Alex Jesaulenko

Playing Career : 1967 - 1979
Debut : Round 1, 1967 vs Fitzroy - aged 21 years 255 days
Carlton Player No. 793
Games : 256 (279 Overall)
Goals : 424 (444 Overall)
Last Game (Carlton): Grand Final, 1979 vs Collingwood - aged 34 years 57 days
Guernsey No. 25
Height : 182 cm (5'11½")
Weight : 89 kgs (14.00)
DOB : August 2, 1945
Premiership Player: 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979
Leading Goalkicker : 1969, 1970, 1971
Captain: 1975, 1976
Captain-Coach: 1978, 1979
Best and Fairest: 1975
Carlton Hall of Fame
Team of the Century
AFL Team of the Century
Carlton and AFL Legend



In 1995, legendary player and coach Ron Barassi wrote his memoirs, which included three teams made up of (a) the best players he had played alongside, (b) the best players he had coached, and (c) the best players he had seen, throughout his celebrated career that began in 1953 at Melbourne. Only two men made all three teams, and both were from Carlton; John Nicholls and Alex Jesaulenko. Nicholls, of course, is widely regarded as Carlton’s greatest and most influential player. But when it comes to sheer football ability; to that rare spark of genius that sets champions above mere greatness, the immortal ‘Jezza’ - Alex Jesaulenko – has had few peers.

Born in Salzburg, Austria to Ukrainian migrants who later settled in Canberra, Alex played soccer and rugby as a boy. He was 14 before he discovered Aussie Rules, and only five years later he was a star in the local competition for Eastlake. Carlton soon had him in their sights, but North Melbourne swooped first and invited him to play with them on match permits.

It was a rebuff, but Carlton's recruiters could not be deterred. After convincing Alex and his parents that Princes Park offered greater opportunities than Arden Street, they found a loophole in the regulations, and, much to the disgust of the Kangaroos, successfully appealled to have North's agreement with Jesaulenko ruled invalid by the ANFC. In the summer of 1966, Ron Barassi welcomed Alex to Princes Park, where his form in training and pre-season trial matches was nothing short of sensational.

He was named in the team for the Blues' first match of 1967, and went on to play in all 20 games that season, including two finals. Wearing the number 25 that became his icon, and playing mainly as a half-forward flanker, he kicked 34 goals, won Carlton's Best First Year Player Award, represented Victoria in that year's Interstate Carnival - and finished third in the Brownlow Medal count - some kind of debut!

In subsequent years the crowd roar of "Jezzzaaa!" swelled from the terraces at every Carlton game. It was a golden era for the Blues, and Alex led the way. A fabulous high mark, brilliant at ground level and deadly around the goals, he was also remarkably versatile. Although at 183 cm and 83 kg his build was more suited to the flank or the centre, during his career he played in every position on the ground except first ruck. And when he went to full-forward in 1970 he kicked 115 goals - still the only occasion a Carlton player has slotted the "ton". On his way to that remarkable achievement, he scored 10.2 off his own boot in round six against Fitzroy.

Jezza played 256 memorable games for Carlton - none more so than the fabled 1970 Grand Final, where took his glorious "Mark of the Century" over Collingwood's Graham Jenkin. However, perhaps the match that demonstrated his freakish ability best of all came in July, 1972 against Essendon at Princes Park. Essendon held a four-point lead at quarter-time that day, before a human cyclone in navy blue number 25 tore the game from the Bombers’ grasp in a few unbelievable minutes. A contemporary report from the game said; ‘In just eleven minutes in the second quarter, Carlton wizard Alex Jesaulenko kicked six goals in a show-stopping demonstration of football magic.’

‘Few, if any, more devastating bursts of play have been seen in the long history of football at Princes Park. Essendon players literally seemed to be mesmerised by Jesaulenko, as he flew, wriggled, jinked, dodged, escaped and wove his way through packs of parked Bombers, as if he were Houdini himself. Jezza also gave away another couple of goals (to David McKay and Brent Crosswell) in the Blues total of 12 straight for the quarter.’

Jezza was a star in four Carlton Grand Final victories; in 1968, 1970, 1972 and 1979. He was our leading goal kicker in 1969 (66 goals), 1970 (115) and 1971 (56), Best & Fairest in 1975, captain in 1974 and 1975, and captain-coach in 1978 and 1979. A truly outstanding record.

Then in 1980, after an acrimonious split with the club, Jezza was cleared to St Kilda where he played a further 23 games as captain-coach. A decade later he returned to Carlton as coach to replace the sacked Robert Walls part way through season 1989, but only held the position until the end of 1990. Of interest is that both Jezza and Robert Walls finished their league careers on 444 goals.

In 1988, and part of 1989 (until recalled by Carlton to coach them) Jesaulenko coached ACT club Belconnen.

In September 1996 there was jubilation again at Princes Park when Alexander The Great was rightfully named on one half-forward flank in the AFL's Team of the 20th Century. After being inducted into the Carlton Hall of Fame in 1987, he was also selected in our Team of the Century in May, 2000. Eight years later - well past the appropriate time, according to all Blues' supporters - he was officially sanctioned as an AFL Legend.

Video Clips Of Alex Jesaulenko

Jezza's Legendary Screamer Over Jerker Jenkin
Jezza's Amazing Hanger Versus Richmond
Jezza's Takes A Screamer For Victoria

Milestones

50 Games - Round 17, 1969 v Geelong
100 Games - Round 3, 1972 v South Melbourne
150 Games - Round 8, 1974 v Footscray
200 Games - Round 2, 1977 v Fitzroy
250 Games - Round 12, 1979 v Geelong

Career Highlights

1967 Terry Ogden Memorial Trophy - Best First Year Player Award - 3rd in Brownlow Medal Count
1969 5th Best & Fairest - won on countback
1970 Arthur Reyment Memorial Trophy - 2nd Best & Fairest - 3rd in Brownlow Medal Count - Club's Leading Goalkicker
1971 Club's Leading Goalkicker
1972 4th Best & Fairest
1973 10th Best & Fairest
1974 Equal 7th Best & Fairest
1975 Robert Reynolds Memorial Trophy - Best & Fairest Award
1975 Australian Football Media Association Awards|AFLMA Most Valuable Player
1978 6th Best & Fairest
1979 9th Best & Fairest

Links

Articles: Big Name Recruits to Carlton | The 1970 Prelim | 1979: Goodbye Jezza and George | Folklore: Jesaulenko, You Beauty!

Blueseum: Summary of playing statistics for Jezza | Career Breakdown for Jezza | Jezza's big goals hauls | Coaches | Jezza's Blueseum Image Gallery

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