Mark Orchard (footballer)

Australian rules footballer

Australian rules footballer

Mark Orchard

Personal information
Full name|  Mark Orchard
Date of birth|  (1976-04-02) 2 April 1976 (age 48)
Original team(s)|  Ballarat U-18s
Draft|  53rd, 1994 AFL draft
Height|  175 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Weight|  75 kg (165 lb)
Playing career1
Years|  Club|  Games (Goals)
1995–1996|  Collingwood|  12 0(4)
1997–1998|  Sydney|  41 0(5)
1999–2000|  Collingwood|  33 0(6)
Total|  |  86 (15)

1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2000.

Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Mark Orchard (born 2 April 1976) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood and the Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League (AFL). He is of Irish descent.

Orchard started his career playing for Ballarat local Catholic junior club YCWCYC and St. Patricks College in Ballarat, then East Ballarat and was playing for the town's Under-18s when Collingwood selected him in the 1994 AFL draft. He made six appearances in each of his first two seasons and was then given up by Collingwood in order to secure Sydney's Anthony Rocca. Orchard, Ben Wilson and two draft picks ended up at Sydney.

Despite his new club coming off a successful 1996 campaign where they were grand finalists, Orchard managed to find a place for himself in their midfielder and played in the first 19 rounds in the 1997 AFL season as well as a qualifying final against the Western Bulldogs. He participated in finals again at the end of the 1998 season, where he added another 21 games.[1]

After two years with Sydney, Orchard requested to be traded back to Collingwood.[2] He was part of a trade in the 1998 AFL draft which saw Sydney also lose Paul Licuria and a draft pick in exchange for the third pick of the draft, Nic Fosdike.

He averaged 15 disposals a game in 1999 and missed several games mid season with a torn hamstring. The following year he put together 18 appearances but was de-listed by Collingwood.

As a schoolboy Orchard was a champion runner. He held a number of Australian primary schools athletic records in the 100m, 200m and still holds a long jump record.

After his football career ended he returned to Ballarat and works with horses.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Mark Orchard". AFL Tables.
2. ^ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. ISBN 978-1-920910-78-5.

* v
* t
* e

1994 AFL national draft

* 1\. Jeff White
* 2\. Anthony Rocca
* 3\. Shannon Grant
* 4\. Scott Lucas
* 5\. Joel Smith
* 6\. Robert McMahon
* 7\. Tony Brown
* 8\. Daniel Harford
* 9\. Ben Wilson
* 10\. Blake Caracella
* 11\. Damien Ryan
* 12\. Shane Sikora
* 13\. Chris Hemley
* 14\. Michael Martin
* 15\. Scott Camporeale
* 16\. Adem Yze
* 17\. Carl Steinfort
* 18\. Robert Di Rosa
* 19\. Ben Holland
* 20\. Stuart Mangin
* 21\. Matthew Nicks
* 22\. Winston Abraham
* 23\. John Rombotis
* 24\. Matthew Manfield
* 25\. Steven Sziller
* 26\. Tim Elliott
* 27\. Toby Kennett
* 28\. Shawn Lewfatt
* 29\. Jason Torney
* 30\. Chad Liddell
* 31\. Allen Nash
* 32\. Simon Cox
* 33\. Mark Cullen
* 34\. Michael Polley
* 35\. Marty Warry
* 36\. Matthew Robbins
* 37\. Ashley Blurton
* 38\. Matthew Collins
* 39\. Stephen Carter
* 40\. Michael O'Loughlin
* 41\. Adam White
* 42\. Douglas Headland
* 43\. Dean Matthews
* 44\. Jeremy Dyer
* 45\. Gary Moorcroft
* 46\. Justin Charles
* 47\. Robert Ahmat
* 48\. Austinn Jones
* 49\. Shaun Baxter
* 50\. Brett Higgins
* 51\. Clay Sampson
* 52\. Danny Stevens
* 53\. Mark Orchard
* 54\. Ian Downsborough
* 55\. Mark Belleville
* 56\. Ryan Smith
* 57\. Emil Parthenides
* 58\. Peter Bird
* 59\. Nathan Saunders
* 60\. Brad Scott
* 61\. Stephen Zavalas
* 62\. Justin Blumfield
* 63\. Ross Funcke
* 64\. Robert Powell
* 65\. Lee Fraser
* 66\. Scott Taylor
* 67\. Anthony Bourke
* 68\. Luke Norman
* 69\. Dean Helmers
* 70\. Adam Benjamin
* 71\. Jason Spinks
* 72\. Dean Grainger
* 73\. Sam McFarlane
* 74\. Troy Luff
* 75\. Gerard Jess
* 76\. Todd McHardy
* 77\. Ben Dixon
* 78\. Daryl Griffin
* 79\. Aaron Hamill
* 80\. Ben Atkins
* 81\. Tim Allen
* 84\. Doug Hawkins
* 85\. Michael Agnello
* 86\. Shaun Gordon
* 87\. Simon Arnott
* 88\. Nathon Irvin
* 89\. David Nicholson
* 90\. Matthew Joy
* 93\. Michael Murphy
* 94\. Jade Rawlings
* 95\. Kym Eyers

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