Adam Bentick

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2007)

**Adam Bentick**
Personal information

Birth	June 13, 1985 (1985-06-13) (age 22), Victoria
Recruited from	Calder Cannons
Height and weight	184cm / 83kg
Playing career¹
Debut	Round 18, July 31, 2004, Carlton vs. Fremantle, at Optus Oval
Team(s)	Carlton (2004-pres) 61 games, 13 goals
¹ Statistics to end of Rnd 11, 2008 season
Career highlights
AFL Rising Star award: Nominee 2005

Adam Bentick is a young Australian footballer currently on the senior playing list at the Carlton Football Club.

Bentick played for two years in Victoria's top under-18s competition, the TAC Cup for the Calder Cannons. In that time, he established himself as a promising mid-fielder who was particularly good at roving the hit-outs and getting a quick kick out of the packs. Calder dominated the TAC Cup through these years, and under Bentick's captaincy won the 2003 premiership.

Despite captaining the premiers and averaging 20 disposals per game in the TAC Cup, Bentick was passed over in the 2003 National Draft. He was eventually picked up as a rookie by Carlton in the pre-season and rookie draft.

Bentick played most of 2004 in the VFL for Carlton's affiliate team, the Northern Bullants. He made a strong impression in the VFL, and was elevated to the senior list late in the season. He played the final five games for 2004, debuting at Optus Oval against the Fremantle Dockers.

Bentick began 2005 in the Bullants, and was re-elevated to the seniors in Round 8, playing for four weeks, including the Round 9 Optus Oval farewell game against Melbourne. He was dropped after Round 11. His recall to the seniors in Round 18 heralded his permanent position in the team. Given the midfield role he relishes, he amassed a high number of possessions, as well as a strong tackling game which could not be ignored.

In Round 20 against Collingwood, Bentick's twelfth game, he amassed 34 disposals and 5 tackles. This eye-catching performance earned him an AFL Rising Star award nomination, as well as three Brownlow Medal votes.

Bentick played the first 20 games of the 2006 season. After many strong games, his injured shoulder forced him out after Round 20, and was forced to sit out the last two games of the 2006 season.

Bentick has developed into one of the club's most important inside midfielders, adept at winning the hard ball and tackling. His style of play is reminiscent of current coach Brett Ratten, whose #7 guernsey Bentick now wears. Bentick's career-best disposal haul of 36 came in Round 21, 2007 against the Kangaroos, allowing Bentick to achieve the very rare feat of earning a Brownlow Medal vote in an 82-point loss.