View source for David Neitz

{{short description|Australian rules footballer, born 1975}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = David Neitz
| image = David neitz.jpg
| alt = 
| caption = 
| fullname = David Neitz
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1975|1|22|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Ulverstone, Tasmania]]
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| originalteam = [[Parkmore, Victoria|Parkmore]]
| height = 193&nbsp;cm
| weight = 100&nbsp;kg
| position = Full forward/centre half back
| statsend = 2008
| years1 = 1993–2008
| club1 = {{AFL Mel}}
| games_goals1 = 306 (631)
| careerhighlights = *{{AFL Mel}} captain: 2000–2008
*[[Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Medal]]list: 2002
*[[Coleman Medal]]list: 2002
*7× {{AFL Mel}} [[List of Melbourne Football Club leading goalkickers|leading goalkicker]]: 1996, 1997 (equal), 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006
*[[Melbourne Football Club#Honour board|Harold Ball Memorial Trophy]]: 1993
*2× [[All-Australian team]]: 1995, 2002
*[[AFL Rising Star]] nominee: [[1993 AFL Rising Star|1993]]
*[[Melbourne Football Club#Hall of Fame|Melbourne Hall of Fame]]
*[[Australian Football Hall of Fame]]
}}

'''David Neitz''' (born 22 January 1975), is a retired [[Australian rules football]]er. A strongly built forward, he debuted at 18 years old. In just his sixth senior game kicked 6 goals 6 behinds. In his 2nd year, with Melbourne's forward line consisting of Garry Lyon and David Schwarz, among others. He was shifted to the backline to fill a need, Neitz proved he was capable of playing both ends of the ground. 

Neitz was the longest-serving captain in the history of the [[Melbourne Football Club]] and the first Melbourne player to achieve the 300-game milestone. He is considered one of the greatest ever players to come out of the island state of [[Tasmania]].

Neitz was born in [[Ulverstone, Tasmania]], he was groomed as a potential [[Australian Football League]] player from the age of 15 and targeted by the recruiters at the Melbourne Football Club, entering the AFL in 1993 as a key position player, he soon became one of Melbourne's best young prospects.

In 1994, Neitz was named to his first [[Victoria (Australia)|Victorian]] State of Origin team, and he went one step further in 1995 by making the [[All-Australian team]] as well as the Victorian side.

After the retirement of Demons great [[Garry Lyon]], Neitz moved to the full-forward position and began his successful run as one of the AFL's elite goal scorers. He has led Melbourne's goalkicking seven times (1996, 1997 (equal), 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006), and in 2002 won the prestigious [[Coleman Medal]] for leading the league in goals, making him not only the first Melbourne player to do so, but also the first Melbourne player to lead the competition's goalkicking since the 1940s. On 8 April 2005, Neitz became the 40th person in [[Australian Football League|VFL/AFL]] history to kick 500 career goals.

Neitz was appointed captain of Melbourne in 2000, and on 8 April 2005 he broke the club record for most games captained (previously held by Garry Lyon with 112 games as captain). He has been an [[All-Australian team|All-Australian]] in 1995 and 2002, and played for [[Australia]] in the [[1998 International Rules Series]] and [[2002 International Rules Series]] against [[Ireland]]. In 2002, Neitz also won his first Melbourne Best and Fairest Award, the [[Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Medal]], along with the [[Coleman Medal]], for kicking the most goals of any player in that season.

On 8 April 2005, Neitz played his 250th career AFL game, and in 2006 signed a two-year contract extension seeing him through to the end of 2007. Neitz became Melbourne's all-time leading goal-kicker on 19 May 2006, surpassing [[Norm Smith]]'s previous record of 546 goals. Two weeks later, he broke [[Robert Flower]]'s long standing record of 272 games, making him the longest serving Demon in history. He played his 300th AFL game for the Demons in the defeat against Collingwood on 17 August 2007. He is one of only two players to play as many games for the Melbourne Football Club, the other being [[Nathan Jones (Australian footballer)|Nathan Jones]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/916527/year-by-year-jones-journey-to-300-games|title=Year-by-year: Jones' journey to 300 games|publisher=Melbourne FC|first=Ben|last=Gibson|date=20 April 2021|accessdate=28 January 2023}}</ref>

Neitz now sits on the [[AFL Tribunal]] jury, adjudicating on high-profile cases that arise during the regular season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/1095295/the-verdict-is-in-essendon-bombers-peter-wright-st-kilda-saints-max-king-learns-his-fate-at-tribunal|title=The verdicts are in: Key Bomber, Saint learn their fate at Tribunal|publisher=[[Australian Football League]]|work=AAP|date=26 March 2024|accessdate=26 March 2024}}</ref>

