Leon Davis (footballer)

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Leon Davis (born June 17, 1981) is an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.

Drafted to Collingwood in 1999 as a small forward, Davis is of Aboriginal heritage. Davis made an early impression at the Pies and played Round 1 in his debut season. He showed what he was capable of turning a match but also that he was inconsistent. He could light up a game and determine a result, or he could shut off for 4 quarters and have zero impact. Despite being dropped several times, he still notched up just under 40 games in his first two seasons and almost a goal a game on average.

Nicknamed "Neon Leon" for his exciting style of play, he is a cult figure of sorts amongst Magpies supporters. In particular, Triple M commentator and former player, Brian Taylor who is a friend of Davis, is a huge fan of his. During Triple M's coverage of a Collingwood game he claims that Davis is his man, that he is "the ignitor" of Collingwood and will get excited about anything he does no matter how spectacular or how ordinary the piece of play was. For example if Davis is barely involved in a good piece of play (for example an ordinary hand ball to an open player) he will claim that Davis made that goal and he has ignited the team. The Triple M team also like to talk about Taylor's experience with Leon at Taylor's rural property where Davis hunts kangaroos.

In 2002 he played 23 games for the season including the Grand Final, but didn't get a touch of the ball for the entire game of a lifetime, in what almost saw a premiership. He kicked 31 goals for the year, including consecutive bags of 4 goals mid-season. One of the luckiest turn of events in 2003 however saw Davis come from the reserves straight into the Preliminary final side, after 3 months, but once again, had no impact in the Grand Final. Despite lack of form, 'neon Leon' played 19 games in a dismal 2004 for the Pies, he still managed 23 goals.

In 2005 he started well, but a wrist injury forced him out for a month, but never broke back into the side until late in the season. He did however bring up his 100th game, becoming the first indigenous Australian to do so for Collingwood. He also encountered trouble with radio commentator Rex Hunt over an incident in which Hunt called Davis 'as black as a dog' during the call against Essendon mid-way through the season.

Davis had a solid start to the 2006 season, showing his true value to the side in the first-half. He had an interrupted second half however, with a thigh injury sustained against Richmond, the same match he was in a contest with Chris Newman which resulted in Newman to break his leg. Davis would then be dropped after coming back into the side, but forced his way back in a week later. He made an impression in the midfield, before he would fracture his fibula/ankle and couldn't get back on the track for finals. He kicked 23 goals in 15 games.

In 2007 Davis' role has moved further up the field from his customary small forward role. The year has seen him given substantial game time in the 'engine' alongside experienced players such as Scott Burns. Though not overly effective in the crucial clearances aspect of his new engine role, Davis has shown a fitness level that has enabled him to run out games (with rotations) as a midfielder with his forward role slowly taking a back seat. Despite this change of roles, Davis has maintained his ability to get forward from the midfield and kick several inspirational goals and thus maintaining and improving on his yearly average of 20 goals with a 29 goal year from 21 games featuring two 'bags' of 4 goals in rounds 10 and 16. In addition Davis has also been ranked highly in the league for tackles inside the forward 50 metre arc. Davis' 29 goal year is his best for 5 years since his 2002 tally of 31 goals from 23 matches.

[edit] External links

• Leon Davis (footballer) profile on the Official AFL Website of the Collingwood Football Club
• Leon Davis' career stats at finalsiren.com
• Leon Davis (footballer)'s statistics from AFL Tables