Sean Rusling (born 6 October 1986) is a former professional
Australian rules football player who played for in the
Australian Football League.
His career was plagued by injuries and only managed a total of seventeen games for Collingwood over the course of six years at the club.
Background
A mid-sized forward with an athletics background, Rusling was educated at
Westminster School
(God Gives the Increase)
, established = Earliest records date from the 14th century, refounded in 1560
, type = Public school Independent day and boarding school
, religion = Church of England
, head_label = Hea ...
in Adelaide, South Australia. He was recruited from
West Adelaide, and was drafted in the
2004 AFL Draft by
Collingwood in the second round, at No. 23 overall. He made his debut in 2005 against
Hawthorn
Hawthorn or Hawthorns may refer to:
Plants
* '' Crataegus'' (hawthorn), a large genus of shrubs and trees in the family Rosaceae
* ''Rhaphiolepis'' (hawthorn), a genus of about 15 species of evergreen shrubs and small trees in the family Rosace ...
in an injury-riddled side, where he played six games before a shoulder injury ended his season, requiring surgery. He showed his explosive pace and impressive vertical leap to suggest he was a player of the future. With 2006 on the fringes, he re-injured the same shoulder in a pre-season match against
Sydney, forcing him out for the first three-four months. A return mid-season in the
VFL saw him return after the mid-season break.
Career
He played the last four games, including a final in
2006, damaging
Port Adelaide in a half with three goals and many marks on the lead to continue his expectations. Expecting big things in
2007, Rusling once again required a shoulder reconstruction (on the other shoulder) in the pre-season, with his season ruled out. He did however play two half games in the VFL, before an encouraging round 20 comeback game against
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 ...
. He kicked a goal in his return, but a week later he dominated the Sydney defence with four goals and 9 marks. He missed the next week with a thigh injury, but returned for finals, kicking another three goals against the
Sydney Swans at the
Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). His ten goals in five games kept hope of a start to a great career.
After a somewhat injury-free pre-season,
2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
saw Rusling play round one against
Fremantle at the MCG, but he suffered his fourth serious shoulder injury in as many seasons. Scans revealed the need for a reconstruction, and he missed the remainder of the 2008 season.
Rusling had been making steady progress on his rehabilitation during
2009, however during his VFL comeback match in May, Rusling fractured a cheekbone after a marking contest.
At the age of 23, Rusling announced his retirement from the AFL on 8 September 2010.
Following two years living in Canada, Rusling returned to Australia and signed with
South Australian Amateur Football League
The Adelaide Footy League, formerly known as the South Australian Amateur Football League (SAAFL), is a semi-professional Australian rules football competition based in Adelaide, South Australia. Comprising sixty-seven member clubs playing ove ...
club
Adelaide University
The University of Adelaide (informally Adelaide University) is a public research university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third-oldest university in Australia. The university's main campus is located on N ...
.
See also
*
Collingwood Football Club roster 2006
References
External links
Sean Rusling at the Collingwood Football Club website
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rusling, Sean
1986 births
Collingwood Football Club players
West Adelaide Football Club players
Living people
People educated at Westminster School, Adelaide
Australian rules footballers from South Australia