Mathew Stokes facts for kids

Mathew Stokes (born 22 November 1984) is a former professional Australian rules football player. He played for the Geelong Football Club and the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Quick facts for kids Mathew Stokes
Stokes with Geelong in July 2011
Personal information
Full name	Mathew Stokes
Nickname(s)	Stokesy
Date of birth	(1984-11-22) 22 November 1984 (age 40)
Place of birth	Northern Territory, Australia
Original team	Palmerston Magpies (NTFL) Woodville-West Torrens (SANFL)
Draft	No. 61, 2005 National Draft
Position(s)	Forward / Midfielder
Career highlights
AFL Premiership: 2007, 2011 AFL Pre-Season Premiership: 2009 McClelland Trophy: 2007, 2008

Early Life and Football Beginnings

Mathew Stokes grew up in Darwin, Australia. His parents are John and Jennifer, and he has three sisters. Stokes has a mixed background, including Indigenous Australian (from the Larrakia people), Filipino, and Spanish heritage.

His father was a dedicated player for the Palmerston Magpies. He played 148 games in the Northern Territory Football League (NTFL).

As a child, Mathew enjoyed basketball, cricket, and rugby league. He could not play Australian rules football until he was 11 years old due to age rules. Basketball was his main passion, and he even won an award for best player in an under-14s team when he was only seven.

When he finally started playing football at age 14, he quickly joined the senior team for the Palmerston Magpies. In 2002, his team won the premiership. This success made him focus more on football than basketball.

Mathew's skills in junior leagues led him to represent Australia in the under-17s national team. He played alongside future AFL stars like Luke Hodge and Nick Dal Santo.

After not being chosen in the 2002 AFL Draft, Mathew moved to Adelaide. He started playing in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) for Woodville-West Torrens. He also worked part-time as a zookeeper. His hard work paid off when the Geelong Football Club picked him in the 2005 AFL Draft.

AFL Career Highlights

Mathew Stokes joined the Geelong Football Club in 2006. In his seventh game, he kicked two important goals against Port Adelaide. These goals helped Geelong's chances of making the finals.

In 2006, he also played in Geelong's VFL Grand Final team. They lost to the Sandringham Zebras.

Becoming a Key Player

Stokes became a regular player for Geelong. In the 2007 season, he had a great game against Fremantle, kicking a career-best five goals.

He was a vital part of Geelong's team that won the 2007 AFL Grand Final. Even after dislocating his kneecap in the first quarter, he played well. Geelong won by a record 119 points against Port Adelaide.

In 2008, Stokes had a scare during a pre-season game. He was tackled and hit his head but was declared okay and did not need to go to the hospital.

Stokes playing for Geelong in 2008

He played 22 games in 2008, including the 2008 AFL Grand Final loss to Hawthorn. He had his best game for disposals (31) in a big win against Essendon.

Challenges and Return to Form

In 2009, Stokes played 19 games. He missed the preliminary final and the Grand Final due to a groin injury. Geelong won the Grand Final that year. Stokes later said he chose to miss the game because he did not want to let his teammates down by playing injured, as he felt he had in the 2008 Grand Final.

He had strong performances in 2009, including kicking four goals against the Western Bulldogs. He was ranked 18th in the AFL for goal assists per game.

Despite interest from other clubs, Geelong signed Stokes for another two years at the end of 2009.

In 2010, Stokes played 18 games for Geelong. He had excellent games against West Coast, North Melbourne, and Hawthorn. He was ranked 12th in the AFL for goal assists per game.

On September 1, 2015, Stokes announced that his final game for Geelong would be against Adelaide. He officially retired from the AFL on November 6, 2015.

Playing for Essendon

In January 2016, Mathew Stokes came out of retirement. He signed with the Essendon Football Club as a temporary player. This happened because many Essendon players were suspended due to a club issue.

He announced in August 2016 that he would retire for good after his 200th game. This milestone game was in Round 22 against Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium.

Personal Life and Interests

Outside of football, Mathew Stokes enjoys fishing. He grew up supporting the Collingwood Football Club. His football hero was Nathan Buckley from Collingwood. His overall sporting hero is American basketball player Josh Howard.

Stokes was good friends with other future AFL players like Trent Hentschel and Aaron Davey when he was growing up.

He worked as a zookeeper while playing in the SANFL. He hopes to return to this job after his football career. He also studies zoology through online courses.

After retiring as a player, Stokes worked for the AFL. He helped with programs for Indigenous people. In December 2018, he returned to the Geelong Football Club. He now works as their people and engagement manager.

Statistics

Honours and Achievements

• Team Awards
  • AFL Premiership (Geelong): 2007, 2011
  • AFL Pre-Season Premiership (Geelong): 2009
  • McClelland Trophy (Geelong): 2007, 2008
  • Dream Team Representative Honours in AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match: 2008
  • NTFL Premiership (Palmerston): 2001