9 David Neitz

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[33]Heaver, Brent - [38]Heffernan, Chris - [1]Henwood, Wayne - [26]Heppell, Martin - [38]Hickmott, Robert - [36]Hilton, Jeff - [22]Holden, Ray - [5]Holland, Ben - [4]Holland, Ben - [4]Hopgood, Paul - [15]Howard, Michael - [58]Howard, Michael - [58]Howat, John - [28]Hughes, Danny - [10]Hughes, Danny - [10]Hunter, Cameron - [33]Hunter, Cameron - [1]Icke, Steven - [11]Ingerson, Anthony - [27]Irving, Dean - [34]Jackson, Mark - [25]Jackson, Ricky - [45]Jakovich, Allen - [13]Jarrott, Alan - [47]Johnson, Alan - [9]Johnson, Chris A. - [17]Johnstone, Travis - [16]Johnstone, Travis - [16]Jolly, Darren - [11]Kavanagh, Tom - [13]Keogh, Rod - [31]Kiel, Peter - [29]Kol, Nigel - [38]Koop, Doug - [39]Korn, Trevor - [54]Kowal, Darren - [7]Lamaro, Hayden - [46]Lamb, Chris - [29]Lamb, Chris - [29]Lamb, Wayne - [45]Lamprill, Andrew - [37]Leoncelli, Andrew - [36]Longmuir, Troy - [45]Lord, John - [4]Louttit, Darren - [46]Lovell, Andy - [16]Lovett, Brett - [17]Lovett, Glenn - [6]Lyon, Garry - [3]Mahoney, Mathew - [46]Maynard, Peter - [36]McCarthy, Stephen - [24]McDonald, Anthony - [35]McDonald, Anthony - [35]McGlashan, Dave - [41]McGlashan, Dave - [41]McHardy, Todd - [45]McKenzie, Stuart - [49]McLean, Brock - [5]McLean, Glen - [26]McLean, Glenn - [26]Molloy, Glenn - [28]Moorcroft, Gary - [7]Moore, Peter - [30]Motlop, Shannon - [44]Motlop, Shannon - [44]Neitz, David - [9]Nettelbeck, Craig - [18]Nettlefold, Bill - [19]Nettlefold, Bill - [19]Newport, Stephen - [34]Newton, Leigh - [29]Nichols, Jeremy - [39]Nicholson, Alistair - [8]Nicholson, Alistair - [8]Norman, Luke - [25]Norrish, Jason - [25]O"Brien, Darren - [38]O'Brien, Paul - [40]Obst, Andrew - [29]O'Donnell, Kelly - [23]O'Dwyer, Steven - [1]Ogden, Gordon - [32]Ormond-Allen, Tent - [35]O'Sullivan, Michael - [6]Ottens, Luke - [37]Owen, Rod - [7]Parish, Les - [2]Payne, Paul - [19]Pearce, Joe - [19]Pesch, Nick - [28]Pickering, Michael - [35]Pickett, Byron - [33]Pickett, Byron - [33]Pinnell, Phillip - [7]Pitt, Steven - [14]Polley, Michael - [14]Powell, Stephen - [7]Prymke, Paul - [19]Pyman, Robert - [16]Read, Phil - [28]Read, Phillip - [28]Reynolds, Michael - [46]Richards, Russell - [20]Rigoni, Guy - [43]Rigoni, Guy - [43]Robertson, Russell - [24]Robins, Haydn - [15]Rohde, Peter - [41]Rowe, Russell - [42]Rowe, Russell - [42]Rugolo, Frank - [43]Rugolo, Joe - [26]Sampson, Clay - [24]Schwarz, David - [5]Seddon, Michael - [17]Seddon, Michael - [17]Seecamp, Marcus - [10]Seow, Dannie - [30]Shanahan, Jamie - [1]Simister, Scott - [42]Simmonds, Troy - [46]Simmonds, Troy - [46]Sizer, Greg - [57]Smith, Nicholas - [15]Smith, Nick - [15]Smith, Shaun - [29]Smoker, Craig - [39]Spalding, Earl - [5]Sparks, Brad - [42]Spencer, Trevor - [23]Stretch, Steven - [18]Stynes, Brian - [49]Stynes, Jim - [11]Sullivan, Chris - [4]Sutcliffe, Scott - [44]Tanner, Xaiver - [25]Templeton, Kelvin - [31]Thompson, Scott - [6]Thorogood, Ian - [26]Tingay, Stephen - [2]Todd, Ian - [50]Tossol, John - [48]Tossol, Peter - [21]Truscott, Keith William - [5]Turner, Steve - [41]Valenti, Shane - [44]Vardy, Peter - [19]Vardy, Peter - [19]Viney, Jay - [26]Viney, Todd - [12]Walsh, Peter - [42]Ward, Daniel - [10]Ward, Daniel - [10]Warne-Smith, Ivor - [14]Wearne, Stephen - [22]Weetra, Isaac - [28]Weetra, Isaac - [28]Wheatley, Paul - [31]Wheatley, Paul - [31]Whelan, Matthew - [45]Whelan, Matthew - [45]White, Jeff - [34]White, Jeff - [34]White, Robin - [5]Wight, Sean - [27]Williams, David - [12]Williams, Grant - [36]Williams, Luke - [26]Williams, Luke - [26]Wilson, Brian - [7]Withers, Mark - [15]Woewodin, Shane - [22]Wright, Rodney - [19]Yeats, Greame - [8]Young, Michael - [5]Yze, Adem - [13]Zantuck, Shane - [32]

