Anderson

After playing for Nightcliff and Katherine as a junior, Joe Anderson was selected by Carlton at number 67 in the 2006 National Draft from Darwin, NT. A big, hard-running defender, he was an impressive captain for the Territory at Under 18 level, before winning Darwin's Best and Fairest award in his first season with the seniors. It was said at the time that he was 'the best player out of the Territory since Andrew McLeod,’ which was high praise indeed.

At the AFL Draft Camp, Joe posted a 2.98 second 20 metre sprint time, coupled with a 14.4 beep test to demonstrate outstanding speed and endurance capabilities. A ranking in the top 5 of the Repeat Sprint Test further highlighted his potential.

Allocated guernsey number 26 by the Blues, Anderson was selected to play his debut senior match against the West Coast Eagles at Subiaco, WA in round 4, 2007. Carlton was travelling steadily with two wins and one loss at that stage, so Joe’s selection was earned on merit. Sadly for the Blues, the Eagles (led superbly by Chris Judd) totally dominated the game throughout and won by 61 points. Despite that near-humiliation however, Carlton’s selectors gritted their teeth and retained Anderson in the team for two more games – until St Kilda inflicted another heavy defeat in a Friday night clash at Docklands in round 6, and Joe was sent back to the VFL for a breather with the Bullants.

Over succeeding weeks, Carlton suffered almost continually at the hands of opposition small forwards, so Anderson found himself recalled for the round 9 match against Adelaide at Docklands. The following week, Joe strained a hamstring in a lunging tackle on Port Adelaide’s Nathan Eagleton, and from then on the remainder of his first year was a struggle against injury.

Anderson worked hard in the gym and gained 5 kilos in the pre-season of 2008. His first half of the year with the Bullants was consistently good, so he was a logical inclusion when Carlton’s new captain Chris Judd was ruled out with concussion prior to the Blues’ Round 14 victory over Richmond. He was retained for the next week’s (Round 15, 2008|match against St Kilda, only to then be omitted again. But a recall did eventually come, and he was back with the seniors for the last two games of an encouraging season for the young Carlton side.

In 2010, it seemed that Carlton’s match committee decided on a make or break approach to Anderson’s future. He began the season in the team for round one, and stayed there for four consecutive matches, but after that, he was included only once more all year – for Carlton’s big win over Melbourne at the MCG in round 11. From then on, he spent his weekends in the red and white colours of the Northern Bullants.

Therefore, shortly after Carlton was knocked out of a pulsating 2010 Elimination Final by Sydney, the club made its intentions clear by delisting seven players, including Anderson. Although not yet 22 years old by then, Joe had managed only 17 games in four years, and Carlton’s patience had run out. Not alone in thinking that he still had something to offer, Joe nominated for the Pre-Season Draft in early December but wasn’t able to find a place with another AFL club.

Anderson's younger brother Jed was snapped by Hawthorn in the 2012 AFL Trade Period prior to the National Draft - part of a deal that saw Stephen Gilham traded to the GWS Giants in return for the Giants' Northern Territory zone selection. Anderson played 10 games with the Hawks from 2013 - 15. He was then transferred to Nth Melbourne for the 2016 season for greater opportunities, he would play for the Roos until the end of the 2022 season when he was delisted, he added another 89 games and 28 goals. Anderson was given a lifeline for the 2023 season by the Gold Coast Suns when he was snapped up with a Rookie pick.

Joey's sister Jasmine Anderson would be listed by the Adelaide Crows to represent them in the AFLW as a rookie in 2016 for the upcoming season.

In January 2011, Joe Anderson agreed to terms with South Australia’s Sturt Football Club – moving from the Navy Blues to the Double Blues. Anderson played with Sturt for two seasons playing 38 games and kicking 4 goals. He then transferred to Nth Adelaide whereby he played from 2013 - 2018 where he played 62 games and kicked 9 goals. After an injury-riddled career with Nth Adelaide he decided to retire.

Anderson’s first year back in the NT saw him play the 2017/18 NTFL season in the backline with the Darwin Buffaloes, a club which has a long lineage of players from the Anderson family.

