Legend Judd joins 300 club

Chris Judd’s rich AFL legacy could be completed in just months, with the dual Brownlow Medallist declaring his off-field future lies in business, not football.

Judd will achieve AFL life membership tonight when Carlton battle Geelong at Etihad Stadium. It will be his 300th official appearance, including 277 premiership games, 19 pre-season games, one State of Origin game and two International Rules games.

Speaking exclusively to The West Australian, Judd said that while he was not yet ready to fully reflect on his contribution to the game, particularly with the Blues in such a dire position at the foot of the ladder, the only life membership he had received in any sphere of his life would provide a humbling moment.

“When you first get drafted, you’re just worried about how you’re going to get your first game out,” Judd said this week.

“So to get to 300, albeit not all premiership games, is a big honour. I guess what it means is a recognition of just how much you’ve put into something. It’s certainly been a big part of my life and I feel like I’ve given all I could to it, so to be recognised with life membership is very special. I’m sure that when it does all end, it will be time to reflect on what it all means.”

The 31-year-old will qualify for life membership at Carlton at the end of this season and will also be considered at West Coast as the club’s first Brownlow Medallist and one of only two premiership captains alongside John Worsfold. He said that while he planned to make a decision on his playing future “when the dust had settled” at the end of the year he had already decided that his next phase of life would be “entrepreneurial” and emphatically ruled out a coaching career.

Despite what is looming as an unfitting end to his largely successful playing career, Judd said he had loved his time at Carlton and was desperately trying to help drive immediate improvement.

“Once you make the decision (to play on this year), you just have to focus on what’s actually happening,” he said.

“You make a commitment and then you do your best to fulfil that commitment to the best of your ability. In the situation where we find ourselves at the minute, we can’t really afford to look further out than what’s right in front of our noses - that’s the next training session and the next match.

“I’m certainly surprised at how we’ve started the year and really focused on trying to help the side improve and help the young guys play better so that we can dig ourselves out of where we find ourselves as quickly as possible. These things can turn around quickly in a matter of weeks or they can take years to turn around, so I guess what it largely depends on is making smart decisions, working really hard and working together as a group to pay a high price.

“If those things don’t happen, the place starts to implode and people look to apportion blame at everyone else but themselves. As players, we’ve been talking a lot about these sort of things recently and having some pretty positive conversations about where we’re at and coming up with a concrete course of action to make sure that that growth and improvement occurs.

“It’s a pretty challenging year, but I certainly don’t take for granted just how special it is to play for the Carlton footy club each week.”

The six-time All-Australian also made clear his feelings at what he saw as a lack of respect from many critics for veteran coach Mick Malthouse, who has been under siege in recent weeks because of Carlton’s poor start to the season.

“Our industry has a habit of doing that a bit,” he said.

“But Mick is an incredibly resilient character and I don’t think he allows it to distract him from the job he needs to do.

“He’s obviously a wonderful coach but he, like everyone at the club, is under a fair bit of pressure. Seeing the way he’s still able to focus on what the team needs and how to get the very best out of his players makes you realise why he’s such a special coach. I’ve been really lucky to have been able to work with him so far and that will hopefully continue for a while yet.”

Draft question marks hung over Judd in 2001 because of a shoulder injury which plagued his junior career, before he was selected by West Coast with pick No.3 behind Luke Hodge and Luke Ball. But he said the speculation had been warranted.

“That was probably fair enough because even in junior footy, I’d barely played much football at all for a couple of years,” he said. “So to not just have a good career, but to also play a lot of footy pretty consistently over each year has been an important thing for me as well.”