Phil Carman

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Phil Carman
Personal Info
Birth September 4, 1950, Edenhope, Victoria
Recruited from Edenhope, Norwood (SANFL)


Playing Career¹
Debut 1975, Collingwood vs. South Melbourne, at Victoria Park
Team(s) Collingwood (1975-78)

66 Games, 142 Goals

Melbourne (1979)

11 Games, 23 Goals

Essendon (1980-81)

10 Games, 12 Goals

North Melbourne (1982)

13 Games, 27 Goals

¹ Statistics to end of 2005 season
Career Highlights

"Fabulous" Phil Carman (born September 4, 1950) is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL/AFL.

Carman had a difficult time in the VFL, with clearances and submissions being delayed causing controversy. Collingwood had shown plenty of interest in Phil, but Carman didn't like the football lifestyle in Melbourne. He played several games for Norwood in the SANFL before the problems set him off the Magpies. He made an impression straight away, making his debut at age 24. He won the Copeland Trophy and also was the Leading Goalkicker, kicking 41 goals. He did however break a bone in his foot, which set him back for nine weeks, but the achievements were amazingly still there, and he finished 3 votes away from winning a Brownlow Medal in his debut year.

In the 1977 Second Semi Final win, he was suspended for two matches after striking Hawthorn's Michael Tuck, causing him to miss both the Grand Final and Grand Final Replay against North Melbourne. After the end of the 1978 season, he was given the flick by Collingwood and he joined Melbourne. He spent the one year there, before moving once again, to Essendon. He played 2 seasons, but was given a 20-week suspension for head-butting a boundary umpire, and also striking St Kilda's Gary Sidebottom. In his comeback match, he was reported again.

He moved to North Melbourne for his final years, in 1982. He then retired from football, at the age of 32, and played for regional clubs in Victoria and also in the ACT.

He then coached Sturt in the SANFL from 1995 - 2001. Instrumental in Sturt's resurgence as a power in the SANFL after a run of wooden spoons from 1989 - 1996. Sturt did not win a game in Carman's first year and he built the team up to win the 1998 Minor Premiership, only to fail to Port Adelaide in the Grand Final.

Preceded by
Wayne Richardson
Copeland Trophy winner
1975
Succeeded by
Robert Hyde