2018 - Joey Anderson moved back to the NT to play with NT Thunder in the NEAFL. Anderson was awarded the NT Thunder Clubman of the Year for 2018, it had been over a decade since Joe Anderson wore NT Thunder colours when he captained the NT Under 18 side at a national level. After a career with Carlton in the AFL playing 17 games and over 140 games in the VFL and SANFL.

Joey Anderson, Carlton's ambassador in the Top End.
https://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/797290/joe-anderson-carltons-ambassador-in-the-top-end

In the swim of it

After shark-infested seas, footy is a fortunate life for Joe Anderson

By : Greg Lange

Jul 12, 2007, 3:21 pm

JUST 320 kilometres from Darwin and “a few” more from his home town, Katherine, Joe Anderson experienced a south-west-island special.

“We were catching tuna in a four-and-a-half to five-metre boat. As we were bleeding the tuna, a massive hammerhead shark swam underneath,” Anderson said.

Now, most people would have grabbed a sharp object and braced themselves for a Jaws-like attack. But for Anderson it was a free trip to the aquarium. 

“I had never seen a hammerhead before, just white pointers,” the calm and collected Carlton first-year player reminisced. “So I stood up in the boat and just looked at it.”

Fortunately, the hammerhead lived up to its peaceable reputation and continued on its way. But the question has to be asked: does Anderson possess the swimming ability and speed to have outswum the inquisitive creature?

“I do now with all the rehab work I’ve been doing,” he said with a laugh, referring to the countless hours he has spent in the pool to heal his injured hamstring.

Apart from the hammerhead incident and many moments growing up in Darwin, the talkative 18-year-old ranks his trip last year as part of the first AFL Indigenous Youth Tour to South Africa as one of his most memorable experiences.

“I have a few photos and memorabilia from the trip. Every time I go home I look at them and think back to the trip and how fortunate we are as a country,” he said. “One of the main things I learned from the journey was not to take things for granted. Here in Australia we tend to do that, whereas over there they take pride in the small things they have.”

Anderson’s family football connections run deep. He remembers one day walking into the back yard at home and finding Adelaide Crows star Andrew McLeod hovering over the barbeque.

“His dad played football with my grandfather,” Anderson explained.

As fate would have it, his and McLeod’s worlds have now started colliding on the football field, Anderson getting a close-up display of the Crows dynamo’s best work when he played against him in round nine this year.

“After the game he asked me how I was going and told me to keep training hard and do my best. He sends me a message every now and again,” Anderson said.

The young Blue has taken the superstar’s advice and, despite battling a “frustrating” injury, is more than enjoying his first year in AFL.

“I love every bit of being at the Carlton Football Club,” he said. “I have been fortunate enough to get a couple of games – even though I did not expect to.”

The change in coaching style is one of the main aspects of AFL life Anderson is enjoying. “It is more structured,” he said about Carlton’s coaching philosophy. “Each player is set a goal or given a task to do. In Darwin, it was more free-flowing and you could do what you wanted.”

“I prefer the challenge that Denis [Pagan] sets. It drives you to play better and improve your skills.”

At the same time, you cannot completely dismiss the effect on his success this year of the present his parents gave him for his 18th birthday. According to Anderson, his new iPod is an essential part of his game. 

“Before games I always listen to music. 50 Cent, Eminem – mainly gangsta songs that help pump me up,” he said.

In a bid to quell his parents’ fears that their son may soon ‘bling-up’ and move to the back streets of LA with some ‘hoochies’, Anderson stressed his iPod is multi-faceted.

“Before I go to sleep I listen to Pete Murray and a whole bunch of relaxing songs, so it’s not all gangsta stuff,” he laughed.

IN THE KITCHEN WITH CHEF ANDERSON

If you were given keys to a brand-new restaurant, what would be the “signature dish”?

“Magpie Goose, it is the best-tasting thing I have ever had.”

Any preparation tips?

“We cook it pretty fresh, so, straight after we kill, pluck and gut it.”

Cooking instructions for Magpie Goose à la Anderson?

“Just put it on the barbeque.”

What would be the restaurant’s “chef’s special”?

“I don’t do much cooking, but my cousins and brothers up in Darwin like my spaghetti bolognaise.”

https://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/145258/in-the-swim-of-it