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Gary Rohan
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Gary Rohan (born 7 June 1991) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Sydney Swans and Geelong Cats in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Key Information
Junior career
[edit]Rohan participated in the Auskick program at Cobden.[1] At 14 he could not get a game in the Cobden under-aged side so he gave up football in preference to mixed netball. The desire to play football again he tried out with the Geelong Falcons, struggling at first but his top-aged year saw great improvement. Rohan represented Victoria Country at the 2009 AFL National Under 18 Championships, winning the team's MVP award as well as All-Australian honours.
Geelong Falcons regional manager Michael Turner described Rohan as "the most exciting player I've ever seen".[2]
Sydney coach Paul Roos admitted, "We were looking for players with pace, and Gary is very, very quick!" His friend Ben Cunnington was drafted by North Melbourne with the previous pick.[3]
AFL career
[edit]
Rohan was drafted to Sydney with the sixth selection (just the Swans' second top-10 draft pick since the late 1990s) in the 2009 AFL draft from the Geelong Falcons. Rohan made his AFL debut in round 7 of the 2010 season, against reigning premiers, Geelong, at Kardinia Park, where he had played much of his junior football with the Falcons.[4][5] Rohan finished his debut season having played nine senior games for the Swans and kicking seven goals.[6]
Much of Rohan's 2011 season was written off due to a serious hamstring injury but, when he returned to the senior side late in the year, he managed to have a profound impact on the side's performance. He was played as a near-permanent forward and performed well as he kicked goals and chased and tackled hard.
In Round 4 of the 2012 AFL season, Rohan suffered a horrific leg injury in the opening minutes of Sydney's 36-point win over North Melbourne. This injury ruled him out for the 2012 season.
Rohan played for the Swans in the 2014 AFL Grand Final and 2016 AFL Grand Final.
In 2017, Rohan missed the first four matches due to ongoing injury concerns. In just his second game for the year, against the Carlton Blues, he had a nasty fall and concussion and was out for two weeks. But his career took a good turn from there. Against the Richmond Football Club, he sealed the game with a right foot snap. But his biggest moment was in Round 14 against Essendon. With 24 seconds left, the Swans were five points down, and Rohan found himself in a one-on-one in the goalsquare. When his teammate Dane Rampe picked up the ball and banana-kicked it down his throat, Rohan stuck out his left hand and took the mark. He put it through after the siren to complete a 19-point comeback with 4+1⁄2 minutes to play. Against the Gold Coast Suns in Round 16, he had his best individual game, with 5 goals and 16 touches.
Following the 2018 season, Rohan was traded to Geelong.[7] He played in his third grand final in 2020.
In Round 14 of the 2021 AFL season, Rohan kicked the winning goal after the siren to defeat the Western Bulldogs, thus becoming only the second player after Barry Hall to do so for two different AFL clubs.
In 2022, Rohan played in his fourth grand final and won his first premiership.[8]
Rohan was delisted by Geelong at the end of the 2024 AFL season.[9]
Coaching
[edit]Ahead of the 2023 AFL Women's season, Rohan joined the Geelong AFL Women's program as a development coach under Daniel Lowther.[10]
Personal life
[edit]Gary is married to Madi Rohan. They have a son together, born in February 2024.
He has three daughters with his ex-wife, Amie: twins, Bella and Willow, born in 2018, one of whom died five hours after birth from anencephaly,[11] and another, Sadie, born in 2020.[citation needed]
Statistics
[edit]Updated to the end of the 2022 season.[12]
G
|
Goals | K
|
Kicks | D
|
Disposals | T
|
Tackles |
B
|
Behinds | H
|
Handballs | M
|
Marks | ||
#
|
Played in that season's premiership team |
| Season | Team | No. | Games | Totals | Averages (per game) | Votes | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | B | K | H | D | M | T | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | |||||
| 2010 | Sydney | 16 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 64 | 33 | 97 | 28 | 23 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 7.1 | 3.7 | 10.8 | 3.1 | 2.6 | 0 |
| 2011 | Sydney | 16 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 56 | 25 | 81 | 19 | 19 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 6.2 | 2.8 | 9.0 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 0 |
| 2012 | Sydney | 16 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 24 | 39 | 8 | 15 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 3.8 | 6.0 | 9.8 | 2.0 | 3.8 | 0 |
| 2013 | Sydney | 16 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 18 | 7 | 25 | 12 | 11 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 3.6 | 1.4 | 5.0 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 0 |
| 2014 | Sydney | 16 | 16 | 6 | 9 | 103 | 69 | 172 | 42 | 37 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 6.4 | 4.3 | 10.8 | 2.6 | 2.3 | 0 |
