Justin Madden

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Justin Mark Madden (born May 31, 1961) is an Australian Australian rules football player turned politician. He rose to prominence as a highly successful player with the Carlton Football Club, after an early stint with Essendon. He switched to politics after his retirement in 1997, and is the current Victorian Minister for Sport, Recreation and the Commonwealth Games.

[edit] Early life

Madden was born in Melbourne, and had his secondary schooling at St Bernard's College Essendon a school renowned for its sporting prowess. He then studied teaching at Australian Catholic University. He made his top-level football debut while still at university, after being signed to the Essendon Football Club, where his brother, Simon Madden, was an established player, in 1980. He graduated from university the following year, and in 1982, set about juggling the twin demands of teaching and football careers. In 1980 and 1981, Madden played 45 games for Essendon, but was concerned that he was not getting enough playing time, and made the switch to the Carlton Football Club in time for the 1982 season.

[edit] Move to Carlton

Madden was 206 cm (6' 9") tall, and one of the tallest men ever to play Australian Rules football, and his potential in this area was fully utilised by Carlton, who used him as their main ruckman. Over the next fifteen years, Madden became a mainstay of the Carlton side, and one of the most recognisable players in the league, playing 287 games for the club. He was a member of their 1987 and 1995 premiership teams, and came within one vote of tying with Brad Hardie for the 1985 Brownlow Medal.

Madden retired from teaching in 1988, and in 1990, became President of the AFL Players Association, while still playing for Carlton and at the peak of his career. In his seven-year tenure, which continued until his retirement, he oversaw the increasing professionalism of the game, and the expansion of the association to the point where it represented almost every eligible player in the entire league. Despite the increasing demands of AFL football, where most players were becoming professional players, Madden studied as an architect, and worked in this field while continuing to play football.

[edit] Politics

After retiring from football in 1997, Madden continued to work as an architect. The Essendon and Carlton Football Clubs agreed to name future contests between the two clubs the Madden Cup, in honor of both the Madden brothers. By this time, Madden was also a life member at Carlton.

Madden's nomination as a Labor candidate for the Legislative Council seat of Doutta Galla Province in the leadup to the 1999 election came as a surprise to many. However, he attained pre-selection, and was subsequently elected. When Labor won a surprise victory at the election, Madden found himself appointed Minister for Sport and Recreation, despite having no prior political experience. This was in spite of rumors that he had specifically requested not to be given Sport and Recreation, but instead had asked to be made responsible for Education. He was initially given the additional portfolio of Youth Affairs, but this was replaced with the Commonwealth Games after the 2002 election.

In the wake of reforms to the Legislative Council which cut the number of members, Madden was initially placed in danger of losing his preselection, but was saved by intervention from Premier Steve Bracks. This initially saw him preselected for the Legislative Assembly seat of Bundoora, vacated by former minister Sherryl Garbutt. However, after the sudden retirement of another former minister, Mary Delahunty, in Northcote, another deal was arranged which saw Madden instead remain in a safe position on the Legislative Council ticket.