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Sean Wight

Sean Wight 6 DOB: 15 March 1964
Died: 30 June 2011

Debut: Round 8, 1985 against St. Kilda at MCG
Last Game: Round 22, 1995 against Brisbane Bears at Gabba

From: Kerry/Listowel Emmets (Ireland)

Number: 27 (1985-1995)

Honours:
Under 19s premiership player - 1983
Grand Final team - 1988
150 Heroes selection
Life Member - 1994
MFC Hall of Fame - 2008

Games: 150
Goals: 63
Career Statistics

WinsDrawsLossesWinning %
8106954.00

Statistical categories led
Equal most games in jumper 27
Most goals in jumper 27

John Phillip "Sean" Wight was born in Scotland but spent much of his life in Ireland before coming to Australia as part of the "Irish Experiment". He had a taste of success, representing Kerry in the 1982 All-Ireland final before being spotted by talent scouts at a clinic organised to find potential VFL players. Keen on international travel Wight had answered a newspaper advertisement to attend the trial after being alerted to it by his aunt but impressed scouts with his high marking in the All-Ireland game and at the training camp.

Accepting the offer of a scholarship to Australia alongside Paul Earley, Wight travelled to Australia and after seeing his first game of Australian Rules in the 1982 Grand Final, a year later he was playing on the same day in the Under 19s decider. He lost the 1984 season to a knee injury suffered midway through the 1983 season, and after playing in the 1985 Night Series, he spent another two months in the Reserves before debuting.

Wight struggled to establish a spot in 1986, playing just six games, but persistence paid off and he was one of Melbourne's best in 1987. Wight gained a reputation as a dour defender and carried a trademark moustache for most of his career. In '87, Wight played in the Night Premiership and made a name for himself by keeping Jason Dunstall to one goal in a game. The next year he appeared in every game for the season and played in the disastrous Grand Final loss.

His start to 1989 was slowed by a hamstring injuring suffered in the Night Grand Final, and he didn't play a match until Round 6 but was ever-present from there on until the Demons were knocked out in the Semi Final.

1990 saw Wight play just two games before injuring his knee in a Reserves match, and his next three years were also interrupted by injury. He also had a controversial moment before the Round 18, 1991 Reserves match against St Kilda when he was sent home by the club after refusing to remove his Blade Boots which clashed with the Adidas sponsorship of the club.

It was not until the successful 1994 season that Wight managed to play more than half a season again, and after being almost ever present that year he signed another contract in early 1995. He played 21 games that year before retiring. During his career he had 16 operations.

Wight served as a director from 1995 until resigning in 1997 in protest over Neil Balme being sacked.

In 2011 Wight was diagnosed with lung cancer despite never having been a smoker. He passed away just a few months later.

YearGamesGoalsBrownlow
1985 572
1986 600
1987 21146
1988 26171
1989 19150
1990 210
1991 1010
1992 1160
1993 520
1994 2403
1995 2101
Tribunal Record
MatchChargeSanction
Elimination Final 1991 Striking 1 match

Lists
Life Members
The Irish Experiment

Video



Media
Age - 01/06/1983
Evening Echo - 27/04/1985
Age - 17/05/1985
Age - 04/05/1989
Canberra Times - 10/05/1990
Age - 19/01/1992, 11/12/1994, 28/11/1995, 03/06/1997, 22/05/2001, 11/03/2011, 30/06/2011

Notes
Age 20/10/1991 says he injured his knee in a rabbit hole while on holiday in Scotland and required a reconstruction.

Links
Australian Football profile
Demonwiki image gallery
Wikipedia profile