==Statistics==
:<ref>[http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/D/David_Neitz.html David Neitz's player profile at AFL Tables]</ref>

{{AFL player statistics legend}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|style="background:#CFECEC; width:1em"|
|Led the league for the season only
|-
|style="background:#b7e718; width:1em"|
|Led the league after finals only
|-
|style="background:#DD6E81; width:1em"|
|Led the league after season and finals
|}
{{AFL player statistics start}}
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1993 AFL season|1993]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 38 || 20 || 17 || 15 || 161 || 96 || 257 || 94 || 12 || 0.9 || 0.8 || 8.1 || 4.8 || 12.9 || 4.7 || 0.6
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1994 AFL season|1994]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 9 || 24 || 2 || 2 || 189 || 123 || 312 || 81 || 22 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 7.9 || 5.1 || 13.0 || 3.4 || 0.9
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1995 AFL season|1995]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 9 || 22 || 33 || 25 || 232 || 67 || 299 || 140 || 18 || 1.5 || 1.1 || 10.5 || 3.0 || 13.6 || 6.4 || 0.8
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1996 AFL season|1996]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 9 || 22 || 56 || 26 || 181 || 66 || 247 || 110 || 22 || 2.5 || 1.2 || 8.2 || 3.0 || 11.2 || 5.0 || 1.0
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1997 AFL season|1997]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 9 || 17 || 30 || 22 || 129 || 34 || 163 || 77 || 9 || 1.8 || 1.3 || 7.6 || 2.0 || 9.6 || 4.5 || 0.5
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1998 AFL season|1998]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 9 || 14 || 33 || 21 || 115 || 42 || 157 || 57 || 14 || 2.4 || 1.5 || 8.2 || 3.0 || 11.2 || 4.1 || 1.0
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1999 AFL season|1999]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 9 || 18 || 46 || 21 || 153 || 51 || 204 || 92 || 17 || 2.6 || 1.2 || 8.5 || 2.8 || 11.3 || 5.1 || 0.9
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2000 AFL season|2000]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 9 || 21 || 24 || 19 || 201 || 67 || 268 || 126 || 23 || 1.1 || 0.9 || 9.6 || 3.2 || 12.8 || 6.0 || 1.1
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2001 AFL season|2001]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 9 || 22 || 38 || 34 || 206 || 61 || 267 || 132 || 21 || 1.7 || 1.5 || 9.4 || 2.8 || 12.1 || 6.0 || 1.0
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2002 AFL season|2002]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 9 || 24 || bgcolor="DD6E81"| '''82''' || bgcolor="CFECEC"| '''38''' || 178 || 50 || 228 || 132 || 23 || bgcolor="DD6E81"| '''3.4''' || bgcolor="CFECEC"| '''1.6''' || 7.4 || 2.1 || 9.5 || 5.5 || 1.0
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2003 AFL season|2003]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 9 || 22 || 65 || 28 || 147 || 38 || 185 || 101 || 22 || 3.0 || 1.3 || 6.7 || 1.7 || 8.4 || 4.6 || 1.0
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2004 AFL season|2004]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 9 || 21 || 69 || 47 || 155 || 32 || 187 || 99 || 19 || 3.3 || 2.2 || 7.4 || 1.5 || 8.9 || 4.7 || 0.9
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2005 AFL season|2005]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 9 || 18 || 39 || 23 || 118 || 27 || 145 || 67 || 20 || 2.2 || 1.3 || 6.6 || 1.5 || 8.1 || 3.7 || 1.1
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2006 AFL season|2006]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 9 || 21 || 68 || 26 || 163 || 41 || 204 || 106 || 16 || 3.2 || 1.2 || 7.8 || 2.0 || 9.7 || 5.0 || 0.8
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2007 AFL season|2007]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 9 || 15 || 26 || 16 || 100 || 33 || 133 || 68 || 6 || 1.7 || 1.1 || 6.7 || 2.2 || 8.9 || 4.5 || 0.4
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2008 AFL season|2008]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 9 || 5 || 3 || 5 || 27 || 8 || 35 || 20 || 4 || 0.6 || 1.0 || 5.4 || 1.6 || 7.0 || 4.0 || 0.8
|- class="sortbottom"
! colspan=3| Career
! 306
! 631
! 368
! 2455
! 836
! 3291
! 1502
! 268
! 2.1
! 1.2
! 8.0
! 2.7
! 10.8
! 4.9
! 0.9
|}

