Max Rooke

Max Rooke

Max Rooke in 2007
Personal information
Full name Jarad Maxwell Rooke
Date of birth 19 December 1981 (1981-12-19) (age 30)
Place of birth Victoria, Australia
Original team Casterton
Height/Weight 189 cm / 93 kg
Position(s) Utility
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2002 – 2010 Geelong 135 (58)
1 Playing statistics to end of 2010 season .

Max Rooke (born Jarad Maxwell Rooke on 19 December 1981) is a retired Australian rules footballer, who played for the Geelong Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). A utility player, 1.89 metres (6.2 ft) tall and weighing 93 kilograms (210 lb), Rooke's versatility allowed him to play as a forward, defender, and midfielder.

Rooke made his AFL debut in 2002, and was awarded the 2003 Geelong Football Club Most Determined & Dedicated Player Award. He went on to become a dual premiership player with the club, playing key roles in both the 2007 and 2009 Grand Final victories. Rooke also won two NAB Cups and two McClelland Trophies with Geelong.

Contents

AFL career

Rooke was recruited from Casterton in 2001, and made his debut in the second round of 2002. He was a regular senior player until a shin injury forced him to miss the second half of 2004, including the finals series, but recovered to play all but one game in 2005.

His lack of pace against small forwards was exposed in Round 20, 2005 when Melbourne's Russell Robertson kicked seven goals against him. This prompted coach Mark Thompson to move him into the midfield the following week. This move was successful, with Rooke nullifying champion midfielder Chris Judd. In Geelong's close loss to the Sydney Swans in the Elimination Finals, Rooke amassed a remarkable fifteen tackles.

Rooke missed out on most of the 2007 season after suffering a potential season-ending 7 cm hamstring tear in Round 13.[1] On July 12, Geelong spent $20,000 on Rooke to receive treatment by soft-tissue expert Dr Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfarth in Germany.[1] He returned to the side in the 106-point Qualifying Final win against Kangaroos, after key defender Matthew Egan suffered a season-ending foot injury.[1]

On the 13th of October 2010, Rooke announced his retirement from AFL football. He cited an acute knee injury which kept him out for most of the 2010 Home and Away season.[2]

Rooke will be returning to the Geelong Footbal Club in 2011 as the Development Coach.

Personal life

In November 2006, Rooke made the decision to officially change his legal name to Max. Rooke's middle name at birth was Maxwell and both his grandfathers were known as Max, which led to a fondness of the name as the main reason behind the change. He also sported a new wild 1970's hairstyle and beard.[3] Rooke will be known by the new name in all official AFL records from the 2007 season onwards, in the same vein of the Western Bulldog's Brian Lake's name change from his original "Brian Harris".

Rooke has a daughter named Evie Willow, born in 2010, with partner Olivia Peron.

Statistics

Statistics are correct as of end of 2009 season (December 31, 2009)
Season Team No. Games Goals Behinds Kicks Marks Handballs Disposals
2002 Geelong 33 15 1 0 93 37 69 162
2003 Geelong 33 18 3 3 134 74 103 237
2004 Geelong 33 11 0 1 51 38 47 98
2005 Geelong 33 23 3 1 131 88 129 260
2006 Geelong 33 17 8 1 114 62 121 235
2007 Geelong 33 8 6 3 38 26 45 83
2008 Geelong 33 20 13 4 113 84 156 269
2009 Geelong 33 22 24 15 135 97 108 243
Totals 134 58 28 809 506 778 1587

References

External links