JEFFREY (THE WIZ) FARMER – WA HALL OF FAME

JEFFREY FARMER

PLAYER: 1995-2009 (Melbourne 1995-2001, Fremantle 2002- 2008, South Fremantle 2007-2009, WA 1998, 2009)

GAMES: 269 (Melbourne 118, Fremantle 131, South Fremantle 18, WA 2)

GOALS: 537 (Melbourne 259, Fremantle 224, South Fremantle 50, WA 4)

HONOURS: South Fremantle premiership player 2009; Melbourne Leading Goalkicker 1997, 1998, 2000, All-Australian 2000; AFL Goal of the Year 1998; AFL Rising Star nominee 1996; Fremantle 25 since 95 Team; International Rules Australian Rep 1998.


Born in the great southern town of Tambellup, Farmer built a reputation playing schoolboy, Teal Cup and country football. He was zoned to South Fremantle and the newly formed Fremantle Football Club had a hold on him for their foundation squad but chose instead to trade him to Melbourne in exchange for Phil Gilbert. Farmer made his AFL debut in Round One, 1995 aged 17, and joined the ‘goal with first kick’ club. He showed significant glimpses in his 7 games that season but ran a little hot and cold.

After establishing himself the following season to be named Melbourne’s Most Improved Player, he returned home due to family bereavements and extreme homesickness. Only a personal visit by Neil Balme and Garry Lyon was able to coax him back for 1997. By 1998 he was becoming a consistently brilliant performer and crucial to a Melbourne revival. Late in the season, he took a spectacular soaring mark above a pack but was narrowly pipped for Mark of the Year. After a form dip in 1999 due to relentless tagging, he came back to his best in 2000, producing several dazzling performances. He kicked a career-best 76 goals and was named as the All-Australian small forward.

At the end of 2001, Farmer was traded to Fremantle for draft pick 17. An early highlight was kicking a winning goal after the siren against his old club but his first two seasons at Fremantle lacked consistency. From 2004 to 2006 however, he was Fremantle’s second most productive forward and always capable of magic.

In 2006 he became the eighth indigenous player to reach 200 games and the first to kick 400 career goals and narrowly missed a second All-Australian selection. After a turbulent final two seasons, he announced his retirement at the end of 2008 with his 483 goals the 49th most of all players in VFL/AFL history.

In 2009 Farmer made a popular decision to return to WAFL football with South Fremantle, and his 13 games included the 2009 Grand Final victory over Subiaco. He also represented his state for the second time following a 1998 State of Origin game.