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Luke McPharlin

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Luke McPharlin
McPharlin in April 2016
Personal information
Full name Luke McPharlin
Nickname(s) Woosh
Date of birth (1981-12-01) 1 December 1981 (age 43)
Place of birth Perth, Western Australia
Original team(s) East Fremantle (WAFL)
Draft 10th pick, 1999 National Draft (Hawthorn)
Height 192 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Weight 90 kg (198 lb)
Position(s) Defender / Forward
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2000–2001 Hawthorn 012 00(3)
2002–2015 Fremantle 244 (112)
Total 256 (115)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2015.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Luke McPharlin (born 1 December 1981) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League (AFL) for the Fremantle Football Club between 2002 and 2015, after two seasons with the Hawthorn Football Club. Throughout his AFL career, McPharlin predominantly played as a key defender.

AFL career

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McPharlin was recruited from East Fremantle in Western Australia to the Hawthorn Football Club after being taken at Pick 10 in the 1999 AFL Draft. He made his debut in 2000, kicking a goal with his first kick, but played just 12 total games in his first two seasons at Hawthorn. Feeling home sick in Melbourne, McPharlin jumped at the chance of returning to Perth, and was subsequently traded to Fremantle following the 2001 season. McPharlin battled injury early on in his career, managing just over 50 games in his first five seasons.[1]

In 2005, McPharlin garnered Mark of the Year honours for his spectacular chestmark against the West Coast Eagles in Round Three.[2]

McPharlin played his 200th AFL game in Round 13, 2012 against Essendon.[1] That season, he was named in the All-Australian team as a defender.

In 2013, McPharlin helped lead Fremantle to their first ever AFL Grand Final appearance, where they were defeated by Hawthorn by 15 points, ending the club's best season in their 19-year history just short of their first premiership success.[3]

McPharlin struggled to play regularly in 2013 and 2014 with calf and achilles-related issues, managing just 29 games over those two seasons. He also did not feature in Fremantle's finals campaigns in 2014 and 2015 due to calf problems.[4]

On 30 September 2015, McPharlin announced his retirement from the AFL after 256 games and 16 seasons in the league.[5] McPharlin departed Fremantle sitting second on the club's games record list with 244, behind only Matthew Pavlich who retired on 353 and David Mundy who retired on 376.[6]

Personal life

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McPharlin was the lead guitarist and singer of a Baháʼí Youth Music outfit, "Calling, Waiting, Searching".[7][8] His musical skills led him to win The Footy Show's musical contest Screamers in 2005.[9] On 24 July 2011, it was announced that McPharlin would release his debut album later that year in collaboration with local Perth act Stella's Kitchen.[10]

He was educated at Christ Church Grammar School in Perth where he graduated in 1999. McPharlin and his wife, Kalinz, have two daughters.[11] After retiring from football McPharlin and his family moved to Broome where he works as a pharmacist.[12] As of 2022, he and his family have moved back to Perth and now live in Beaconsfield.

He was recently interviewed in the Mind and Soul Matters Podcast[13] where he talks candidly about the struggles he faced early in his football career, and also about his beliefs and faith.

Honours and achievements

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Team

Individual

Statistics

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[14]
Legend
  G  
Goals
  K  
Kicks
  D  
Disposals 
  T  
Tackles
  B  
Behinds 
  H  
Handballs 
  M  
Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2000 Hawthorn 18 4 1 3 11 7 18 6 0 0.2 0.8 2.8 1.8 4.5 1.5 0.0
2001 Hawthorn 18 8 2 2 44 33 77 35 4 0.2 0.2 5.5 4.1 9.6 4.4 0.5
2002 Fremantle 15 11 7 4 92 58 150 58 19 0.6 0.4 8.4 5.3 13.6 5.3 1.7
2003 Fremantle 18 12 0 2 108 64 172 77 25 0.0 0.2 9.0 5.3 14.3 6.4 2.1
2004 Fremantle 18 16 4 1 173 73 246 106 28 0.2 0.1 10.8 4.6 15.4 6.6 1.8
2005 Fremantle 18 19 34 12 144 56 200 104 24 1.8 0.6 7.6 3.0 10.5 5.5 1.3
2006 Fremantle 18 22 15 9 184 62 246 144 27 0.7 0.4 8.4 2.8 11.2 6.6 1.2
2007 Fremantle 18 21 8 1 173 124 297 152 38 0.4 0.0 8.2 5.9 14.1 7.2 1.8
2008 Fremantle 18 20 21 14 192 105 297 142 30 1.0 0.7 9.6 5.2 14.8 7.1 1.5
2009 Fremantle 18 18 20 18 150 90 240 102 24 1.1 1.0 8.3 5.0 13.3 5.7 1.3
2010 Fremantle 18 17 0 3 138 116 254 97 29 0.0 0.2 8.1 6.8 14.9 5.7 1.7
2011 Fremantle 18 20 1 1 191 116 307 129 35 0.0 0.0 9.6 5.8 15.4 6.4 1.8
2012 Fremantle 18 21 1 2 230 119 349 171 28 0.0 0.1 11.0 5.7 16.6 8.1 1.3
2013 Fremantle 18 16 0 0 195 71 266 137 21 0.0 0.0 12.2 4.4 16.6 8.6 1.3
2014 Fremantle 18 13 1 0 132 79 211 93 12 0.1 0.0 10.2 6.1 16.2 7.2 0.9
2015 Fremantle 18 18 0 0 169 114 283 124 17 0.0 0.0 9.4 6.3 15.7 6.9 0.9
Career 256 115 72 2326 1287 3613 1677 361 0.4 0.3 9.1 5.0 14.1 6.6 1.4

References

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  1. ^ a b Luke McPharlin 200 AFL Games
  2. ^ AFL – Mark of The Year 2005 (Luke McPharlin)
  3. ^ "Grand revenge: Hawthorn makes up for 2012 loss". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. 28 September 2013. Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  4. ^ Fremantle Dockers defender Luke McPharlin retires as a club legend
  5. ^ "McPharlin calls time after decorated career". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. 30 September 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  6. ^ McPharlin calls time
  7. ^ A player and more
  8. ^ Top sportsmen find support in faith
  9. ^ Luke McPharlin Wins the Footy Show Screamers
  10. ^ Outside man
  11. ^ Grateful for guidance
  12. ^ "Kimberley perfect tonic for ex-Docker". Broome Advertiser. 8 April 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2020.
  13. ^ "Mind and Soul Matters Podcast". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  14. ^ Luke McPharlin's player profile at AFL Tables
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