Ben Mathews
{{short description|Australian rules footballer, born 1978}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2015}}
{{Use Australian English|date=April 2015}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Ben Mathews
| image = Ben_Mathews_wearing_2005_premiership_medallion.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| fullname = Ben Mathews
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1978|11|29|df=y}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| originalteam = Hopefield Buraja, Corowa Rutherglen
| height = 181 cm
| weight = 86 kg
| position =
| statsend = 2008
| years1 = 1997–2008
| club1 = {{AFL Syd}}
| games_goals1 = 198 (45)
| careerhighlights = * AFL premiership player: 2005
- AFL Rising Star nominee: 1999
}}
Ben Mathews (born 29 November 1978) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League (AFL). Mathews originally played with Hopefield Buraja FC in the Coreen & District Football League, then was recruited from the Corowa Rutherglen of New South Wales, via the Murray Bushrangers.
He was part of the 2005 AFL premiership-winning side that defeated the West Coast Eagles. He announced his retirement on 2 September 2008.
He has served as the midfield coach of the Melbourne Football Club since September 2013 to end of 2020.{{cite news|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-09-13/dees-poach-mathews|title=Mathews latest to join Roos at Melbourne|last=Whitling|first=Michael|date=23 September 2013|work=AFL.com.au|publisher=Bigpond|accessdate=19 October 2015}} He is now the assistant coach at Sydney Swans Football Club{{Cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/video/2017-11-29/fit-hogan-returns-with-point-to-prove|title = Fit Hogan returns with point to prove}}
Statistics
{{AFL player statistics legend}}
{{AFL player statistics start}}
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1997
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Syd}}
| 36 || 4 || 1 || 0 || 18 || 13 || 31 || 3 || 5 || 0.3 || 0.0 || 4.5 || 3.3 || 7.8 || 0.8 || 1.3
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1998
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Syd}}
| 36 || 0 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1999
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Syd}}
| 36 || 17 || 4 || 0 || 122 || 82 || 204 || 47 || 16 || 0.2 || 0.0 || 7.2 || 4.8 || 12.0 || 2.8 || 0.9
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2000
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Syd}}
| 36 || 22 || 2 || 4 || 270 || 164 || 434 || 102 || 30 || 0.1 || 0.2 || 12.3 || 7.5 || 19.7 || 4.6 || 1.4
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2001
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Syd}}
| 4 || 23 || 4 || 2 || 264 || 146 || 410 || 113 || 46 || 0.2 || 0.1 || 11.5 || 6.3 || 17.8 || 4.9 || 2.0
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2002
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Syd}}
| 4 || 21 || 4 || 1 || 211 || 150 || 361 || 66 || 65 || 0.2 || 0.0 || 10.0 || 7.1 || 17.2 || 3.1 || 3.1
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2003
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Syd}}
| 4 || 23 || 4 || 0 || 237 || 152 || 389 || 94 || 59 || 0.2 || 0.0 || 10.3 || 6.6 || 16.9 || 4.1 || 2.6
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2004
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Syd}}
| 4 || 24 || 6 || 8 || 239 || 204 || 443 || 109 || 94 || 0.3 || 0.3 || 10.0 || 8.5 || 18.5 || 4.5 || 3.9
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2005
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Syd}}
| 4 || 25 || 6 || 4 || 200 || 161 || 361 || 77 || 75 || 0.2 || 0.2 || 8.0 || 6.4 || 14.4 || 3.1 || 3.0
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2006
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Syd}}
| 4 || 14 || 5 || 2 || 83 || 77 || 160 || 44 || 37 || 0.4 || 0.1 || 5.9 || 5.5 || 11.4 || 3.1 || 2.6
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2007
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Syd}}
| 4 || 23 || 8 || 2 || 168 || 137 || 305 || 89 || 67 || 0.3 || 0.1 || 7.3 || 6.0 || 13.3 || 3.9 || 2.9
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2008
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Syd}}
| 4 || 2 || 1 || 1 || 12 || 11 || 23 || 9 || 4 || 0.5 || 0.5 || 6.0 || 5.5 || 11.5 || 4.5 || 2.0
|- class="sortbottom"
! colspan=3| Career
! 198
! 45
! 24
! 1824
! 1297
! 3121
! 753
! 498
! 0.2
! 0.1
! 9.2
! 6.6
! 15.8
! 3.8
! 2.5
|}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{AFL Tables|ref=B/Ben_Mathews.html}}
- [https://www.nswfootballhistory.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/1993-09-11-Coreen-District-Football-League-Grand-Final.pdf 1993 -Coreen & DFL / NSW Under 15 State Team photo]
{{2005 Sydney Swans premiership players}}
{{1999 AFL Rising Star nominees}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mathews, Ben}}
Category:Australian rules footballers from New South Wales
Category:Sydney Swans premiership players
Category:Murray Bushrangers players