Details
Number	9
Height	191cm
Weight	100kg
DOB	22-01-1975
Debut	1993 - Rd 1

Games		Goals
2010	0	2010	0
Career	306	Career	631

Dreamteam Points
2010	0

• Bio
• Stats
• News & Video

Neitz had to grow up quickly in football terms. As a talented youngster from Parkmore, he had to plug holes in key positions at centre half-back and centre half-forward in his first season in 1993. After breaking into the seniors he was never dropped, and within a year was part of a Victorian team. He showed the aplomb of a veteran, and even had the better of North superstar Wayne Carey, who rated him as one of the best centre half-backs in the competition. Neitz was selected as an All-Australian in 1995, and when David Schwarz was cut down with knee injuries Neitz went into the key forward role and took over the mantle. At times early in his career he put too much pressure on himself to perform.

In 1997, with Schwarz and Lyon on the sidelines, Neitz had to carry a huge burden of responsibility as the side’s only marking forward. Over the 1996-97 summer he muscled up considerably in the gym. He worked hard on his mobility at ground level, and it made him the complete player. It was a body blow for Melbourne when he broke his jaw early in 1997 at a time when the Club was already struggling, but he returned in just five weeks and was equal leading goal-kicker for the Club, alongside Jeff Farmer. He had been Melbourne’s leading scorer in his own right in 1996 with 56.  Neitz broke his leg just four weeks into 1998, and that meant an 11 week spell on the sidelines.

At the start of the 2000 season, Neitz was appointed Melbourne’s captain following two years’ apprenticeship as vice captain. Upon his appointment, Neitz revealed that he was suffering from an unusual disorder that caused him to vomit during games. It was exercise-induced and related to diet, rather than nerves. Early in the 2000 season, Melbourne tried to settle on the notion of returning him to centre half-back, and utilising recruit James Cook as a forward but he ended up spending a sizeable portion of the year, especially late in the season, up forward. Neitz was a versatile footballer whose bullish strength was a huge asset. He showed his qualities as a captain in 2001 when the team was struggling and there were off-field problems. For the second time he was runner-up in the Best and Fairest.

To follow this effort, Neitz had a stellar 2002, not only winning the Best and Fairest, but also winning the John Coleman Medal as the AFL’s leading goal kicker and receiving his second All Australian mantle.  His season’s tally of 82 goals (including finals) was the best by a Melbourne player since Fred Fanning kicked 97 goals in 1947.

