Justin Murphy (Australian rules footballer) facts for kids

Justin Murphy (born April 24, 1976) is a former professional Australian rules football player. He played for several teams in the Australian Football League (AFL). These teams included the Richmond Football Club, the Carlton Football Club (twice), the Geelong Football Club, and the Essendon Football Club.

Early Life and Junior Football

Justin Murphy grew up in Victoria, Australia. He is from an Indigenous Australian background. As a young player, he played junior Australian football for the Central Dragons team.

Playing in the AFL

Justin Murphy played 185 games in the AFL. He played for four different clubs during his career. This made him a "journeyman" of the league.

Time with Richmond (1994–1995)

The Richmond Football Club chose Justin Murphy as their third pick in the 1993 National Draft. He had an amazing start to his senior career. In his first game in 1994, he kicked five goals against Essendon. After two seasons, Murphy moved to the Carlton Football Club at the end of 1995. He played 12 games for Richmond and kicked 9 goals.

First Time with Carlton (1996–2000)

Justin Murphy joined the Carlton Football Club in 1996. He wore guernsey number 18. In his first game for Carlton, he had 19 possessions and kicked his first goal for the club. He also played in the finals for the first time that year.

Fans remember him for holding the ball when the final siren sounded in a big game. This was Carlton's close 1-point win against Essendon in the 1999 Preliminary Final. After the 2000 season, Murphy was traded to the Geelong Football Club. He played 79 games for Carlton during this time and kicked 76 goals.

Playing for Geelong (2001)

Justin Murphy played for the Geelong Football Club for one season in 2001. He played 18 games for Geelong and kicked 9 goals.

Return to Carlton (2002–2003)

Murphy returned to the Carlton Football Club at the end of 2001. The 2002 season was a very tough year for the club. Even though Murphy played well, Carlton had a difficult time. In 2003, the club faced more challenges. Murphy played 16 matches that season. He then asked to be traded to the Essendon Football Club. In his second time with Carlton, from 2002 to 2003, he played 36 games and kicked 29 goals.

Time with Essendon (2004–2005)

Justin Murphy joined the Essendon Football Club at the end of 2003. He was part of a well-known game in 2004 called the "Line in the Sand" match. He was the only Essendon player to be suspended after that game. After the 2005 AFL season, Murphy retired from playing professional football. He played 40 games for Essendon and kicked 28 goals.

After the AFL

After his AFL career, Justin Murphy continued to play football. In 2006, he joined the Heidelberg Football Club in Melbourne. He played over 100 games there and helped them win four championships. He also played for other clubs like the Tatura Football Club and Numurkah. Murphy also played in the Northern Territory Football League for the Waratah during summer seasons.