| 2015 | Sydney | 16 | 18 | 13 | 10 | 125 | 75 | 200 | 77 | 38 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 6.9 | 4.2 | 11.1 | 4.3 | 2.1 | 0 |
| 2016 | Sydney | 16 | 18 | 25 | 16 | 140 | 47 | 187 | 68 | 52 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 7.8 | 2.6 | 10.4 | 3.8 | 2.9 | 0 |
| 2017 | Sydney | 16 | 16 | 22 | 10 | 116 | 37 | 153 | 64 | 52 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 7.3 | 2.3 | 9.5 | 4.0 | 3.2 | 3 |
| 2018 | Sydney | 16 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 71 | 22 | 93 | 27 | 30 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 6.5 | 2.0 | 8.5 | 2.4 | 2.7 | 0 |
| 2019 | Geelong | 23 | 19 | 25 | 11 | 125 | 37 | 162 | 65 | 34 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 6.6 | 2.0 | 8.5 | 3.4 | 1.8 | 1 |
| 2020[a] | Geelong | 23 | 19 | 22 | 17 | 123 | 41 | 164 | 61 | 36 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 6.5 | 2.2 | 8.6 | 3.2 | 1.9 | 3 |
| 2021 | Geelong | 23 | 21 | 32 | 18 | 147 | 67 | 214 | 75 | 41 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 7.0 | 3.2 | 10.2 | 3.6 | 2.0 | 1 |
| 2022# | Geelong | 23 | 12 | 14 | 6 | 71 | 37 | 108 | 31 | 29 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 5.9 | 3.1 | 9.0 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 0 |
| Career | 177 | 189 | 108 | 1174 | 521 | 1695 | 577 | 417 | 1.1 | 0.6 | 6.6 | 2.9 | 9.6 | 3.3 | 2.4 | 8 | ||
Notes
- ^ The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Honours and achievements
[edit]Team
- AFL premiership player (Geelong): 2022
- 2× McClelland Trophy (Geelong): 2019, 2022
- 2× McClelland Trophy (Sydney): 2014, 2016
References
[edit]- ^ AFL Record. Round 12, 2022. pg 42
- ^ Australian Associated Press (28 November 2009). "No tricks required as Swans swoop on Rohan". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
- ^ Herald Sun [dead link]
- ^ Lalor, Peter (8 May 2010). "Repeated knockbacks steel rookie Gary Rohan". The Australian. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
- ^ Cowley, Michael (7 May 2010). "Online revelation: Rohan's early crow places teen firmly in Roos' gaze". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
- ^ "Season Wrap with Gary Rohan". Official AFL Website of the Sydney Swans Football Club. 8 October 2010. Archived from the original on 14 October 2010. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
- ^ "Rohan joins Cats". Geelong Football Club. 10 October 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
- ^ "Geelong Cats forward Gary Rohan set to play in fourth grand final against old team Sydney Swans". geelongadvertiser.com.au. 20 September 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
- ^ "Premiership pair among SEVEN axed by Cats". afl.com.au. 24 September 2024.
- ^ "Cats Announce 2023 AFLW Coaching Group". Geelong Football Club. 31 August 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
- ^ "Gary Rohan's journey to 100 AFL games hasn't been a walk in the park". news.com.au. 4 May 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
- ^ "Gary Rohan stats". AFL Tables. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
External links
[edit]- Gary Rohan's profile on the official website of the Geelong Football Club
- Gary Rohan's playing statistics from AFL Tables
Gary Rohan
View on GrokipediaEarly life and junior career
Early life
Gary Rohan was born on 7 June 1991 in Cobden, a small town in rural Victoria, Australia.[3] Rohan grew up in the close-knit farming community of Cobden, located in Victoria's Western District, a region renowned for its dairy industry. His upbringing in this rural environment, surrounded by agricultural life, fostered a strong sense of resilience and connection to the land, influencing his early personal development amid the town's population of around 1,800 residents.[10][11] For his education, Rohan attended Cobden Primary School, where he spent his early years immersed in a supportive local setting that emphasized community involvement. He later continued his schooling at Cobden Technical School, which offered practical and hands-on learning opportunities aligned with the area's farming heritage. During this period, Rohan developed interests in various sports beyond Australian rules football, including athletics, reflecting the active outdoor lifestyle typical of rural Victorian youth.[12][13][14] Rohan's initial exposure to Australian rules football came through informal local community games in Cobden, where the sport is deeply embedded in the town's culture. This early, unstructured play in the rural setting laid the groundwork for his later involvement in organized junior football.[15]Junior football
