Sharrod Wellingham

Infobox afl player NEW

| playername = Sharrod Wellingham
fullname = Sharrod Wellingham


birthdate = birth date and age|1988|7|7|df=y
birthplace = Western Australia
originalteam = Perth (WAFL)
dead = alive
deathdate =
deathplace =
draftpick = 10^th overall, 2006 Rookie Draft
Collingwood
heightweight = 185cm, 82kg
position = Midfielder
currentclub = Collingwood
guernsey = 21
years = 2008-
clubs = Collingwood
games(goals) = 7 (2)
statsend = R13, 2008

Sharrod Wellingham (born 7 July 1988 in Western Australia) is an Australian rules footballer currently playing for Collingwood in the Australian Football League.

A skillful wingman blessed with speed from the West, Wellingham becomes the fifth Indigenous footballer on the Magpies list having been selected with the 10th pick in the 2006 AFL Rookie Draft.

Wellingham's initial season at the club was spent with Collingwood's VFL affiliate side, Williamstown, where he impressed with his form, becoming a regular in the senior side, highlighted by a [http://www.sportingpulse.com/nf/round_info.cgi?action=MATCH&fixture=24080149&client=1-3020-0-52851-4380374 Best On Ground performance] against the Casey Scorpions in Round 3.

Due to VFL limits on the number of AFL-listed players eligible for selection against non AFL-affiliated clubs, Wellingham was demoted to the Williamstown reserves towards the end of 2007. Despite this Wellingham was promoted to the Collingwood senior list to replace Chris Egan, despite being named an emergency he did not make his Collingwood debut and was subsequently been demoted back to 'rookie' status.

Wellingham's form throughout the year saw him come close to senior selection in round 19, when he was listed as an emergency against Richmond. He survived the cut post-season, and will remain alongside Brent Macaffer, Kevin Dyas and Luke Casey-Leigh on the Collingwood 2008 rookie list. The club thinks highly of him, as evidented by his shift in guernsey numbers, switching from the lowly 41 to Guy Richards' old number 21.

In January 2008, Collingwood announced they were cutting ties with the TAC sponsorship after Sharrod was charged with drink-driving. Wellingham was moving a car 100 metres up the road (so he says, the other AFL players with him had been drinking) after being out on Saturday 5 January, when he was pulled over by the police. The club fined him $5000. [ [http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,23028065-948,00.html?from=mostpop "Drink-drive rookie Sharrod Wellingham costs Collingwood $500,000"] ]

Before the Anazac Day Clash Between Essendon and Collingwood he was promoted to the senior list again and is again named as an emergency for the Anzac day clash [http://afl.com.au/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsid=58415"AFL 2008 Round 6 Teams"] ] , with Dane Swan, Alan Didak and Anthony Rocca in doubt he may finally make his AFL debut on Anzac day. On ANZAC Day 2008 Anthony Rocca pulled out of the match which let Wellingham make his debut.

Trivia

*Sharrod lives with teammates Nick Maxwell and Sean Rusling.
*Sharrod grew up in Perth, Western Australia
*Sharrod is the step-grandson of Philip Bodeker who wrote the 1960s novel, The Sandgroper's Trail

References

External links

*Collplayer|ref=359354
*Sharrod Wellingham's [http://www.sportingpulse.com/nf/team_info.cgi?player=Sharrod%20Wellingham&action=PSTATS&pID=187148682&client=1-3020-0-52851-4380374 2007 Playing Record]