Chris Judd facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chris Judd |
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Judd with West Coast in 2005
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Christopher Dylan Judd | ||
| Date of birth | 8 September 1983 | ||
| Place of birth | Melbourne | ||
| Original team | Sandringham Dragons (TAC Cup)/Caulfield Grammar (APS) | ||
| Draft | No. 3, 2001 national draft | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Christopher Dylan Judd (born 8 September 1983) is a famous former professional Australian rules football player. He was a captain for two major teams: the West Coast Eagles and the Carlton Football Club. Both teams play in Australia's top league, the Australian Football League (AFL). Many people think Chris Judd is one of the best players ever in the sport.
He won the Brownlow Medal twice, which is the highest award for an individual player in the league. He also won the Leigh Matthews Trophy twice, given to the most valuable player by the AFL Players Association. Chris Judd led the West Coast Eagles to win the 2006 AFL Premiership as their captain. He was chosen for the All-Australian team six times because he was such a great midfielder. He even captained the All-Australian team in 2008. Chris Judd also played for Australia and Victoria in special representative games.
Chris Judd is remembered as a legend at both the West Coast Eagles and Carlton. He played 134 games for West Coast, captaining them for two seasons. He won their Club Champion award twice. After moving to Melbourne to captain Carlton, he won their Best and Fairest award, the John Nicholls Medal, three times. He was only the fourth player in AFL history to win a Brownlow Medal with two different clubs. In August 2021, Chris Judd was added to the AFL Hall of Fame, a special place for the sport's greatest players.
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Early Life and Football Beginnings
Chris Judd was born in Melbourne, Australia. He grew up in the bayside suburbs of Melbourne. He started playing football at the East Sandringham Junior Football Club. Chris also went to Caulfield Grammar School.
He was a talented athlete in many sports, including track and field and cricket. At Caulfield Grammar, he started focusing more on Australian rules football. He later became captain of his school's top football team.
Chris Judd was part of the AIS/AFL Academy in 2000. He also played in the 2000 AFL Under 18 Championships. Even though he was only 17 and too young to be drafted, his skills stood out. He played TAC Cup football for the Sandringham Dragons until 2001.
In the 2001 AFL Under 18 Championships, Chris Judd was named captain of the Vic Metro team. Recruiters were very impressed by him. He was expected to be a top pick in the 2001 AFL Draft. The West Coast Eagles chose him as the third overall pick. This draft year was later called the "super draft" because so many great players came from it.
AFL Career Highlights
West Coast Eagles: Early Success (2002–2007)
Chris Judd played only one game in the WAFL before joining the West Coast Eagles. He made his AFL debut in round 2 of the 2002 season. He had a fantastic first year, winning the AFL Players Association's Best First Year Player Award. In his second season, he played both in the midfield and up forward. He finished second in the club's best and fairest award. Before the 2004 season, he became one of the Eagles' four vice-captains.
Becoming a Star Player (2004–2005)
The year 2004 was a huge breakthrough for Chris Judd. He played alongside other great midfielders like Ben Cousins, Daniel Kerr, and Dean Cox. Chris Judd averaged 22 disposals per game and kicked 24 goals. He became the first West Coast player to win the Brownlow Medal, getting 30 votes. He was also named to his first All-Australian team and won the Eagles' Club Champion award.
In 2005, he continued his strong performance. He won the Goal of the Year award. He also won the Norm Smith Medal in the 2005 AFL Grand Final. Even though West Coast lost that grand final by just four points to the Sydney Swans, Chris Judd's performance was outstanding.
Leading the Eagles to a Premiership (2006–2007)
On March 1, 2006, Chris Judd was named captain of the West Coast Eagles. He led the team to a thrilling one-point victory against Sydney in the 2006 AFL Grand Final. This win gave him his only AFL Premiership medal. He also won his second club best and fairest award, his second All-Australian selection, and the Leigh Matthews Trophy as the league's Most Valuable Player.
Chris Judd's excellent form continued into 2007. However, he started to have problems with a groin injury. This injury kept him out of several games and affected his play. He often had to play from the bench or in the forward line. He had won one premiership and was a runner-up with the West Coast Eagles in 2005.
Moving to Carlton (2007)
On September 16, 2007, Chris Judd announced he was leaving West Coast. He wanted to move to a club in Victoria. This news caused a lot of excitement among Melbourne-based clubs and the media.
Chris Judd met with four clubs: Essendon, Melbourne, Collingwood, and Carlton. On October 2, 2007, he announced that Carlton was his preferred club. Carlton was able to make a deal with West Coast. On October 11, 2007, Chris Judd officially joined Carlton. He signed a six-year contract with the club.
Carlton Career: New Leadership (2008–2015)
Captain and Second Brownlow Medal (2008–2010)
Chris Judd was named captain of Carlton before his first season with the Blues. His first game for Carlton was a practice match on March 7, 2008. His presence attracted 12,000 fans. His return match against West Coast in round 7 was highly anticipated, and Carlton won. Chris Judd played 21 games that season. He was named All-Australian captain and ruck rover, his third All-Australian selection. He also won the John Nicholls Medal as Carlton's best and fairest player. He won the John Nicholls Medal and All-Australian selection again in 2009.
