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Chad Flethcher

Personal Info
Birth	August 30, 1979,
Recruited from	Subiaco Football Club (WAFL)
Height/Weight	179cm / 81kg
Playing Career¹
Debut	Round 15, July 9, 1999, West Coast Eagles vs. Richmond Tigers, at MCG
Team(s)	West Coast Eagles (1999-) 147 games, 68 goals
¹ Statistics to end of 2006 season
Career Highlights
All-Australian 2004 Premiership player 2006 Ross Glendinning Medallist 2002, 2004 International Rules Series 2003

Chad Fletcher (born 30 August 1979) is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League.

Contents 1 Early career 2 Career rise 3 2006 Season 4 Close Call 5 External links

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.

Chad 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 is one of the most prolific ballwinners in the AFL, and plays in the West Coast midfield with fellow All-Australians Chris Judd and Ben Cousins.

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. [1] Chad Fletcher is sometimes forgotten in West Coasts incredible midfield but does show he is very skillful.

Fletcher is known also known as a "prolific" ballwinner [2] that can accumulate many possessions in a game. However 2006 saw him to be considered as one of the least accurate kicks in the league, costing the Eagles many turnovers. He was ranked 1st in clangers per game at the Eagles in 2006. [3] Turnovers that have cost Fletcher include his Round 2 pass to opposition player Graeme Johncock, fumbling a one-two handball from Chris Judd (which led to a goal for Sydney player Brett Kirk), and a set-shot miss from 20 metres out against Fremantle.

Having said this, Fletcher's overall season wasn't too bad and he fully redeemed himself in his finest game of the year during the 2006 Grand Final against Sydney. Supporters were thrilled to see him back to his great self as seen in previous years. He played a major part in the Eagles 1 point Premiership victory over the Swans.

During West Coast's 2006 end of year holiday in Las Vegas, Fletcher (27) had a brush with death after reportedly choking on his own vomit. Chad was rushed to hospital and had to be revived after he stopped breathing. His case was so serious he spent 4 days in the U.S. hospital and flew straight back to Perth after checking out. Herald Sun journalist, Mike Sheahan, and the Sunday Age's Andrew Rule have both claimed that the incident was a direct result of illicit drugs.[4]

• Chad Fletcher profile on westcoasteagles.com.au