Neitz had a solid 2003 and ran third in the Best and Fairest. In 2005, he notched dual milestones, playing his 250^th game, and becoming just the fortieth player in the history of the V/AFL to kick 500 career goals. Later in the season, Neitz surpassed Robert Flower as the Club’s longest standing captain. Unfortunately, he suffered an ongoing run of injuries that prevented him playing finals for the second year in a row.

In Round Eight, 2006, Neitz kicked his 547^th goal, overtaking the Club goal scoring record held by Norm Smith for over half a century. In 2007, he played his 300^th game, becoming the first Melbourne player to ever do so, and the ‘David Neitz Medal’ was named in his honour. He retired in 2008, but has retained close connections with the Club ever since. Garry Lyon has said of Neitz that ‘Every single time you looked at him he was looking back at you saying ‘Whatever you want me to do, I’m there to do it.’ Appropriately, Neitz was one of the most popular when named as a 150 ‘Hero’ in 2008.

At a Glance

• Junior Clubs:
• Clubs:
• Debut: 1993 - Rd 1
• Recruited from: Parkmore
• AFL Awards:
• Club Awards:
• Brownlow Votes:

Disposals	Marks	Stoppages	Frees	General play	Scoring
K H D	M	HO	FF FA	T	G B
CP UP DE% Clg	CM m50	CL i50 r50		1% BO DT GT%	G% GA

Rd

Opponent

Result

K

H

D

M

HO

FF

FA

T

G

B

CP

UP

DE%

Clg

CM

m50

CL

i50

r50

1%

BO

DT

GT%

G%

GA

1

North Melbourne

L 67 - 101

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2

Collingwood

L 117 - 64

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Port Adelaide

L 147 - 90

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4

Richmond

W 92 - 100

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5

Adelaide

L 34 - 51

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6

Geelong Cats

L 68 - 111

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7

West Coast Eagles

L 90 - 82

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8

Western Bulldogs

L 97 - 104

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9

Hawthorn

L 114 - 92

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St Kilda

L 83 - 46

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11

Collingwood

L 60 - 126

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12

Essendon

L 131 - 83

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13

Brisbane Lions

L 111 - 56

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14

West Coast Eagles

W 112 - 92

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Port Adelaide

W 101 - 90

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16

Geelong Cats

L 117 - 71

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17

Sydney Swans

L 50 - 68

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Richmond

L 82 - 86

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North Melbourne

L 123 - 61

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Fremantle

W 127 - 64

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Carlton

L 153 - 96

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St Kilda

L 67 - 114

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News

'Neita' special from day one: Connolly

Chris Connolly remembers David Neitz as an under-19s player with a special talentTuesday, May 20, 2008 - 1:59PM

Neita bids farewell

In 15 years, David Neitz saw plenty of the highs and lows of AFL footballMonday, May 19, 2008 - 4:58PM

Neitz an inspiration: Bartram

Midfielder Clint Bartram has learnt a lot from his captainThursday, April 24, 2008 - 11:52AM

Neitz "99 per cent" for return

David Neitz has allayed fears that he has played his last AFL match Tuesday, April 22, 2008 - 4:51PM

We must move on quickly: Neitz

Demons skipper puts Hawthorn thrashing in the rear-vision mirrorSunday, March 23, 2008 - 9:55PM

Video

Rd 9: David Neitz Press Conference

David Neitz is joined by Dean Bailey, Paul Gardner, Paul McNamee, Chris Connolly and his long-term team mates, as he announces his retirement from AFL Football. Tuesday, May 20, 2008 - 8:41AM

Rd 6: Neitz and Bailey Press Conference

David Neitz and Dean Bailey talk to the media about Davids neck injury and his retirement from AFL football at the end of the year. Wednesday, April 23, 2008 - 8:21AM

Rd 20: David Neitz Press Conference

David Neitz talks to the media on the eve of his 300th AFL game.Thursday, August 16, 2007 - 2:09PM

Up close with Neita

David Neitz reflects on his stellar career ahead of his 300th game on Friday nightThursday, August 16, 2007 - 8:54AM

Garry Lyon and David Neitz Press Conference

Garry Lyon and David Neitz talk to the media at Melbournes 149th birthday celebration. Wednesday, July 11, 2007 - 8:29AM