Lance Whitnall

Infobox afl player | firstname = Lance
lastname = Whitnall




birthdate = Birth date and age|1979|8|23|df=y
birthplace =
heightweight = 190cm/100kg
originalteam = Lalor, Victoria/Northern U18
dead = alive
deathdate =
deathplace =
debutdate = Round 1, 31 March 1997
debutteam = Carlton
debutopponent = Essendon
debutstadium = Melbourne Cricket Ground
playingteams = Carlton (1997-2007)

216 games, 348 goals
coach = notcoach
coachingteams =
statsend = 2007
careerhighlights =

*Carlton team captain, 2007
*AFL Rising Star award nominee 1997
*All-Australian 2000
*Carlton Best and Fairest 2006

Lance "Buddy" Whitnall (born 23 August 1979) is a former Australian rules footballer, and the ex-captain of the Carlton Football Club.

Early career (1997-99)

Debuting in 1997 as a 17-year-old, the young Whitnall was recruited in the 1996 AFL Draft under the father-son rule, with his father Graeme having played 66 games for Carlton in the 1970s and 1980s.

The young red-headed, freckled Whitnall, known as "Banger", "Big Red" or simply "Red", quickly established himself in Carlton's best 22, kicking four goals on debut, and missing only a handful of games in 1997 and playing every game in 1998 and 1999. He became a vital part of Carlton's forward line, and in Round 17, 1998 against the Western Bulldogs, the then-19-year-old Whitnall became one of the youngest players to kick 8 goals in a game. It was in this match that he well and truly had established his presence. Whitnall finished with 46 goals for the 1998 season, followed by 55 goals in 1999.

Mid-career (2000-2003)

In 2000 Whitnall had his best season to date when he kicked 70 goals, including his career best 9.4 against Brisbane in Round 16, and was named in the All-Australian Team.

However, from there, the talented Whitnall had suffered a number of setbacks in his career, with ongoing injury and weight problems.

Late career (2004-2007)

In 2005, Whitnall turned around his previous weight problems and came out looking as fit as he has ever been. He performed very well during 2005 and 2006, playing predominately as the senior member of the Blues' young backline. He capped off a solid 2006 with victory in the Blues' best and fairest (the John Nicholls Medal), and at the age of 27, Whitnall became the second youngest Carlton player (after Robert Walls) to play 200 AFL games.

A long term member of the leadership team, and widely regarded as having one of the best football brains in the game, Whitnall first took over the captaincy of the team during Anthony Koutoufides' hand injury in 2006, and became the full-time captain in 2007 after Koutoufides relinquished the position. However he struggled in 2007 with ongoing problems with a degenerative condition in his knee. At the completion of the 2007 season, concerns by the club about his degenerative knee being able to stand up to the pressures of AFL football forced Carlton to delist Whitnall, bringing his 11 season, 216 game career at Carlton to an end at 28 years of age.

Post-playing career

Lance Whitnall has been recruited by NTFL side the Palmerston Magpies and will play in the club's next two matches, joining his cousin Ashley Williams in the side.

Lalor president Paul Honey has confirmed that Lance Whitnall has signed to play for Lalor in the 2008 season.

ee also

*List of Australian rules football incidents

External links

*Carlplayer|ref=13168
*AflRleague|ref=L/Lance_Whitnall.html
* [http://www.blueseum.org/cfc/tiki-index.php?page=Lance+Whitnall Lance Whitnall Profile in Blueseum]