Rhan Hooper facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rhan Hooper |
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Hooper at a training session in 2008
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Rhan Hooper | ||
| Date of birth | 9 January 1988 | ||
| Place of birth | Charleville, Queensland | ||
| Original team | Ipswich Eagles | ||
| Draft | No. 41, 2005 national draft | ||
| Debut | Round 2, 2006, Brisbane Lions v. Essendon, at The Gabba |
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| Position(s) | Utility | ||
Rhan Hooper (born January 9, 1988) is a former professional Australian rules football player. He played for two teams in the Australian Football League (AFL): the Brisbane Lions and Hawthorn Football Club. Rhan is an indigenous Australian from the Murri people. He was known for his amazing speed and strong tackles on the field.
Rhan was picked by the Brisbane Lions in the 2005 National Draft. He was the 41st player chosen overall. He came from Ipswich in Queensland. Rhan wore jersey number 33, which was also worn by his hero, Darryl White. Rhan was a "utility player," meaning he could play many different positions. He was especially good as a defensive forward or "goal sneak." This meant he helped stop the other team from scoring and also kicked goals himself. He could also play in the forward pocket or half-forward. His speed and ability to win the ball also meant he sometimes played in the midfield or as a defender.
Contents
Early Life and Football Beginnings
Where Rhan Grew Up
Rhan Hooper was born in Charleville, Queensland. His parents are indigenous Australians from the Kooma tribe. Later, his family moved to Cunnamulla. As a teenager, Rhan lived in Ipswich and went to Bundamba State Secondary College.
Discovering Aussie Rules
When he was younger, Rhan played rugby league. He spent some time in Melbourne, where he first learned about Aussie Rules football. This was when he was in the Under 9s age group. He was very talented and even played some games with the Dandenong Stingrays.
Joining the Brisbane Lions
After returning to Queensland, Rhan played for the Ipswich Eagles. He caught the eye of the Brisbane Lions when he played for Queensland in the Under 18 championships in 2005. His incredible speed and ability to pick up the ball while running fast reminded scouts of Melbourne Demons player Aaron Davey. Rhan was also interested in playing for the NRL (National Rugby League). However, he chose to play in the AFL instead.
Rhan Hooper's AFL Career
Starting Strong with Brisbane
Rhan was drafted from the QAFL club Mount Gravatt Football Club. He quickly made it to the senior AFL level. He showed his skills in the 2006 NAB Cup, which is a pre-season competition. Rhan played his first official AFL game against Essendon in 2006. He showed lots of speed, kicked a goal, and made an impressive 7 tackles. His strong performances helped him stay in the team for several more games.
Challenges and Comebacks
In 2007, Rhan faced some challenges with his commitment to professional football. His coach, Leigh Matthews, worked with him to help him get back on track. Rhan returned to the team in June 2007 with a new focus.
Memorable Moments in 2007
Rhan had some great moments in the 2007 season. He was nominated for the 2007 AFL Army Award for a game-saving chase and tackle. This happened in Round 10 against Richmond's Matthew White. He also made five important tackles against Melbourne in Round 15. In Round 16, he kicked four goals against the Carlton Blues. However, he was suspended for three matches later that season for an incident with a Hawthorn player.
Moving to Hawthorn
In 2008 and 2009, Rhan continued to face some difficulties with his club rules. Despite this, his last Brisbane coach, Michael Voss, decided to let him go at the end of 2009. In the 2009 National Draft, the Hawthorn Football Club picked Rhan. He played six games for Hawthorn and kicked seven goals. He showed flashes of brilliance, especially in Round 22 against the Collingwood Magpies. In that game, he did an amazing job of stopping Collingwood's star player, Dale Thomas. Rhan also kicked a very important goal in the final quarter, helping Hawthorn win the game by three points.
Retirement from AFL
Even with his strong performances at Hawthorn, Rhan decided to leave the club. On October 6, 2010, Hawthorn announced that Rhan had quit. He returned home to Queensland to start a family.
AFL Career Statistics
| G | Goals | B | Behinds | K | Kicks | H | Handballs | D | Disposals | M | Marks | T | Tackles |
| Season | Team | No. | Games | Totals | Averages (per game) | Votes | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | B | K | H | D | M | T | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | |||||
| 2006 | Brisbane Lions | 33 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 49 | 30 | 79 | 12 | 38 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 4.5 | 2.7 | 7.2 | 1.1 | 3.5 | 0 |
| 2007 | Brisbane Lions | 33 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 70 | 38 | 108 | 30 | 27 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 8.8 | 4.8 | 13.5 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 2 |
| 2008 | Brisbane Lions | 33 | 20 | 19 | 15 | 120 | 80 | 200 | 55 | 89 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 6.0 | 4.0 | 10.0 | 2.8 | 4.5 | 1 |
| 2009 | Brisbane Lions | 33 | 9 | 13 | 6 | 50 | 25 | 75 | 21 | 26 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 5.6 | 2.8 | 8.3 | 2.3 | 2.9 | 0 |
| 2010 | Hawthorn | 20 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 33 | 17 | 50 | 15 | 25 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 5.5 | 2.8 | 8.3 | 2.5 | 4.2 | 0 |
| Career | 54 | 56 | 46 | 322 | 190 | 512 | 133 | 205 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 6.0 | 3.5 | 9.5 | 2.5 | 3.8 | 3 | ||
Life After AFL Football
Playing Rugby League Again
In 2012, Rhan Hooper decided to try a different sport. He signed with the rugby league club Ipswich Jets. This team plays in the Queensland Rugby League competition.
Returning to Australian Rules
After a short time playing rugby league, Rhan switched back to Australian rules football. He played for the Springwood Australian Football Club near Brisbane. Later, he returned to his old club, the Ipswich Eagles. There, he took on a role as a player-coach. In 2018, he was even chosen to represent South Queensland.
