Mark Porter (born 11 October 1976) is a former

Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...

er who played with

Carlton Carlton may refer to: People * Carlton (name), a list of those with the given name or surname * Carlton (singer), English soul singer Carlton McCarthy * Carlton, a pen name used by Joseph Caldwell (1773–1835), American educator, Presbyterian ...

and the Kangaroos in the

Australian Football League The Australian Football League (AFL) is the only fully professional competition of Australian rules football. Through the AFL Commission, the AFL also serves as the sport's governing body and is responsible for controlling the laws of the gam ...

(AFL). Originally from North Eastern Victoria, Porter began his senior career as a teenager in the

Ovens & King Football League The Ovens & King Football Netball League is a minor country Australian rules football league based in North-Eastern Victoria in the vicinity of Wangaratta and more recently Benalla. History The ''Ovens & King Football League'' was formed on ...

, playing originally for King Valley Thirds, winning their best and fairest in 1992. In 1994, at the age of just seventeen, and while playing for King Valley seniors as a ruckman, Porter won his club best and fairest and also won the Baker Medal as the league's senior best and fairest. In 1995, Porter moved to

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

, and was recruited to the VFA by the

Coburg Football Club The Coburg Football Club, nicknamed the Coburg Lions, is an Australian rules football club based in Coburg, a northern suburb of Melbourne, and currently playing in the Victorian Football League (VFL). It is based at Coburg City Oval since 191 ...

. In his first season with the Lions, he won the Fothergill-Round Medal as the league's most promising young talent. Porter played two seasons for Coburg. After the 1996 season, Porter was recruited to the

AFL AFL may refer to: Sports * American Football League (AFL), a name shared by several separate and unrelated professional American football leagues: ** American Football League (1926) (a.k.a. "AFL I"), first rival of the National Football Leagu ...

as a rookie by the Carlton Football Club, which was looking for another ruckman with the emerging retirement of Justin Madden. Porter was the first player Carlton had recruited under the newly established rookie list. He made his AFL debut late in the 1997 season after Madden's mid-year retirement, and got regular games in 1998 as the second ruckman to

Matthew Allan Matthew Allan (born 26 February 1975) is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League. He joined with the Carlton Football Club in 1992, and debuted in 1994 as the 1000th player to represent Carlton. He played as a ...

. Porter suffered a knee injury in a practice match prior to the

1999 AFL season The 1999 AFL season was the 103rd season of the Australian Football League (AFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Australia, which was known as the Victorian Football League until 1989. The season featured six ...

, which saw him miss the entire season. He returned to the team in late 2000 and took part in their finals campaign. In 2001 he was a regular selection as Carlton's first choice ruckman, due to an injury to Allan, and he performed admirably, finishing seventh in the league for hit-outs with 381. After 2001, Carlton sought to improve its forward-line, and Porter was traded to the Kangaroos along with first and second round draft picks (#14 and #30 overall), in exchange for key forward

Corey McKernan Corey McKernan (born 19 December 1973) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the North Melbourne Kangaroos and Carlton Blues in the Australian Football League (AFL). A dual Premiership player a one time All Australian at North ...

and second and third round draft picks (#23 and #39 overall). Porter played all but two games in 2002, alternating with Matthew Burton in the ruck and added another 19 games in 2003. Porter was delisted by the Kangaroos at the end of the 2004 season. In 2005, Porter played with

North Ballarat North Ballarat Football & Netball Club, nicknamed ''The Roosters'', is an Australian rules football and netball club based at Mars Stadium in Ballarat. The club currently fields senior, reserve and Under 19 sides in the Ballarat Football Lea ...

in the VFL. In 2006 he moved back to northern Victoria, and played for Benalla in the Goulburn Valley Football Netball League., playing there until 2007, before retiring.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Porter, Mark 1976 births Carlton Football Club players North Melbourne Football Club players Coburg Football Club players North Ballarat Football Club players Benalla Football Club players Living people Australian rules footballers from Victoria (state)