Chad Fletcher

Fletcher began his professional football career in the West Australian Football League with Subiaco, and was elevated from the West Coast rookie list in 1998. He made his AFL debut in 1999, but did not make his mark on the league until 2002.

Fletcher was 4th in the West Coast Best & Fairest voting in 2002 before he improved to 3rd in 2003 and 2nd in 2004. In 2003, Fletcher was selected to play for Australia in the International Rules series against Ireland, and in 2004 he was named to the interchange bench of his first All-Australian team.

Fletcher was one of the most prolific ball winners in the AFL, and played in the West Coast midfield with Daniel Kerr.

Chad Fletcher was sometimes forgotten in West Coast's incredible midfield but did show he was very skillful.

Fletcher is also remembered for running into a fence while practicing a training drill blindfolded in 2005, an initiative by coach John Worsfold. He was not injured.[http://www.footygoss.com.au/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=19074 FootyGoss :: All the Latest AFL and WAFL Breaking News] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060915072114/http://www.footygoss.com.au/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=19074 |date=15 September 2006 }}

Fletcher was also known as a "prolific" ball winner[http://www.thesoaring.com/2006/07/03/a-few-short-words-round-13/ A few short words – Round 13 < The Soaring – Flying high with the West Coast Eagles: 2006 AFL Premiers!] who could accumulate many possessions in a game. However 2006 saw him considered one of the least accurate kicks in the league, costing the Eagles many turnovers. He was ranked 1st in clangers per game at West Coast in 2006.[http://www.pro-stats.com.au/psw/web/player_profile?pid=225 PRO-STATS Australian Rules Football – The Stats The Coaches Use]

Fletcher was told that he was not needed in 2010 and beyond, playing his last AFL game in round 22, 2009 against Richmond.Horn, Johnathon. (24 August 2010) [http://sportal.com.au/afl-news-display/fletcher-nabbed-in-drugs-bust-97286 "Fletcher nabbed in drugs bust"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100826111518/http://sportal.com.au/afl-news-display/fletcher-nabbed-in-drugs-bust-97286 |date=26 August 2010 }}. Sportal. Retrieved 24 August 2010.

Fletcher spent the 2010 season playing for the Balmain Dockers in the Sydney Football League, but retired after the Dockers did not make finals.

During West Coast's 2006 end of year holiday in Las Vegas, Fletcher had overdosed on drugs and had a brush with death after reportedly choking on his own vomit. Fletcher was rushed to hospital and had to be revived after he stopped breathing. His case was so serious he spent four days in a hospital and flew straight back to Perth after checking out.

In August 2010, Fletcher was arrested and later pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine, outside the Kings Cross nightclub Hugo's. Fletcher escaped conviction and was placed on a nine-month good behaviour bond.{{cite web |url=http://www.news.com.au/national/former-afl-west-coast-eagles-midfielder-chad-fletcher-escapes-drug-conviction/story-e6frfkp9-1225971405438 |title=Former West Coast Eagle Chad Fletcher avoids drug conviction |website=www.news.com.au |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141113065501/http://www.news.com.au/national/former-afl-west-coast-eagles-midfielder-chad-fletcher-escapes-drug-conviction/story-e6frfkp9-1225971405438 |archive-date=2014-11-13}}

In 2014, Fletcher lost his license and was fined $1600 for drink-driving. He was recorded as having a .08 blood alcohol level at the time.{{Cite web|url=http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/former-west-coast-eagles-player-loses-drivers-licence-20140507-zr6e2.html|title = Former West Coast Eagles player loses driver's licence|date = 7 May 2014}}

:[http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/C/Chad_Fletcher.html Chad Fletcher's player profile at AFL Tables]

{{AFL player statistics legend}}

{{AFL player statistics start}}

|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1999

|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL WC}}

| 41 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 1.0 || 1.0 || 2.0 || 1.0 || 0.0

|-

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2000

|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL WC}}

| 41 || 17 || 11 || 6 || 181 || 90 || 271 || 48 || 23 || 0.6 || 0.4 || 10.6 || 5.3 || 15.9 || 2.8 || 1.4

|- style="background:#eaeaea;"

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2001

|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL WC}}

| 7 || 20 || 8 || 7 || 253 || 126 || 379 || 81 || 45 || 0.4 || 0.4 || 12.7 || 6.3 || 19.0 || 4.1 || 2.3

|-

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2002

|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL WC}}

| 7 || 18 || 10 || 4 || 212 || 125 || 337 || 72 || 49 || 0.6 || 0.2 || 11.8 || 6.9 || 18.7 || 4.0 || 2.7

|- style="background:#eaeaea;"

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2003

|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL WC}}

| 7 || 20 || 10 || 9 || 290 || 163 || 453 || 71 || 61 || 0.5 || 0.5 || 14.5 || 8.2 || 22.7 || 3.6 || 3.1

|-

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2004

|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL WC}}

| 7 || 22 || 7 || 13 || 277 || 281 || 558 || 98 || 70 || 0.3 || 0.6 || 12.6 || 12.8 || 25.4 || 4.5 || 3.2

|- style="background:#eaeaea;"

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2005

|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL WC}}

| 7 || 25 || 17 || 13 || 355 || 234 || 589 || 133 || 46 || 0.7 || 0.5 || 14.2 || 9.4 || 23.6 || 5.3 || 1.8

|-

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2006

|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL WC}}

| 7 || 24 || 5 || 12 || 308 || 235 || 543 || 116 || 59 || 0.2 || 0.5 || 12.8 || 9.8 || 22.6 || 4.8 || 2.5

|- style="background:#eaeaea;"

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2007

|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL WC}}

| 7 || 10 || 3 || 1 || 129 || 106 || 235 || 52 || 33 || 0.3 || 0.1 || 12.9 || 10.6 || 23.5 || 5.2 || 3.3

|-

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2008

|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL WC}}

| 7 || 17 || 3 || 1 || 176 || 213 || 389 || 77 || 39 || 0.2 || 0.1 || 10.4 || 12.5 || 22.9 || 4.5 || 2.3

|- style="background:#eaeaea;"

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2009

|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL WC}}

| 7 || 5 || 0 || 2 || 56 || 60 || 116 || 30 || 7 || 0.0 || 0.4 || 11.2 || 12.0 || 23.2 || 6.0 || 1.4

|- class="sortbottom"

! colspan=3| Career

! 179

! 74

! 68

! 2238

! 1634

! 3872

! 779

! 432

! 0.4

! 0.4

! 12.5

! 9.1

! 21.6

! 4.4

! 2.4

|}

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• {{AFL Tables}}
• {{AustralianFootball}}
• {{WAFL FootyFacts}}

{{2006 West Coast Eagles premiership players}}

{{2004 All-Australian team}}

{{Ross Glendinning Medal}}

{{2000 AFL Rising Star nominees}}

{{1998 AFL rookie draft}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fletcher, Chad}}

Category:1979 births

Category:All-Australians (AFL)

Category:Claremont Football Club players

Category:Living people

Category:Australian rules footballers from Perth, Western Australia

Category:Subiaco Football Club players

Category:West Coast Eagles players

Category:West Coast Eagles premiership players

Category:Balmain Australian Football Club players

Category:VFL/AFL premiership players