Chris Judd had a challenging end to his 2009 season. In a final against Brisbane, he was suspended for three weeks for making contact near an opponent's eyes. He later explained his comment about "pressure points" was meant as a joke, but it was misunderstood.
After missing the first three games of the 2010 season due to the suspension, Chris Judd quickly showed his amazing talent. He won his second Brownlow Medal with 30 votes. He became the thirteenth player in VFL/AFL history to win the Brownlow more than once. He was also the fourth player to win it at two different clubs (West Coast and Carlton). Chris Judd also won his fifth All-Australian selection and his third straight John Nicholls Medal. He is the only player besides John Nicholls to win Carlton's best and fairest award three times in a row.
Leading Carlton to Finals (2011–2012)
In 2011, Chris Judd led Carlton to one of their best seasons in ten years. The team finished 5th and won their first finals match since 2001. He received the Leigh Matthews Trophy for the second time. He also won the AFLPA's Best Captain Award for the first time. He was named vice-captain of the All-Australian team, his fourth selection in a row. He played his 200th AFL game during this season.
In 2012, Chris Judd played his 100th game for Carlton as captain. In a game against North Melbourne, he was suspended for four matches for a tackle that caused an opponent's shoulder to dislocate. He finished third in the John Nicholls Medal for the 2012 season.
Final Years of Playing (2013–2015)
After the 2012 season, Chris Judd decided to take on a smaller role. He stepped down as captain and left the leadership group. After his first six-year contract ended in 2013, he signed single-year contracts. In round 10, 2015, he suffered a serious knee injury. He announced his retirement a few days later, ending his amazing 279-game career.
How Chris Judd Played
At his best, Chris Judd was considered the top midfielder in the game. Many people believe he was one of the best players of the 2000s. His playing style changed between his time at West Coast and Carlton, and he was excellent at both.
At West Coast, he was known for his explosive speed, quickness, and strength. He could get the ball in crowded areas, then quickly break free from opponents. This allowed him to make powerful kicks that hurt the other team.
By the time he joined Carlton, he had lost some of his speed due to injuries. He adapted his game to focus more on winning the ball inside the packs. Because of his strength and balance, he became one of the best at getting the ball from ruck tap-outs. He could shake off tackles in tight spaces and pass the ball to his teammates.
Football Recognition and Praise
Chris Judd has received many formal awards. He has also been praised by AFL journalists and former players.
I'm continually amazed the way he plays his game... You hear him interviewed and you think what an unbelievably together, mature, young guy he is. He's a fantastic guy to have.
He is the hardest opponent I've ever played on. I remember watching him when he first burst onto the scene, I actually would look at him as someone I wanted to base my game around. His speed, his accuracy with his skills, his contested football. It's just fantastic.
I played with magnificent players. Nicholls, Doull, Jesaulenko, but Judd is by far the best I've ever seen. He is just so consistently good, week after week – the way he's going he will win another Brownlow.
It is almost super human, the way that he shrugs tackles and wins clearances and shimmies and shakes and sets up scoring opportunities and his consistency.
Honours and Achievements
- Team Awards
- AFL Premiership (West Coast): 2006 (as Captain)
- McClelland Trophy (West Coast): 2006 (as Captain)
- Individual Awards
- Brownlow Medal: 2004, 2010
- Leigh Matthews Trophy (AFLPA MVP Award): 2006, 2011
- All-Australian: 2004, 2006, 2008 (as Captain), 2009 (as Vice-Captain), 2010, 2011 (as Vice-Captain)
- Norm Smith Medal: 2005
- Victorian Representative Honours: 2008
- Australian Representative Honours in International rules football: 2002
- AFLPA Best Captain Award: 2011
- AFLPA Best First Year Player Award: 2002
- Carlton Awards
- John Nicholls Medal: 2008, 2009, 2010
- Carlton F.C. Captain: 2008–2012
- West Coast Awards
- West Coast Club Champion Award: 2004, 2006
- Ross Glendinning Medal: 2005 (twice), 2006
- West Coast Eagles Captain: 2006–2007
- Other Achievements
- Goal of the Year: 2005
- The Age Player of the Year: 2009
In 2022, Chris Judd was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
Media and Personal Life
After his football career, Chris Judd has been involved in media. He joined radio station Triple M in November 2016 to provide special comments. In 2019, he invested in a London-based online company called Thinkmarkets. In October 2022, he started hosting a program called 'Talk Ya Book' on the streaming news channel Ticker News.
Chris Judd has studied business and media. He is an environmental ambassador for Visy, a packaging and recycling company.
On December 31, 2010, Chris Judd married speech pathologist and model Rebecca Twigley. They have three sons and a daughter.
See also
- List of Caulfield Grammar School people