==Honours and achievements==
{| style="margin-right:4px; margin-top:8px; float:right; border:1px #000 solid; border-radius:8px; background:#fff; font-family:Verdana; font-size:8pt; text-align:center;"
|- style="background:#fff;"
| colspan="2;" style="padding:3px; margin-bottom:-3px; margin-top:2px; font-family:Arial; "| '''[[Brownlow Medal]] votes'''
|-
! style="width:50%;"| Season
! style="width:50%;"| Votes
|-
| [[1993 Brownlow Medal|1993]]
| —
|-
| [[1994 Brownlow Medal|1994]]
| 2
|-
| [[1995 Brownlow Medal|1995]]
| 8
|-
| [[1996 Brownlow Medal|1996]]
| 10
|-
| [[1997 Brownlow Medal|1997]]
| 2
|-
| [[1998 Brownlow Medal|1998]]
| —
|-
| [[1999 Brownlow Medal|1999]]
| 5
|-
| [[2000 Brownlow Medal|2000]]
| 6
|-
| [[2001 Brownlow Medal|2001]]
| 7
|-
| [[2002 Brownlow Medal|2002]]
| 11
|-
| [[2003 Brownlow Medal|2003]]
| 8
|-
| [[2004 Brownlow Medal|2004]]
| 10
|-
| [[2005 Brownlow Medal|2005]]
| —
|-
| [[2006 Brownlow Medal|2006]]
| 10
|-
| [[2007 Brownlow Medal|2007]]
| —
|-
| [[2008 Brownlow Medal|2008]]
| —
|-
| '''Total'''
| '''79'''
|-
| colspan=2| <small>Key:</small>
|- style="background:#d9f9e9; border:1px solid #aaa; width:2em;"
| colspan=2| <small>Green / '''Bold''' = [[List of Brownlow Medal winners|Won]]</small><!--
<br />* = joint winner</small>
|- style="background-color:#FFCCCC; border:1px solid #aaaaaa; width:2em;"
| colspan=2| <small>Red / ''Italics'' = [[Brownlow Medal#Ineligibility|Ineligible]]</small>
-->
|}

*'''Individual'''
**'''[[Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Medal]]''': 2002
**'''[[Coleman Medal]]''': 2002
**'''[[List of Melbourne Football Club captains|Melbourne F.C. Captain]]''': 2000-2008
**'''[[All-Australian team|All-Australian]]''': 1995, 2002
**'''[[List of Melbourne Football Club leading goalkickers|Melbourne F.C. Leading Goalkicker]]''': 1996–1997, 1999, 2002–2004, 2006
**'''[[Australian international rules football team|Australian Representative Honours in]] [[International rules football|International Rules Football]]''': 1998, 2002
**'''[[AFL Rising Star|AFL Rising Star Nominee]]''': 1993 (Round 6)

==Retirement==

Due to a broken disc in the back of his neck, and after playing only five games in 2008, he finally pulled the plug on his AFL career as he announced his immediate retirement on 19 May 2008. In the round nine 2008 match Melbourne vs Hawthorn after the match Neitz was given a standing ovation by the players and the fans. He ended his playing career with several Melbourne records that he'd broken during recent seasons, three in particular: Most games (one of only two players to play 300 games for Melbourne), most goals, and longest-serving captain.<ref>[http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/neitz-calls-it-a-day/story-e6frf9mf-1111116382831 David Neitz calls it a day]</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{AFL Tables|ref=D/David_Neitz.html}}

{{Melbourne Football Club captains}}
{{AFL Coleman Medallists}}
{{Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Trophy winners}}
{{Melbourne leading goalkickers}}
{{VFL/AFL club games record holders}}
{{1995 All-Australian team}}
{{2002 All-Australian team}}
{{1998 Australian international rules team}}
{{2002 Australian international rules team}}
{{1994 Victoria State of Origin players}}
{{1995 Victoria State of Origin players}}
{{1993 AFL Rising Star nominees}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Neitz, David}}
[[Category:1975 births]]
[[Category:All-Australians (AFL)]]
[[Category:Australian rules footballers from Tasmania]]
[[Category:Australian rules footballers from Victoria (state)]]
[[Category:Coleman Medal winners]]
[[Category:Victorian State of Origin players]]
[[Category:Australian people of German descent]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Melbourne Football Club players]]
[[Category:Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Trophy winners]]
[[Category:People from Ulverstone, Tasmania]]
[[Category:Melbourne Football Club captains]]
[[Category:Australia international rules football team players]]
[[Category:Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees]]