Rohan began his junior football career with the Cobden Football Club in local underage competitions in rural Victoria.[16] Growing up in the small town of Cobden, he received strong family support that encouraged his early involvement in the sport.[17] In 2008, Rohan made his senior debut for Cobden in the Hampden Football League, playing the full season after being overlooked by TAC Cup clubs.[18][19] The following year, Rohan joined the Geelong Falcons in the TAC Cup under-18 competition, where he gained recognition as a versatile player capable of performing in both defensive and forward roles.[20] His athleticism stood out, particularly his speed and ability to take strong marks, which helped him adapt quickly to the higher level of competition.[20] Rohan represented Vic Country at the 2009 AFL Under-18 Championships, earning the team's most valuable player award for his dynamic performances as a forward.[21] He was selected in the All-Australian team, praised for his exciting play style that combined explosive pace with aerial strength.[21] These achievements solidified his status as one of the top prospects in the draft pool. Rohan's junior career culminated in his selection as the No. 6 overall pick in the 2009 AFL National Draft by the Sydney Swans, marking him as a high-potential talent identified early through his TAC Cup and national championship showings.[16]AFL career
Time at Sydney Swans
Rohan made his AFL debut for the Sydney Swans in Round 7 of the 2010 season against Geelong at Skilled Stadium, where he had previously played much of his junior football.[22] As the Swans' number one draft pick (selection No. 6 overall in the 2009 AFL Draft), he showed early promise with speed and athleticism, playing nine games and kicking seven goals in his debut year.[23] Over his nine seasons with Sydney from 2010 to 2018, Rohan appeared in 106 games and kicked 96 goals, though his output was often interrupted by injuries that limited him to an average of 10 to 15 games per season.[24] Rohan's tenure was marked by significant injury setbacks that hampered his consistency. In Round 4 of the 2012 season, he suffered a severe leg fracture—specifically a broken fibula and deltoid ligament damage—in the opening minutes against North Melbourne, requiring surgery and an extended recovery period of nearly 15 months.[25] He faced recurring hamstring strains, including a four-week absence in 2015 after injuring the muscle during a win over Port Adelaide, and another in early 2016 that sidelined him for at least eight weeks.[26][27] Additionally, in the 2016 semi-final against Adelaide, Rohan sustained a knee injury that saw him stretchered off but ultimately cleared to play in the preliminary final and Grand Final later that year.[28] These challenges tested his resilience, with Rohan later reflecting on periods where he questioned his future in the game.[29] Despite the interruptions, Rohan evolved from an initial role as a half-back flanker, where his pace was utilized in transition play, to a more established forward position by the mid-2010s, contributing pressure and goal-scoring threat in Sydney's attacking structure.[30] He featured in key team milestones, including the Swans' 2014 AFL Grand Final loss to Hawthorn and the 2016 Grand Final defeat to the Western Bulldogs, where he played as a forward but struggled with limited disposals in the high-stakes matches.[31][32] One of his standout moments came in Round 14 of the 2017 season, when he marked in the goal square after the siren against Essendon and kicked the match-winning goal, securing a thrilling one-point victory for Sydney in a comeback win.[33] At the conclusion of the 2018 season, Rohan was traded to Geelong in exchange for pick 61 in the 2018 AFL National Draft, ending his time at the Swans after 106 games and seeking a fresh start closer to his hometown roots.[5]Time at Geelong Football Club
Rohan was traded to Geelong from Sydney in October 2018 in exchange for the club's 61st draft pick.[5] He made his debut for the Cats in round 1 of the 2019 season against Collingwood at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.[34] Over six seasons with Geelong from 2019 to 2024, Rohan appeared in 98 games and kicked 120 goals, establishing himself as a versatile forward known for his explosive speed, strong marking ability, and pressure acts around the contest.[1][35] Rohan's tenure included several standout moments in high-stakes matches. In the 2020 preliminary final against Brisbane, he contributed three goals to help Geelong secure a 40-point victory and advance to the grand final.[36] His most memorable individual play came in round 14 of the 2021 season, when he kicked a match-winning goal after the siren from 45 meters against the Western Bulldogs, securing a five-point win and bolstering Geelong's premiership contention.[37] Rohan played a pivotal role in Geelong's 2022 premiership success, including three goals in the qualifying final win over Collingwood and another three in the grand final triumph against Sydney by 81 points, earning his first AFL premiership medal after four previous grand final appearances without success.[38] In his later years at Geelong, Rohan's opportunities diminished due to inconsistent form and injuries, limiting him to 15 games in 2023 and 12 in 2024.[1] A significant setback occurred in September 2024 when he suffered a fractured skull from an accidental elbow during a VFL match, requiring surgery and sidelining him for the remainder of the season.[6] Geelong delisted Rohan at the end of the 2024 season, bringing his AFL career to a close after 204 games across both clubs.[2] Throughout his time at the club, Rohan was commended for his resilience in overcoming repeated injuries and for his positive attitude, including fronting up to support the club's AFLW program immediately after his delisting.[39]Later career
