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Fraser Gehrig
Photo: aflphotos.com
DOB
3/3/1976
Height
195 cm
Weight
86 kg
Junior club
Murray Bushrangers/Wodonga Raiders JFC
Arrived
Pick 16 in the 1993 national draft
Number
34 (1994), 25 (1995)
7 (1996–2000)
Debut
Round 1 1995 vs St Kilda
(90th Eagles player)
Games
115
Goals
159
Honours
All-Australian (1997, 2004)
Rookie of the Year (1995)
Leading goalscorer (1998)
Coleman Medal (2004, 2005)
B&F Top 10
2 (1997, 1998)
Best Finish
4th (1998)
Last app.
Round 20 2000 vs Geelong
Departed
Traded to St Kilda at the end of the 2000 season for David Sierakowski and pick 18 (Daniel Kerr)
Other clubs
Murray Bushrangers (TAC Cup) 1993
Perth (WAFL) 1994-2000
St Kilda (AFL) 2001-2008

Fraser Gehrig was well-known for his strength – in his time at West Coast he set a new bench-press record. In addition to that trait, his height, athleticism and versatility made him an integral part of the team during the mid to late 90s as he played anywhere from full-forward to full-back to wing. In the latter half of his career his fearsome strength made him a formidable full forward for St Kilda.

West Coast career[]

Originally from Wodonga on the Murray River, Gehrig arrived at the club as a first-round selection in 1993.

Gehrig spent 1994 developing in the WAFL with Perth before bursting onto the AFL scene in 1995, playing 16 games for 21 goals including a 5-goal haul against the Demons, and picking up the club’s Rookie of the Year award.

A solid 1996 spent mostly down back was followed by a massive 1997 when he kicked 31 goals, second only to Peter Sumich, and won selection in a forward pocket in the All-Australian side.

His 1998 may have been even better. Now almost a permanent forward, he kicked 42 goals to win the club goalscoring including half a dozen against Sydney and a couple of hauls of 5.

Despite his impressive performances he was something of a lightning-rod for criticism from Eagles fans during his time at the club. At the end of the 2000 season he asked to be traded back to Victoria and was sent to the Saints in return for David Sierakowski and the draft pick that was used on Daniel Kerr.

St Kilda career[]

At the Saints Gehrig transformed from an athletic utility to a gorilla full-forward, winning the Coleman Medal twice and picking up another All-Australian jumper in 2004. Gehrig’s career at the St Kilda also included 145 games, consecutive club goalkicking awards from 2003 to 2007 and the world’s shortest retirement (he retired at the end of the 2007 before changing his mind, going back into the draft and being redrafted by the Saints), before giving the game away for good at the end of 2008.

Post-AFL career[]

Gehrig and former teammate Trent Cummings founded a sustainability business in country Victoria, recycling used synthetic turf.[1]

Stats[]

AFL Gm G B K M H D T Cl WAFL Gm G
1994 0 Per 21 2
1995 16 21 4 119 73 51 170 11 8 5
1996 24 12 8 183 99 117 300 22 0
1997 22 31 17 223 115 80 303 21 0
1998 23 42 19 200 144 92 292 18 1 0
1999 11 19 9 85 61 46 131 8 4 2 5
2000 19 34 17 164 108 77 241 15 7 0
Tot 115 159 74 974 600 463 1437 95 12
Avg 1.4 8.5 5.2 4.0 12.5 0.8 0.2

References[]

http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/F/Fraser_Gehrig.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraser_Gehrig

https://wafl.com.au/player/fraser-gehrig

  1. Tim Ladhams, Inside Small Business (20 July 2023), "Recycling is their turf": https://insidesmallbusiness.com.au/management/sustainability/recycling-is-their-turf
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