A bona fide midfield star, Chris Judd was one of the greatest players of his generation, winning the Brownlow medal twice before retiring at the end of the 2015 season.
Chris Judd’s career can be neatly split into two neat sections: his West Coast days and his Carlton days. What has made Judd such an exceptional player and figure is that he has managed to establish himself as a club legend with both the Eagles and Blues fans. While Judd had lost his devastating speed and supreme strength shortly after arriving at Carlton, he played with such grace and composure that he was just as influential within the Blues team as he was while an Eagle.
For West Coast, Judd played 134 games between 2002-2007, becoming the Eagle’s first Brownlow medalist in 2004. However, this achievement was surpassed in 2006, when Judd become the captain of West Coast, leading them to premiership glory in a victory over the Swans by a single point. This triumph was revenge for Judd and the Eagles, who had lost to the Swans by 4 points in the previous Grand Final.
For Carlton, Judd played 145 games from 2008-2015, and earned his second Brownlow medal in 2010, becoming only the fourth player in history to win the Brownlow at more than one club (now there are five thanks to Gary Ablett’s 2013 Brownlow with Gold Coast). Judd’s move to Carlton coincided with a drastic upward surge in the Blues’ form, going from regular wooden spoon contenders to a consistent top-eight team, with an impressive fifth place finish in 2011 a highlight.
However, just as if not more important than Judd’s on-field success is his reputation as one of the gentlemen of the game. His opinion is highly respected in all AFL circles, and he now makes appearances on Triple M radio in Melbourne.
