Dale Kickett facts for kids

Dale Mathew Kickett was born on May 4, 1968. He is a former Australian rules football player. Dale played for five different clubs in the Australian Football League (AFL). These clubs were Fitzroy, West Coast, St Kilda, Essendon, and Fremantle. His career lasted from 1990 until 2002. Dale Kickett holds a record for playing with the most VFL/AFL clubs.

Dale's Early Football Journey

Dale Kickett grew up in Western Australia. He has family members who also became famous AFL footballers. These include Derek Kickett and Lance "Buddy" Franklin.

Starting in Country Football

Dale began playing football in 1984. He was living in a small country town called Tammin. Later, he moved to Perth. In 1987, he played three games for Swan Districts' under-19s team.

Success with Claremont

After Swan Districts, Dale joined the Claremont. His uncle, Larry Kickett, coached the under-19s team there. Dale made his senior debut for Claremont in the WAFL in 1988. He quickly became a very successful player. In 1989, he was the club's top goal scorer. He also helped Claremont win the premiership in 1989.

Joining the AFL

In 1990, Dale was chosen to play in the Australian Football League. Fitzroy picked him as their first choice in the 1989 national draft. Dale played 15 games in his first AFL season. However, living in the big city of Melbourne was a big change for him. He had grown up in a small town.

Moving Between Clubs

After one season, Dale moved to the West Coast Eagles. He only played two games for them. He found it hard to get into their strong senior team. While on the reserve list, he played for Claremont again. He had a great year, winning his second premiership with Claremont. He also won the Simpson Medal for being the best player in the grand final.

Next, St Kilda gave Dale a chance in 1992. He played 21 games and had a promising season. But again, he only stayed for one year. He then returned to Western Australia.

In 1993, Dale played only WAFL football for Claremont. This year was very important for his career. He switched from playing in the half-forward line to the half-back line. He helped Claremont win his third premiership. He also won his second Simpson Medal.

Essendon noticed Dale's new skills as a half-back. They recruited him in 1993. Dale stayed in Western Australia until the 1994 season began. He played eight games for Essendon but only stayed for one season.

Dale's Time with Fremantle

The new Fremantle Football Club joined the AFL. Dale's former Claremont coach, Gerard Neesham, became the coach of Fremantle. This was a big reason for Dale to join the club. He had always wanted a stable life in Western Australia.

A Stable Home at the Dockers

Dale spent seven years with the Fremantle Dockers. This was the longest and most stable part of his career. He became a key player in Fremantle's defense. He finished second in the Best and Fairest award in 1995 and 1996. Then, he won the award in 1997. In 1999, Dale became the first player to play 100 games for Fremantle.

The "Demolition Derby" Incident

In 2000, Dale was involved in a famous game known as the Demolition Derby. There were some heated moments and arguments during the game. Dale received penalties for three separate incidents. He was suspended for nine weeks.

Retirement from AFL

By 2002, Dale's back and leg injuries started to affect his playing. He played only three games before being dropped due to illness. He found it hard to get back into the team. In June, he announced his retirement from the AFL.

As a tribute, Fremantle gave him a special farewell match. This was against Port Adelaide in Round 14 at Subiaco. Even though Fremantle lost, the crowd and the Port Adelaide team stayed to celebrate Dale's career. This game also meant Dale joined the AFL 200 club. He had played 181 league games, 17 pre-season games, and 2 State of Origin games. He played one more game for Claremont in 2003 before retiring completely. With his AFL games and 81 WAFL games for Claremont, he is also a member of the Western Australia Two Hundred Club.