Darren Bartsch

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Darren Bartsch (b. 28 April 1969) is a former Australian rules footballer who holds the record of being drafted on four occasions, the most of any footballer who failed to play a VFL/AFL game.

Standing 198 cm tall and weighing 95 kilograms, Bartsch was a ruckman with West Adelaide Football Club who was first drafted at the 1988 VFL Draft at number 52 by the West Coast Eagles but Bartsch decided to stay in Adelaide.

Bartsch again stayed in Adelaide when Geelong Football Club drafted him in 1990. He was on the original playing list for Adelaide Crows in 1991, but never played a game. By the time Brisbane Bears drafted him in 1992, he was associated with his fourth club, but had yet to play a VFL/AFL game.

He continued to impress while playing with West Adelaide in the SANFL, and it was only when Essendon Football Club selected him at 66 in the 1993 pre-season draft did Bartsch agree to travel to pursue an AFL career.

In order to keep his Adelaide landscaping business running, he flew into Melbourne on Thursdays and returned to Adelaide on Sundays. While in Melbourne, he stayed with Kevin Morris, his former West Adelaide coach who was now at Essendon.

Bartsch played the season in the reserves, enjoying what he described as the best year of his football life. When Essendon delisted him after the season, he joined Port Adelaide in the hope that he would be included in that club's AFL plans.

Before long, the Port Adelaide move had soured. Disillusioned with football, Bartsch retired at 25 due to a back injury and moved to Darwin, where he continues his landscaping business.

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