball and solid marking ability, but injury saw him miss the middle part of the season. Upon return, Wiggins was called upon to fill a hole in Carlton's injury-depleted backline, and he proved to be equally effective in the role. In 2010, he was elevated to the club's leadership group, but his season was hampered by injuries, managing ten VFL games, but none in the AFL. He retired from the AFL at the end of 2010. He played for Sunshine in the Western Region Football League
Western Region Football League
The Western Region Football League is an Australian rules football semi-professional league, based in the western suburbs of Melbourne, for both seniors and juniors.-History:The league was formed in 1931, as the Footscray District Football League...
in 2011.
He is the brother of former AFL player Patrick Wiggins
Patrick Wiggins
Patrick Wiggins is a former Australian rules footballer, who played for the Western Bulldogs in the Australian Football League ....
(with whom he now plays at Sunshine) and is married to Australian diver
Diving
Diving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one...
, Loudy Wiggins. He is nicknamed "The Chief" due to his last name's similarity to 'Chief Clancy Wiggum' on the American animated sitcom The Simpsons.
The nickname has spread nationally and is now used among commentators across networks. Amongst his team-mates, he is one of the most popular players at the club and was regarded as the most courageous on field, as he was the club's nominee for the Robert Rose Award
AFLPA Awards
The AFL Players' Association Awards are a group of awards given annually to players in the Australian Football League, voted for by all AFL players.-Leigh Matthews Trophy:...
in both 2008 and 2009.