Simon Madden


Simon Madden is a former Australian rules footballer who played his entire 19-season career with the Essendon Football Club from 1974 until 1992. Madden is one of the most decorated players in the club's history and widely regarded as one of the finest ruckmen to ever play the game.

Early life

Madden was born in Melbourne; he attended primary school at St Christopher's in Airport West and had his secondary schooling at St. Bernard's College in Essendon, a school renowned for its sporting prowess. He then studied teaching at the Institute of Catholic Education.
His younger brother Justin played football for Carlton and later became a Victorian state politician.

AFL career

In all, he played 378 senior matches, the second-most by any Essendon player, and eighth-most in league history. In addition to playing in the ruck, Madden was a handy part-time forward, kicking 575 goals in his career, a club record that stood until it was broken in 2003 by full-forward Matthew Lloyd.
Madden won four Essendon best and fairest awards and captained the side in the 1980 and 1981 seasons. He played in the back-to-back premiership sides in 1984 and 1985, winning the Norm Smith Medal for best on ground in the 1985 Grand Final. In 1986, Madden rejected an unheard-of offer for a 3-year contract totalling $550,000 by the eccentric Geoffrey Edelsten on behalf of the Sydney Swans, instead choosing to remain with Essendon for his entire career. Regarding the offer, Madden replied, "You can take the boy out of Essendon, but you can't take Essendon out of the boy." However, Madden estimated that, in 2009 dollars and taking into account the cost of buying a house, etc., it was actually the equivalent of $4.4 million over three years. However, Madden claimed that he never regretted the decision.
He was named in the All-Australian Team on three occasions. Madden captained the Victorian interstate team in 1989–91, and in 1990 received the Simpson Medal for best on ground in the Victoria vs. Western Australia match played in Perth.
He was named in the ruck in Essendon's Team of the Century and named as the fifth-best player ever to play for the club in the "Champions of Essendon" list.
After his playing days were over, Madden had a brief stint as ruck coach for Carlton. He was with the Blues for the 1993 season, in which they made the grand final but lost to Madden's former club, Essendon.
He was president of the AFL Players' Association from 1985 until 1989.

Statistics

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1974
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1975
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1976
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1977
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1978
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1979
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1980
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1981
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1982
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1983
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1986
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1987
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1988
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1989
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1990
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1991
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1992
! colspan=3| Career
! 378
! 575
! 334
! 3120
! 1491
! 4611
! 2063
! 106
! 5226
! 1.5
! 0.9
! 8.3
! 3.9
! 12.2
! 5.5
! 0.9
! 14.7
! 139

Honours and achievements

Team
Individual
Madden has an extended background in education and worked as a teacher for 15 years, attaining the position of Vice Principal.
Madden was President of the AFL Players' Association from 1985 to 1989.
Madden became head coach of St. Bernards Old Collegians Football Club in 2005.
He now spends a considerable amount of time in the classic rock band Better Late Than Never playing at local pubs and clubs with a group of long-term friends.