Sean Denham
{{short description|Australian rules footballer, born 1969}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Sean Denham
| image =
| fullname = Sean Denham
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1969|4|29|df=y}}
| birth_place = Essendon
| death_date =
| death_place =
| originalteam = Melton South (RDFL)
| height =
| weight =
| position =
| statsend = 2000
| years1 = 1987–1991
| club1 = Geelong
| games_goals1 = {{0}}44 (21)
| years2 = 1992–2000
| club2 = Essendon
| games_goals2 = 142 (44)
| games_goalstotal = 186 (65)
| careerhighlights = *Essendon premiership side, 1993
Crichton Medal, 1997
}}
Sean Denham (born 29 April 1969) is a former Australian rules footballer.
Recruited from Melton South, Denham was an unheralded rover, who came to Essendon from Geelong{{cite news|url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=nstore&docID=news970405_0152_7639 |title=Why Diesel fumes |first=Rohan |last=Connolly |date=5 April 1997 |work=The Sunday Age}} in a swap that saw ruckman John Barnes sent the other way following the 1991 season.{{Ref AFL Encyc|4th|31}} His style of play as a tagging run-with player, typified during the 1990s the changing face of the modern game.{{cite news|url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=nstore&docID=SAG020728EE5US6K3277 |title=Up close and personal |first= Peter |last=Hanlon |date=28 July 2002 |work=The Sunday Age}} Despite having a small stature, Denham's tough approach and ability to verbally rile his opponent, coupled with his tagging role sparked a massive on-field rivalry with fiery Carlton rover Greg Williams during the 1990s.{{Ref AFL Encyc|4th|159}} Popular football commentator Rex Hunt once described Denham as "The Brush" or "Dunny brush Denham" during his radio broadcasts.{{cite news|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/ipad/taggers-stained-by-dirty-work/story-fn6ck6i3-1226343081616 |title=Taggers stained by dirty work |first=Andrew |last=Hamilton |work=The Courier-Mail |date=1 May 2012}}
After a spate of poor form and injuries after the club's successful 2000 season, aged 31 he decided to retire. He and Barnes played alongside each other during that premiership season. During his 132 games for the Bombers, he played a fundamental role in the 1993 premiership side and was the club's best and fairest, winning the 1997 Crichton Medal after being runner up in 1994.{{cite news|url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=nstore&docID=news971003_0284_2685 |title=Eagle Sumich set to join Dockers |first=Greg |last=Denham |date=3 October 1997 |work=The Age}}
Statistics
{{AFL player statistics legend}}
{{AFL player statistics start with votes}}
|-
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1987
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Gee}}
| 58 || 2 || 1 || 2 || 11 || 6 || 17 || 3 || 3 || 0.5 || 1.0 || 5.5 || 3.0 || 8.5 || 1.5 || 1.5 || 0
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1988
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Gee}}
| 18 || 22 || 9 || 14 || 287 || 228 || 515 || 86 || 58 || 0.4 || 0.6 || 13.0 || 10.4 || 23.4 || 3.9 || 2.6 || 0
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1989
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Gee}}
| 18 || 6 || 3 || 6 || 67 || 33 || 100 || 15 || 14 || 0.5 || 1.0 || 11.2 || 5.5 || 16.7 || 2.5 || 2.3 || 0
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1990
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Gee}}
| 18 || 9 || 0 || 5 || 77 || 83 || 160 || 11 || 25 || 0.0 || 0.6 || 8.6 || 9.2 || 17.8 || 1.2 || 2.8 || 0
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1991
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Gee}}
| 18 || 5 || 8 || 5 || 44 || 25 || 69 || 5 || 9 || 1.6 || 1.0 || 8.8 || 5.0 || 13.8 || 1.0 || 1.8 || 0
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1992
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 38 || 10 || 4 || 4 || 70 || 68 || 138 || 15 || 21 || 0.4 || 0.4 || 7.0 || 6.8 || 13.8 || 1.5 || 2.1 || 0
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
|style="text-align:center;background:#afe6ba;"|1993†
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 38 || 22 || 7 || 5 || 244 || 180 || 424 || 46 || 57 || 0.3 || 0.2 || 11.1 || 8.2 || 19.3 || 2.1 || 2.6 || 2
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1994
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 38 || 20 || 9 || 11 || 275 || 209 || 484 || 75 || 65 || 0.5 || 0.6 || 13.8 || 10.5 || 24.2 || 3.8 || 3.3 || 9
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1995
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 38 || 24 || 11 || 15 || 276 || 232 || 508 || 66 || 68 || 0.5 || 0.6 || 11.5 || 9.7 || 21.2 || 2.8 || 2.8 || 8
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1996
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 38 || 17 || 2 || 5 || 166 || 174 || 340 || 31 || 52 || 0.1 || 0.3 || 9.8 || 10.2 || 20.0 || 1.8 || 3.1 || 3
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1997
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 38 || 22 || 8 || 5 || 242 || 208 || 450 || 54 || 35 || 0.4 || 0.2 || 11.0 || 9.5 || 20.5 || 2.5 || 1.6 || 0
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1998
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 38 || 11 || 3 || 2 || 95 || 77 || 172 || 23 || 20 || 0.3 || 0.2 || 8.6 || 7.0 || 15.6 || 2.1 || 1.8 || 0
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1999
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 38 || 7 || 0 || 1 || 67 || 42 || 109 || 13 || 19 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 9.6 || 6.0 || 15.6 || 1.9 || 2.7 || 0
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2000
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 38 || 9 || 0 || 1 || 75 || 58 || 133 || 20 || 15 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 8.3 || 6.4 || 14.8 || 2.2 || 1.7 || 0
|- class="sortbottom"
! colspan=3| Career
! 186
! 65
! 81
! 1996
! 1623
! 3619
! 463
! 461
! 0.3
! 0.4
! 10.7
! 8.7
! 19.5
! 2.5
! 2.5
! 22
|}
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- {{cite web|title=Number 58: A premiership Bomber in Cats colours|date=2012-05-24|first=James|last=Grapsas|url=http://www.footyalmanac.com.au/number-58-a-premiership-bomber-in-cats-colours/|work=The Footy Almanac}}
External links
- {{AFL Tables | S/Sean_Denham }}
{{1993 Essendon premiership players}}
{{W. S. Crichton Medal}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Denham, Sean}}
Category:Essendon Football Club players
Category:Essendon Football Club premiership players
Category:Geelong Football Club players
Category:Crichton Medal winners
Category:Australian rules footballers from Victoria (state)