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The AFL celebrates youth. The fitness, strength, speed and kicking ability needed to succeed are more likely to be found in younger players.
Many sources have noted the average age of retirement or delisting of players is somewhere around 32.4 years, as many hit their peak form between 25 -27 years. However, some players are able to maintain their form beyond this average age. In this article, we list the five oldest players in AFL history.
#5 Jim Flynn
Flynn was born in Benalla, Victoria on March 21, 1871. He debuted as a ruck for Collingwood in 1896 but didn't play another game for them.
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He was a part of Geelong's inaugural VFL team in 1897. He stayed there till he moved to Carlton in 1902. He became the captain in 1905 and led them to premiership glory in 1906 before retiring due to business commitments.
He returned in 1907 to lead them to another grand final when captain Fred Elliot was suspended. In 1908, he didn't play the home and away season but was called on when some Carlton players were dropped, and Flynn won their third consecutive flag.
Flynn was 39 years, 181 days when he finally retired.
#4 Syd Barker Snr
Sydney Quinton Barker Sr was born in Collingwood, Victoria on November 26, 1887.
He debuted in the VFA for Essendon Association and played for them between 1907- 1908. He joined Richmond in 1908 for their inaugural VFL season. He returned to the VFA and joined North Melbourne in 1909.
Barker was key in the "invincibles" side that won the 1910, 1914, 1915 and 1918 premierships. He was also the captain during their record 58-game unbeaten streak between 1914 and 1919.
In 1921, North was supposed to merge with Essendon ahead of the 1922 VFL but the State Government blocked the merger. And Barker, who had joined Essendon ahead, was suspended for crossing with clearance and stayed with the VFL side.
He became captain-coach at Essendon in 1922 and led them to premierships in 1923 and 1924 before announcing his retirement that year.
Although he came out of retirement to help his former side North Melbourne in 1927, they only won three games and ended the season one spot above rock bottom. He was 39 years, 239 days at retirement.
#3 Jack Leith
Leith was born on August 12, 1872. He made his debut for Carlton in 1892 and stayed till 1895. He then moved to Melbourne when they were still in the VFA.
He remained there and was part of the inaugural VFL team. He was a centre-half forward in Melbourne's 1900 premiership team and was the top goalkicker at the club in 1896, 1897, 1899, 1902 and 1907.
Leith first retired in 1908 but came back in 1911 to help a struggling Melbourne side as a defender. He finally retired at 39 years, 296 days.
#2 Dustin Fletcher
Dustin Andre Fletcher was a defender who played 23 years of professional football at Essendon. He joined Essendon after the 1992 National Draft and played his debut game against Carlton.
In his first season of professional footy, Essendon went all the way to premiership with him as a key team member in the 1993 season.
He was part of Essendon's 2000 premiership team, which was the club's 16th premiership. He won the Crichton Medal as Essendon's best and fairest and was selected in the All-Australian team that year.
He played 400 VFL/AFL games, which puts him in the top 10 of games played in AFL history. He was 40 years and 23 days old on the day of his final game in 2015, as a groin injury hindered him. He retired from professional football after an International rules match.
Fletcher was known for his long kicking and won a “Longest Kick competition”. In 2007, he kicked a torpedo punt from more than 70 meters. According to The Sunday Age, it was the fifth-longest kick in VFL/AFL history.
#1 Vic Cumberland
He was born on July 4, 1877 as Harold Vivian Cumberland. He started his VFL career with Melbourne in 1898.
He resumed his career in 1903 with St Kilda. He was a key part of St Kilda's rise from the bottom of the standings to fifth. In 1905, he moved to New Zealand to play for the Auckland imperial football club in the Australian Football league of Auckland.
When he returned to Australia, he rejoined St Kilda and was part of the first St Kilda team to make the finals in 1907. He was also in the team that made their second consecutive finals in 1908.
Cumberland moved to South Australia in 1909 and joined SANFL club Sturt and stayed for three years He returned to St Kilda for a third time in 1912, and they made the grand final for the first time, but they lost.
He remained with St Kilda till 1915 when St Kilda ceased operation due to the World War I. He enlisted to serve in the war in January 1916. He returned to St Kilda in 1919 and played his final season before retiring at 43.
He was a strong player who was known for his long kicking, strong marks and ability to win the ball in ruck contests. Cumberland was involved in an accident seven years later and died after months in hospital, at the age of 50.
