As the VAFA celebrate its 125th anniversary, the Herald Sun is highlighting the greatest amateur players of the 74 clubs that make up the competition, with Leigh Fletcher named for the Rovers.
Players named must be true Amateurs, having never played in the AFL (formerly VFL), ruling out the likes of Brownlow medallist Ross Smith who wore the green & gold when the club won its only A grade flag in 1951.
Leigh Fletcher is still playing (214 games) after beginning in the juniors in 2000. His brilliance is highlighted by five straight wins in the club’s B&F (2009-10-11-12-13) and captained the club to Premierships in 2013-2014.
He is a competition B&F winner in B Grade (2010) and D1 (2013) and a Big V rep in 2008-12-13.
Leigh has been offered an significant amount of money from suburban clubs over the years but has remained loyal to the Hampton Rovers Football Club, remaining an Amateur, and will go down as one of the VAFA all-time greats. The Rovers have had many great players over its almost 90 year history, but Fletch stands out as one of the best.
Players named by Jon Anderson from other VAFA club’s can be seen on the Herald Sun website here.
