Past Player Birthdays: 1st to 7th May

3rd April: Peter Green

Career: 1994
Debut and only Game: Round 10, 1994 vs Footscray
998th Carlton Player
Goals: Nil
Guernsey No. 37
Height: 186cm
Weight: 86kg
DOB: 3 May, 1974

Peter Green was recruited from Sydney who recruited him from Barellan NSW, which is east of Griffith in the Riverina. Green was a mid-sized defensive utility who played the solitary game with Carlton.

The game in question was the Round 10 game versus the Bulldogs at Princes Park, 1994 that Carlton won by 12 points. Green was brought on to the field in the second quarter, and missed a tackle (from memory), and was taken off after only a few minutes. After some strong performances in the seconds, Green was only afforded a short ‘time in the sun’ at senior level…. for more read here.

5th April: David Teague

Carlton Career: 2004 – 2006 (also listed in 2007)
Debut: Round 1, 2004 vs Fremantle
Carlton Player No. 1076
Games: 50 (Carlton) (83 Overall)
Goals: 2
Last game: Round 22, 2006 vs Sydney
Guernsey No. 15
Height : 187cm
Weight : 90 kg
DOB: 5 May, 1981
Best and Fairest: 2004
AFLPA Robert Rose Award Most Courageous Player: 2004

David Teague, who wore the #15 for the Blues, was traded to Carlton by the Kangaroos at the end of the 2003 season. He had begun his AFL career at North Melbourne in 2001, and earned universal admiration for his courage. The Roos gave up Teague and forward Digby Morrell to ensure the return of Corey McKernan to Arden St.

Teague was a key player in Carlton’s defence during our apparent resurgence in 2004. Playing all 22 games in the season, Teague had the ability to keep his man quiet, but also to zone off and be the third man up for the desperate goal saving punch or mark. He averaged 3.6 marks (plus a number of tackles) per game, and his watershed year culminated with his award for Best & Fairest in 2004. His outstanding courage was also recognised by the AFLPA with the Most Courageous Player Award…. for more read here.

6th April: Neil Chandler

Career: 19681974
Debut : Round 14, 1968 vs Essendon, aged 19 years, 75 days
Carlton Player No. 806
Games : 76
Goals : 22
Last Game : Round 7, 1974 vs Hawthorn, aged 25 years, 11 days
Guernsey Nos. 47 (1968-69) and 22 (1970-74)
Height : 185 cm (6 ft. 1 in.)
Weight: 83 kg (13 stone, 1 lb.)
DOB : 6 May, 1949
Premiership Player: 1968, 1970, 1972

Neil Chandler’s contribution to Carlton’s golden era from 1968 to 1982 – when the Blues contested eight Grand Finals and won six flags – deserves wider recognition. A versatile, dependable utility who spent his relatively short career at Princes Park in the shadow of champions, he was a more than handy member of three Premiership teams.

Neil came to Carlton from Welshpool in Gippsland in the summer of 1967. He was a promising ruck-rover with good skills and an outstanding attitude. Like his coach Ron Barassi – with whom Chandler quickly found rapport – he was very much a team-man who was prepared to play wherever he was required, whenever he was required.

He was given his first opportunity at senior level late in 1968. The steadily-improving Blues finished second on the ladder to Essendon that season, then beat the Bombers in the Second Semi-Final to march straight into the Grand Final. When Essendon in turn accounted for Geelong in the Preliminary Final, they set up a rematch with Carlton for the Premiership. On the Thursday before the decider, Chandler was named as one of two reserves, along with ex-Melbourne defender Peter McLean… for more read here.

6th April: Peter McLean

Career: 19661968
Debut : Round 3, 1966 vs Fitzroy, aged 25 years, 0 days
Carlton Player No. 782
Games : 48
Goals : 5
Last Game : Grand Final, 1968 vs Essendon, aged 27 years, 145 days
Guernsey No. 36
Height : 185 cm (6 ft. 1 in.)
Weight : 82.5 kg (13 stone, 0 lbs.)
DOB : May 6, 1941
Premiership Player 1968

Peter McLean came to Carlton from Melbourne in 1966 and gave sterling service to the Old Dark Navy Blues for the next decade. Fresh from a Premiership with the Demons in 1964, he joined his former captain Ron Barassi at Princes Park, and proved a handy pickup in his 47 games over three seasons. He was 20th man in Carlton’s 1968 Premiership win over Essendon, and later, a club Vice President and Chairman of Selectors.

McLean began his football career with amateur side Old Melburnians, but by 1964 was wearing guernsey number 36 for Melbourne under their legendary coach, Norm Smith. The Demons met Collingwood in the Grand Final that year, and Peter was selected as 19th man.

The game itself was a classic, won in the dying minutes by Melbourne when their back pocket player ‘Froggy’ Crompton followed his rover downfield, swooped on a loose ball, and kicked his first goal of the season to snatch the flag for his team. Meanwhile, sitting on the pine next to Smith – where he had stayed for the entire match – McLean was wracked by contrasting emotions. “Ken Emselle (20th man) got a run,” he said, some years later, “but I just sat there. It’s a very unusual feeling. I’d done enough during the season to feel part of the win, but I didn’t really feel part of it – if you know what I mean.”….for more read here.

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