Joel Corey

Joel Corey (born 17 February 1982) is an Australian rules footballer for the Geelong Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). A midfielder, 1.90 metres (6 ft 3 in) tall and weighing 87 kilograms (192 lb), Corey is able to contribute inside or outside while on the ball.

Corey is a dual Carji Greeves Medallist, two-time All-Australian, and was part of Geelong's AFL premiership-winning teams in 2007 and 2009. He has also been selected in the Dream Team, a representative Australian rules football team that contested in the AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match, as well as being selected to represent Australia in International rules football.

Career

Corey was drafted with Geelong's 8th pick in the 1999 draft as a 17 year old. He has since built a reputation as a tall, consistent, hard-running midfielder with an uncanny ability at clearing the ball from tight, pack situations. Corey is an important cog in the Geelong midfield, and if needed can play a defensive role within the team. Though he often goes unnoticed, Corey consistently gets the job done and because he has such a star-studded midfield around him he does not have the burden of getting the number one tag each week.

Highlights of his career to date include a 2005 Carji Greeves Medal victory, selection in the Australian International Rules team of 2004, and selection as an All-Australian in 2007 and 2008. Corey played an integral part in Geelong's record breaking 2007 Grand Final win. He is a part of the 6-man leadership group at Geelong.

Statistics

Statistics are correct as of 01 October 2011 (Grand Final)^[1]

Honours and achievements

AFL

• AFL Premiership Player (2007, 2009, 2011)
• 2-time All-Australian (2007, 2008)
• AFL Pre-Season Premiership Player (2006)
• International Rules Series Representative (2004)
• Western Australia State of Origin (2005, 2006, 2007)

Geelong Football Club

• Geelong Best and Fairest Winner (2005, 2008)
• Geelong Football Club Coach's Award (2005)
• Geelong Football Club Most Determined & Most Dedicated Player Award (2002)

U18 Juniors

• All Australian U/18 (1999)
• Western Australia U/18 (1999)
• Ron Barassi Medalist (1999)
• U17 International Rules (1999)

Milestones:

• AFL debut: Round 17, 2000 (vs. Richmond) at the Telstra Dome (Geelong lost by 24 points)
• Finals debut: Elimination final, 2000 (vs. Hawthorn) at the Telstra Dome (Geelong lost by 9 points)
• 50th game: Round 11, 2003 (vs. Carlton) at the Telstra Dome (Geelong won by 40 points)
• 100th game: Round 20, 2005 (vs. Melbourne) at Skilled Stadium (Geelong lost by 1 point)
• 150th game: Preliminary final, 2007 (vs. Collingwood) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (Geelong won by 5 points)
• 200th game: Round 1, 2010 (vs. Essendon) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (Geelong won by 31 points)

Tribunal history

Personal life

Corey graduated from John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School in 1999. He was a junior Australian representative in baseball when he was younger, but Corey gave baseball up to pursue a football career.^[4] Outside of football, Corey is a quiet, humble person who does not particularly enjoy doing interviews saying even in Primary school speaking in front of the class wasn't his forte.^[5]

Corey enjoys surfing, in Torquay with teammate Cameron Ling, as he finds it "pretty peaceful, it clears your head". His nickname, Smithy, comes from the fact that his surname is also a popular boys given name. Though Corey still calls Western Australia home, he has no intentions of returning there anytime soon.^[6] Corey has two dogs, a Kelpie and a Staffordshire terrier.^[7]

References

External links

• Joel Corey's profile on the Official AFL Website of the Geelong Football Club
• Joel Corey's statistics from AFL Tables