Alex Jesaulenko

Oleksandr Vasiliovych "Alex" Jesaulenko ( JEZ-ə-LENK-oh; Ukrainian: Олександр Васильович Єсауленко, romanized: Oleksandr Vasiliovych Yesaulenko, IPA: [olekˈsɑndr wɐˈsɪlʲowɪtʃ jesɐʊˈlɛnko]; born 2 August 1945) is a former Australian rules footballer and who played for the Carlton Football Club and the St Kilda Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL). He also served as a coach at both clubs. Jesaulenko is a Legend of the Australian Football Hall of Fame, and as a player was known for his versatility, uncanny balance and spectacular marking. He immortalised his reputation in the game by taking the most iconic mark in football history in the 1970 VFL Grand Final. In 2009 The Australian nominated Jesaulenko as one of the 25 greatest footballers never to win a Brownlow Medal. Recruited from Canberra, Jesaulenko has played more games and kicked more goals than any other player from the Australian Capital Territory. He represented his home territory in 1978. His popularity caused the code to surge in popularity there, and he remains a household name in the ACT. He remains to date the only Carlton footballer to have kicked 100 or more goals in a season, and the last player-coach to win a VFL/AFL premiership (1979). In 2002, he was inducted into the Ukrainian Sports Hall of Fame. On 20 October 2010, he was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. In July 2013, Jesaulenko was named captain of the first Australia Post Multicultural Team of Champions. In January 2022, Jesaulenko was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.