Aaron Davey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Aaron Davey |
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Photographed in March 2007
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Aaron Davey | ||
| Date of birth | 10 June 1983 | ||
| Place of birth | Darwin, Northern Territory | ||
| Original team | Port Melbourne (VFL) | ||
| Draft | No. 3, 2004 Rookie Draft, Melbourne | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Aaron Davey (born 10 June 1983 in Darwin, Australia) is a former professional Australian rules footballer. He played for the Melbourne Football Club from 2004 to 2013. After retiring as a player, he became a coach. He is currently the Senior Coach of the Cairns City Lions.
Davey was a top young player, finishing as runner-up for the AFL Rising Star award in 2004. He also represented Australia in the International Rules Series. This series is a special game against Ireland that combines rules from both Australian rules football and Gaelic football. He played in this series in 2005 and 2006.
Contents
Early Life and Football Journey
Aaron Davey grew up in Darwin. He is an Indigenous Australian with family connections to the Kokatha people of South Australia. Aaron is one of five children. His brother, Alwyn, also became a professional footballer for the Essendon team.
Aaron started playing football in the Northern Territory Football League. He played for the Palmerston Football Club. To chase his dream of playing in the AFL, he moved to Melbourne. There, he tried out for the Port Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
In 2003, the Melbourne Football Club chose Aaron Davey. He was selected with Pick No. 3 in the rookie draft. He officially began his AFL career in 2004.
Aaron Davey's AFL Career
Starting Strong: 2004 Season
Aaron Davey made his first AFL appearance for Melbourne in the 2004 AFL season. In his very first game, he scored a goal and gathered 13 possessions. His great start earned him an AFL Rising Star nomination. This award celebrates the best young players in the league.
However, a hamstring injury kept him off the field for four games. He returned just in time for the finals. At the end of the season, he was named the AFLPA Best First Year Player.
Playing for Australia: 2005 Season
In 2005, Aaron had a fantastic year. He played in all 22 games for Melbourne. He also got to represent Australia in the International Rules Series against Ireland.
He finished third in Melbourne's Best and Fairest award. This award goes to the team's top player for the season. He also won the AFLPA Marn Grook Award. This award recognizes the best emerging Indigenous player.
Versatile Player: 2006 Season
During the 2006 season, Aaron showed how versatile he was. He played in many different positions. He played as a forward, in the midfield, and even in the backline.
He was nominated three times for the Goal of the Year award. Two of these nominations were for amazing, consecutive soccer-style goals!
Key Player: 2007-2010 Seasons
In 2007, Aaron Davey was suspended for two games. This was due to an incident where he struck an opponent. He faced an injury in 2008.
In 2009, under the new coach Dean Bailey, Aaron moved into the midfield. This was a great move for him. He won Melbourne's top award, the Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Medal. In the 2010 AFL season, Aaron finished fourth in Melbourne's Best and Fairest. He also received the equal highest number of votes for Melbourne at the 2010 Brownlow Medal. The Brownlow Medal is given to the fairest and best player in the AFL.
Retirement from AFL
Aaron Davey announced he would be retiring on 20 August 2013. He played his final AFL game on 1 September 2013. This last match was against the Western Bulldogs. Over his career, he played 178 games and kicked 174 goals for the Melbourne Football Club.
Honours and Achievements
Aaron Davey achieved many great things during his football career:
- Individual Awards
- Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Medal: 2009 (Melbourne's Best and Fairest player)
- AFL Rising Star Runner-up: 2004 (Second best young player in the league)
- AFL Rising Star Nominee: 2004 (Nominated in Round 1)
- Australian Representative Honours in International Rules Football: 2005, 2006, 2013 (Played for Australia against Ireland)
- Harold Ball Memorial Trophy: 2004 (Award for a promising young player at Melbourne)
- AFLPA Marn Grook Award: 2005 (Recognizes the best emerging Indigenous player)
- Indigenous All-Stars Representative Honours: 2007, 2009, 2013 (Played for the team of Indigenous Australian footballers)
Media Appearances
Aaron Davey was quite well-known off the field too! He once appeared on The AFL Footy Show. This was during the Grand Final edition, where he did a fun Michael Jackson impersonation.
In 2009, Aaron was in an AFL television advertisement. It was called "AFL: In a League of its Own." The ad showed AFL players playing Australian rules football in unusual places. They played on a basketball court, in the middle of a soccer game, and even during an American football match! In the ad, Aaron received a handball and then kicked the ball to another famous player, Chris Judd.
Aaron is also a regular guest on The Marngrook Footy Show. This show talks about Australian rules football, often focusing on Indigenous players and culture.
Personal Life and Family
Aaron Davey comes from a family of talented athletes. His older brother, Alwyn Davey, played for the Essendon team. Aaron is also related to Brownlow Medalist, Gavin Wanganeen. Another famous relative is Patrick Mills, who plays basketball in the NBA.
His sister, Bronwyn, also played football. She was part of the first AFL Women's Draft. She played for the Melbourne Football Club's women's team.
Charitable Work
Beyond football, Aaron Davey has done important charitable work. In 2005, he became an ambassador for The Fred Hollows Foundation. This foundation works to prevent blindness and restore sight, especially in Indigenous communities.
In 2013, he took part in an event called Coastrek. He ran 50 kilometers to raise money for The Fred Hollows Foundation. This also helped to raise awareness about health issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
