Des Headland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Des Headland |
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Desmond John Headland Junior | ||
| Date of birth | 21 January 1981 | ||
| Place of birth | Subiaco, Western Australia | ||
| Original team | Subiaco (WAFL) | ||
| Draft | 1st overall, 1998 National draft Brisbane Lions |
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| Position(s) | Forward, Midfield | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Desmond John Headland, Jr. (born 21 January 1981) is a former professional Australian rules football player. He played in the Australian Football League (AFL) for both the Brisbane Lions and Fremantle. After his AFL career, he continued playing for Subiaco in the West Australian Football League (WAFL). Des Headland was also involved in politics for a short time. He was known for playing as a half-forward flanker or midfielder.
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Des Headland's Football Journey
Des Headland was a top talent in Australian rules football. He was chosen as the very first player in the 1998 AFL draft by the Brisbane Lions. This was a huge achievement! He played a total of 166 games in the AFL during his career.
Early Days: Before the AFL
Des Headland started playing junior football at the Karrinyup Junior Football Club. He also played school football at Lockridge Senior High School. There, he played alongside other future AFL stars.
In 1997, Des represented Western Australia (WA) in the Under 16 national championships. He was the best player and was picked for the All-Australian team. The next year, 1998, was even bigger for him. He played for WA in the AFL Under 18 Championships. He also made his senior debut for Subiaco Football Club. He won the "rising star" award in the West Australian Football League (WAFL) and was Subiaco's best player.
At the end of this amazing year, the Brisbane Lions picked him first in the 1998 AFL draft. He was the first Indigenous player ever to be the number one draft pick in the AFL. A TV show called The Draft even followed him and two other players before they joined the AFL.
Playing for the Brisbane Lions
Des Headland played his first AFL game for Brisbane in 1999. He scored two goals in that game! In 2001, he got the famous number 1 jersey. He played most of the regular season games that year.
The 2002 season was a highlight for Des. He started strong, kicking four goals in his first game. He played every game after that, scoring 30 goals and getting many votes for the Brownlow Medal. This great form helped Brisbane win their second premiership. Des Headland proudly earned a premiership medal that year.
Moving to Fremantle Football Club
After the 2002 season, Des Headland wanted to return to Western Australia. The Fremantle Dockers worked hard to get him. It was a big trade that involved several players and draft picks. Fremantle fans were very excited for him to join their team.
In 2003, Des continued to play well. He received votes for the Brownlow Medal in four games. However, injuries, like an ankle injury in 2004 and a calf strain in 2005, made it hard for him to keep up his best form consistently.
A special moment happened in Round 4 of the 2003 season. Des Headland was one of seven Indigenous players playing for Fremantle in that game. This was the most Indigenous players ever to play for one AFL team at that time. Fremantle also scored their highest ever score in that game, beating the Kangaroos by a lot!
Return to Subiaco WAFL Team
After finishing his AFL career with Fremantle in 2010, Des Headland went back to play for his old team, Subiaco. He played for them in the 2011 WAFL season.
A Brief Look at Politics
In July 2013, Des Headland became a candidate for a political party called the Palmer United Party. This party was started by an Australian businessman named Clive Palmer. Des announced he was running for a seat in the government, showing his interest in public life after football.
