Mark West                                                                               

Number

  34

Height

  180

Weight

  85

Birthday

  3 April 1973

Period on list

  1996 to 1998

Senior Games

  16

Goals

  3

Disposals

  183

Recruited From

  South Adelaide, SANFL, Pick 43 1995 National Draft, 3rd pick.

                                 

Honours 

  Finals in 1997 and 1998.

Possibly of Aboriginal extraction. Blessed with a ton of pace, a magnificent physique and could burst through packs and kick the ball a mile.

Played in the 1997 final against Adelaide and greatly impressed.

Played full back. Dislocated his shoulder in round 11 1994. In 1995 he played 9 games including the final against Geelong. Was shattered when his shoulder damages again after is return from injury.

Played both finals in 1998 but was delisted in the following year.

Father from Footscray, mother from Darwin. Lived in Darwin, followed the doggies.

At a practice match at Windy Hill and Mark West dislocated his shoulder again. He was in tears, not through the pain but it was just obvious frustration, he proceeded to kick the living daylights out of the bench. He was going to be a very, very good footballer for us; he certainly had the endeavour and skills. Footy can be a very cruel game for players with recurring injuries.

He dominated a reserves final one day and thinking he was going to be the next big thing. Injuries meant that he never really got going.

Westy laid one of the all time best bumps near the boundary line when playing for Williamstown against Carlton in a VFL finals series a couple of years back. He sent Justin Murphy flying, who broke two pickets at the Port Melbourne ground he hit it so hard. Then it was on for young and old.

He wasn't particularly big and hence went back to reserves when he first started with the dogs but he built himself up into a magnificent physique. He threw himself around like a berserker, but it was legal (except the crows crunch in Adelaide) which always unnerved some opponents giving Scott West some extra room. 1998 was going be big. In the pre-season cup game against Melbourne he was the only midfielder keeping our side in the game , and his size and build were 'ready for war'.

He suffered a shoulder injury caused by Melbourne player trying to protect his mates from West killing them. Very sad. He went away and recovered. He came back and just got into seniors contention for the 98 finals. He asked to go back to reserve grade in the weeks break we had to keep up his momentum.

Remember the goal in the Final at the Ponsford stand end. He was practising those goals up and around the body from the MCC pocket with his right foot. Did exactly like that in the game under some pressure when everyone else went to water!

He played against Richmond at Waverley and did well (very good memories of that day in the way West played - Dooley coming off toward end of game and screaming something like 'F-n Richmond really do suck!' into the crowd around interchange)

Suddenly, just as suddenly  as he turned from a skinny youth to a beaming Adonis, he changed to become heavier. Watching him at Williamstown was just lacrimose. From then he was always going to leave because generally 'Life happened' and eventually he took his leave with partner and kids at the end of 00.

Surprising one that we had so much time for only played 16 games. Very much loved by the fans. Injury-wasted-talent -pure and simple.

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