Leigh Matthews

Leigh Matthews
Statue of Matthews outside the MCG
Personal information
Full name	Leigh Raymond Matthews
Nickname(s)	Lethal, Barney Rubble
Date of birth	(1952-03-01) 1 March 1952 (age 72)
Place of birth	Frankston, Victoria
Original team(s)	Chelsea (MPNFL)
Height	178 cm (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Weight	86 kg (190 lb)
Position(s)	Midfielder/Forward
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1969–1985	Hawthorn	332 (915)
Representative team honours
Years	Team	Games (Goals)
1971–1982	Victoria	14 (29)
Coaching career3
Years	Club	Games (W–L–D)
1986–1995	Collingwood	224 (125–94–5)
1999–2008	Brisbane Lions	237 (142–92–3)
Club total		461 (267–186–8)
1997–1998	Representative Victoria	2 (2–0–0)
1998	Australia	2 (1–1–0)
Representative total		4 (3–1–0)
Total		465 (270–187–8)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1985. 3 Coaching statistics correct as of 2008.
Career highlights
Playing 4× VFL premiership player: 1971, 1976, 1978, 1983 VFL premiership captain: 1983 8× Peter Crimmins Perpetual Memorial Trophy: 1971, 1972, 1974, 1976–1978, 1980, 1982 VFLPA MVP Award (Leigh Matthews Trophy): 1982 Award renamed in 2002 in Matthews honour Coleman Medal: 1975 All-Australian team: 1972 2× VFL Team of the Year: 1982, 1983 6× Hawthorn leading goalkicker: 1973, 1975, 1981–1984 Hawthorn captain: 1981–1985 AFL Team of the Century Hawthorn Team of the Century Championship of Australia Championship: 1971 NFL Night Series championship: 1976 AFC Night Series premiership: 1977 VFL Night Series premiership: 1969 2× Australian National Football Carnival Championship: 1972, 1975 Captain of Victoria Coaching 4× AFL premiership coach: 1990, 2001–2003 3× All-Australian team: 2001–2003 AFL team of the year: 1990 AFLCA Coaching Legend Award: 2013 Hall of Fame Australian Football Hall of Fame – Legend status Sport Australia Hall of Fame - Legend Status Hawthorn Hall of Fame – Legend status Collingwood Hall of Fame Brisbane Lions Hall of Fame
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Leigh Raymond Matthews (born 1 March 1952) is a former Australian rules footballer and coach. He played for Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and coached Collingwood and the Brisbane Lions in the VFL and renamed Australian Football League (AFL).

Squat, short-legged and barrel-chested, Matthews earned the iconic nickname "Lethal Leigh" due to his physical as well as skillful style of play.^[2] He is officially recognised as the "best player of the 20th century" according to the AFL, is a 'Legend' in the Australian Football Hall of Fame, named in the Hawthorn and AFL teams of the century, and is one of the most successful AFL coaches of all time.^[3] Following his coaching career, Matthews has had multiple media roles, most notably as an AFL commentator on television with the Seven Network until 2024, and on radio with 3AW. Matthews is currently a panellist on the AFL analysis program Footy Furnace, which airs on Sunday nights on the Nine Network.