Jeremy McGovern

Jeremy McGovern (born 15 April 1992) is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League (AFL). He is a tall key-position player who has spent most of his career as a defender, although he occasionally plays forward.

Jeremy McGovern
McGovern playing for West Coast in July 2019
Personal information
Date of birth (1992-04-15) 15 April 1992
Place of birth Western Australia
Original team(s) Claremont Football Club
Draft No. 44, 2011 Rookie Draft, West Coast
Height 196 cm (6 ft 5 in)
Weight 96 kg (212 lb)
Position(s) Centre Half Back/Utility
Club information
Current club West Coast
Number 20
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2011– West Coast 126 (36)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2019.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

McGovern was recruited from the Claremont Football Club with the 44th pick in the 2011 Rookie Draft. He was something of a late bloomer, only making his senior debut for West Coast midway through the 2014 season (aged 22). McGovern has been a fixture in the Eagles' line-up since then, and in 2015 played in the grand final loss to Hawthorn. He was named as a defender in the 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 All-Australian teams entrenching himself as one of the best key defenders in the league.

Early life

McGovern is the son of Andrew McGovern, who played for Fremantle and Sydney in the 1990s. His younger brother Mitch plays for Carlton.[1][2]

As a child, McGovern spent four years living in Warburton, a remote community in the Gibson Desert where his father was working for the Clontarf Foundation. He later spent time in Kalgoorlie and Albany, attending North Albany Senior High School.[1] McGovern played his junior football for the North Albany Football Club, in the same teams as two other future AFL players – Josh Bootsma and Marley Williams.[3] He played WAFL colts for Claremont in 2010, as a ruckman.[4]

AFL career

McGovern was drafted by the Eagles with the 44th pick in the 2011 Rookie Draft (held in late 2010).[5] He was elevated to the senior list in November 2013.[6] In late 2013, McGovern showed up for pre-season training significantly overweight, after a holiday to Thailand. He was "banished" from the club and told to pursue an individual training routine if he wished to continue his career, eventually losing 10 kg and regaining the trust of the coaching staff.[7]

In his fourth year on West Coast's playing list, McGovern finally made his senior debut for the club in round six of the 2014 season, against Carlton at Etihad Stadium.[6] He was dropped for the next game, but returned in round twelve against Hawthorn as a like-for-like replacement for Josh Kennedy (who had a fractured cheekbone).[8] McGovern kicked 10 goals across the next four games, and held his spot for the rest of the year. Overall he managed 13 games in 2014, playing predominantly as a swingman in a similar vein to how Adam Hunter was used under John Worsfold.

In 2015, McGovern emerged as one of the best contested marks in the game as a result of West Coast's considerable injury list. Injuries to Eric MacKenzie and Mitch Brown meant McGovern was forced back into a key defender role.[9] He performed it with aplomb despite often being undersized and inexperienced compared to some of the best forwards in the game. He emerged as a reliable mark, often going back with the flight of the ball into packs to influence the contest, and he was rewarded with a position in the 40-man All-Australian squad (although he did not make the final team).[10]

In 2016, after a career-best season, McGovern was named as a defender in the 2016 All-Australian team. He was the first Eagles key defender to make the team since Darren Glass in 2011.[11] McGovern set a new overall record for the most contested intercept marks in a season, and recorded the equal-most marks from opposition kicks in 2016 (alongside Easton Wood).[12]

In July 2018, McGovern signed a five-year contract extension with West Coast reportedly worth $5 million.[13] Many clubs were interested in recruiting him, including Fremantle,[14] St Kilda[15] and Sydney.[16] In the West Coast game against Port Adelaide on Saturday 11 August 2018, McGovern kicked a goal after the siren to win the game for the West Coast Eagles.[17]

In Round 23, 2018, McGovern broke the record for most intercept marks in a season by taking his 77th of 2018. The record was previously held by Easton Wood of the Western Bulldogs at 76 and was set in 2015.[18]

Statistics
Statistics are correct to the end of 2019 [19]
Legend
 G  Goals  B  Behinds  K  Kicks  H  Handballs  D  Disposals  M  Marks  T  Tackles
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2014 West Coast 42131361144616084181.00.58.83.512.36.51.4
2015 West Coast 202032159110269109240.20.18.05.513.55.51.2
2016 West Coast 202235239100339137320.10.210.94.515.46.21.5
2017 West Coast 20241014266135401192430.40.611.15.616.78.01.8
2018† West Coast 20246225997356169310.30.110.84.014.87.01.3
2019 West Coast 202311242101343164360.00.010.54.414.97.11.6
Career 1263630127958918688551840.30.210.24.714.86.81.5
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See also

References
  1. "How Jeremy McGovern learnt to hunt for marks".
  2. Baum, Greg (2 October 2015). "From red centre to epicentre: Jeremy McGovern's getting of football wisdom". WAtoday. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  3. Career turns of four country teammates
  4. Davidson, Brad (9 December 2010). "McGovern on Eagles' rookie list". Albany Advertiser/The West Australian. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  5. "Eagle McGovern wins back coach's trust". The Age. 24 April 2014.
  6. Hagdorn, Kim (24 April 2014), "Jeremy McGovern gets his chance to debut for West Coast Eagles against Carlton", perthnow, retrieved 9 June 2018
  7. Chadwick, Justin (29 September 2015). "'Unprofessional' McGovern learns his lesson". AFL. AAP. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  8. Duffield, Mark (5 June 2014). "Eagles players told to fix it". The West Australian. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  9. King, Travis (18 July 2015). "McGovern injury leaves Simpson with a headache". AFL. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  10. Ryan, Peter (8 September 2015). "All Australian squad of 40 named". AFL. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  11. Schmook, Nathan (1 September 2016). "All Australian: Five Swans in 2016's best 22". AFL. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  12. Carrier, Tim (13 April 2017). "Why West Coast must swing All-Australian defender Jeremy McGovern forward". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  13. Cleary, Mitch (23 July 2018). "No Gov lost: Eagle signs $5m five-year deal". afl.com.au. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  14. Morris, Tom (3 July 2018). "AFL trade free agency news 2018: Fremantle players confident on Jeremy McGovern". www.foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  15. "Saints meet with McGovern's manager". PerthNow. 28 May 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  16. Elliott, Josh (23 July 2018). "Hand in Gov: Jeremy McGovern signs five-year deal with West Coast". The Roar. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  17. Nick Rynne, The West Australian. Unbelievable-jeremy-mcgovern-wins-it-for-the-eagles-after-the-siren. Retrieved 11.08.2018
  18. http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-08-26/five-talking-points-brisbane-v-west-coast
  19. "AFL Tables - Jeremy McGovern - Stats - Statistics". afltables.com. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
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