Former Fremantle forward Jesse Hogan has all but sewn up the Coleman Medal to complete an extraordinary turnaround in his career and become the game’s most dominant key forward.
Hogan’s six majors against Fremantle on Saturday placed him 13 goals clear of Gold Coast’s Ben King with one round to play. It was the second time this season that he’d kicked six goals and that led Greater Western Sydney to a nine point victory over the Dockers.
Hogan began his career at Melbourne and won the AFL Rising Star award, then returned to Perth to play for Fremantle to be closer to his family. Having endured challenges off the field, Hogan switched to the Giants with the hope of enjoying his football again and has now written his name into AFL history.
“I’m really proud of the work that he puts in,” GWS coach Adam Kingsley said.
“That probably goes understated. It’s just how hard he works at his game physically and mentally. He’s a fantastic preparer. He deserves what he gets because of the way that he prepares and how selfless he is.
“He’s given away plenty of goals this year to people in better positions or created contests to create goals for his smaller teammates. It’s great to see him get the rewards.
“I think he’s got a clear advantage on anyone he plays on. He’s just an elite contested marker. He’s got great craft, he’s smart, he knows when to lead, he knows when to get out the back and when we kick it to him, you know it’s either going to be a contest or he’s going to mark it.”
Hogan spent only two seasons at Fremantle, kicking 18 goals from 19 games before being traded to the Giants. His final year was Justin Longmuir’s first as coach.
Longmuir said Hogan had shown how talented he is and always made it extremely difficult for any defender to play on him.
“His ability to work and his contested marking – he’s done a great job to put his best out on the footy field. Well done to him,” Longmuir said.