Local league football
Following his delisting from the Geelong Football Club at the end of the 2024 AFL season, Gary Rohan signed a one-year deal with the Port Fairy Seagulls in the Hampden Football League in December 2024.[40][41] The move allowed him to return to his roots near Cobden, where he had grown up and played junior football.[42] In the 2025 season, Rohan played primarily as a forward for Port Fairy, bringing his AFL-honed skills to the community-level competition. He kicked 12 goals across his first 10 games, demonstrating his experience through strong marking and goal-scoring contributions in early rounds, including two goals on debut.[43][44] His efforts helped bolster the Seagulls' forward line alongside local legend Jason Rowan.[45] Rohan's season was cut short by a fractured shoulder injury sustained in the final minutes of round 11 against Warrnambool on July 12, 2025, which sidelined him for the remainder of the year.[43] Despite the setback, he remained involved with the team, attending training sessions to support his teammates.[43] A key motivation for joining Port Fairy was to mentor younger players and contribute to the club's junior development, leveraging his background as a development coach with Geelong's AFLW program.[42] Rohan expressed excitement about providing leadership and assisting in coaching efforts while aiming to play a full season.[42] As of November 2025, Rohan has not announced any playing commitments beyond his 2025 stint with Port Fairy, representing a transitional post-AFL phase focused on community football and family.[42]Coaching roles
Following his delisting from the Geelong Football Club at the end of the 2024 AFL season, Gary Rohan continued to build his coaching credentials, having first entered the role amid injury-limited playing time that restricted him to 15 games in 2023.[46] In August 2023, while still an active AFL player, Rohan joined the Geelong Cats' AFLW program as a development coach under senior coach Daniel Lowther, focusing on skill development and supporting the forward line by drawing on his own experience as a speedy forward skilled in marking and contested situations.[47][46] Rohan's responsibilities included weekly training sessions with the AFLW team, where he contributed to drills emphasizing technical skills and tactical elements informed by his 204 AFL games, including the 2022 premiership.[46] He worked alongside assistant coaches such as Renee Garing and Rebecca Webster, undertaking a formal coaching course since 2019 to deepen his understanding of the game from a non-playing perspective.[46] In December 2024, Rohan joined the Port Fairy Football Netball Club's coaching group for the 2025 Hampden Football Netball League season to support the club's junior development while also playing.[41] This arrangement allowed him to mentor emerging players at the community level, leveraging his AFL expertise to aid skill acquisition and team preparation, marking a deliberate step toward a post-AFL career in coaching.[41]Personal life
Rohan was previously married to Amie Smith, with whom he had three daughters: twins Bella and Willow born in July 2018, and Sadie Rose born in early 2020. Willow died five hours after birth due to anencephaly. The couple separated in late 2020.[9][48] In December 2022, Rohan married Madi Bennett. The couple experienced a miscarriage in their first year of marriage. They welcomed their first child, son Gus, in February 2024, followed by their second child, son Hugo, who was born prematurely in July 2025 and required neonatal intensive care before returning home.[9][49] Rohan has been involved in community initiatives, receiving the Variety Children's Charity Community Impact Award in September 2019 for his dedication to supporting children.[50]Statistics and accolades
Career statistics
Gary Rohan played 204 Australian Football League (AFL) games for a total of 216 goals between 2010 and 2024, comprising 106 games and 96 goals with the Sydney Swans and 98 games and 120 goals with the Geelong Cats.[1] The following table provides a yearly breakdown of his AFL statistics, including games played, goals kicked, disposals, marks, and tackles:| Season | Team | Games | Goals | Disposals | Marks | Tackles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Sydney | 9 | 7 | 97 | 28 | 23 |
| 2011 | Sydney | 9 | 8 | 81 | 19 | 19 |
| 2012 | Sydney | 4 | 3 | 39 | 8 | 15 |
| 2013 | Sydney | 5 | 5 | 25 | 12 | 11 |
| 2014 | Sydney | 16 | 6 | 172 | 42 | 37 |
| 2015 | Sydney | 18 | 13 | 200 | 77 | 38 |
| 2016 | Sydney | 18 | 25 | 187 | 68 | 52 |
| 2017 | Sydney | 16 | 22 | 153 | 64 | 52 |
| 2018 | Sydney | 11 | 7 | 93 | 27 | 30 |
| 2019 | Geelong | 19 | 25 | 162 | 65 | 34 |
| 2020 | Geelong | 19 | 22 | 164 | 61 | 36 |
| 2021 | Geelong | 21 | 32 | 214 | 75 | 41 |
| 2022 | Geelong | 12 | 14 | 108 | 31 | 29 |
| 2023 | Geelong | 15 | 18 | 134 | 45 | 35 |
| 2024 | Geelong | 12 | 9 | 88 | 34 | 14 |
| Total | 204 | 216 | 1917 | 656 | 466 |
