FORMER Carlton and St Kilda champion Alex Jesaulenko is the newest member of the AFL’s Hall of Fame to be elevated to Legend status.
There have been few more naturally-gifted players to take the football field than Jesaulenko.
Born on August 2, 1945 in Salzburg, Austria, Jesaulenko was born to a Ukrainian father and a Russian mother.
It wasn’t until the age of four that his parents emigrated to Australia and until the age of 14 that he played his first game of Australian Football.
However once he turned his back on soccer and rugby, he quickly showed he was a natural.
North Melbourne thought it had landed the youngster’s signature but after Carlton used its nous to get him to Princes Park, Jesaulenko didn’t look back.
He quickly set about thrilling crowds with his ability to take a big mark or kick a miraculous goal a feature of his game.
Starting his career as a forward, the man known as “Jezza” would play a key role through one of the club’s most successful periods.
Debuting as a 22-year-old, he was third in the Brownlow Medal in just his first season before playing in a premiership the following year.
He remains the only Blue to have booted a ton after kicking 115 goals in 1970 – the haul helping Carlton land another flag.
It was in the 1970 Grand Final against Collingwood that the freakish forward took that mark, launching himself onto opponent Graeme Jenkin’s shoulders to take what many consider to be one of the greatest marks of all time.
His team trailed by more than seven goals at the time, and it helped spur the Blues to a famous come-from-behind win over their arch rival.
A back injury later in Jesaulenko’s career forced the star to head to defence, and it was across half back where he won his only best and fairest for Carlton – in 1975.
Jesaulenko was forced to take over the coaching reins in 1979, and successfully led the Blues to the premiership dais. He remains the last man to have captain-coached a side to a flag.
In 13 seasons with the Blues, Jesaulenko won four premierships – in 1968, 1970, 1972 and 1979 – and was a cornerstone of one of the club’s most successful eras.
A somewhat bitter split saw him leave Carlton to coach St Kilda for the final years of his playing career, however the Saints were at one of their lowest times and simply didn’t have the playing stocks to match it with powerhouse sides of the VFL.
Jesaulenko would eventually return to his former club in 1989.
He coached the Blues for two seasons, however Carlton would not taste the dizzy heights that Jezza was so used to during his earlier days at Princes Park.
Despite this, the former Canberra junior will always be remembered as a footballing genius and one of the Blues’ all-time greats.
In receiving the accolade Jesaulenko, becomes just the 22nd Legend of the game.
Others already possessing Legend status are: Darrel Baldock, Ron Barassi, Kevin Bartlett, Haydn Bunton snr, Roy Cazaly, John Coleman, Gordon Coventry, Jack Dyer, Graham 'Polly' Farmer, Peter Hudson, Bill Hutchison, Leigh Matthews, James 'Jock' McHale, John Nicholls, Bob Pratt, Dick Reynolds, Barrie Robran, Bob Skilton, Ian Stewart, Ted Whitten and 2007 inductee Norm Smith.
