CLINT Bartram has played 77 matches for Melbourne since debuting in round one, 2006. He is 22 years old and has made 18 appearances for the Demons this year.
Clint Bartram was born in Kerang, central Victoria, before moving to Geelong when he was three years old.
“I grew up there until I was 17, when I was drafted by Melbourne. I then moved up to the big smoke. My earliest memories of football were growing up in Geelong and barracking for Essendon. I used to have to go to Auskick and wear Geelong jumpers. I cried every time I had to put a Geelong jumper on - I just absolutely hated it, because they tried to breed Geelong into us. It was like, ‘if you live in Geelong, you barrack for Geelong’. It wasn’t something that appealed to me. As a family, we were always down at the beach, when I was growing up.
Bartram started junior football at age five. He played for Leopold in the Geelong Football League and then Ocean Grove in the Bellarine Football League.
“I was pretty lucky. I played in six or seven premierships as a junior. It was a rarity if we didn’t make a grand final, so it was good.
He was held back from playing seniors for Ocean Grove.
“The week I was supposed to play seniors for Ocean Grove, Danny Stanley, who played for Collingwood and is now at Gold Coast, broke his shoulder. So they said ‘we don’t want to jeopardise your chances of playing with Geelong Falcons, by playing against these big men’. I was about 60 kgs wringing wet. So I just played under 16s and we were pretty successful, winning the premiership that year.
Geelong was also interested in drafting Bartram. He was selected at No.60 by the Demons in the 2005 NAB AFL Draft. The Cats had the next pick and ended up taking Mathew Stokes.
“I was drafted as a bottom-age selection, which was pretty daunting at the time. Geelong said they were keen on me. They had the next pick after Melbourne, but it was a good thing that I moved out of Geelong. I learned to grow up a bit and see the big, wide world, instead of being spoon-fed by Mum back home and having all of my friends around.
Bartram’s rise through the ranks from Geelong Falcons to Melbourne happened quickly.
“I was lucky enough to play a couple of NAB Cup games and then lucky enough to get selected in round one, 2006. I ended up playing all 22 games, before an ankle injury struck me down. It was a pretty rapid rise through the AFL ranks - to being on the list, to playing NAB Cup and then to play in the AFL.
His first appearance in the red and blue was during a NAB Cup match against the Western Bulldogs in Darwin.
“You always remember the wins on the road. We probably had the youngest team we could’ve fielded and we weren’t expected to get close to them. We ended up winning by four points, but we were in the ice room after the game and it was pitch black and all of the boys were in there stomping on the ground, singing the song. It was the loudest thing you’ve ever heard, so that was a pretty fond memory.
Receiving a NAB Rising Star in round seven, 2006 was early recognition for his progression to the highest level.
“I had a real desire to succeed and do everything I can to win. It’s something I look back on and definitely don’t take for granted, but I look back and think I was pretty privileged to play 22 games in my first year and get that experience under my belt.
Surfing is a passion for Bartram. It is an outlet for him away from the game.
“When I’m in the water nothing really matters, which is super for me, because I can just forget about footy and any problems I’m having in life. No matter what you do, you just feel free out there. It’s always nice to go back home and catch up with Mum and the girls and a few mates.
Table tennis clashes with mates have also been a hobby for Bartram.
“When I moved into my house, we used to have a table tennis tournament. I lived next door to Andrew Mackie’s brother, Simon. A couple of doors down was another guy who played for Geelong Falcons, Lachie Teal. We used to have some pretty intense table tennis matches and get the sweatbands on and really go for it. I was an absolute scrapper and in the summer I’d come out absolutely drenched, because you’d be going for it for hours.
Bartram is already looking towards life after football, dabbling in property.
“I’ve already dipped my toes and looked at ways to venture into that. I want to go a bit deeper into what else is out there. I’ve got a strong interest in property investing, but whatever I do, it’ll be based around lifestyle and what I’m doing at the moment, which is football. I’d like to find something that fits in with my life. Whatever path that is, it’s got to fit in on my terms. I know that’s selfish, but it’s just goals I have.”
Clint Bartram was born in Kerang, central Victoria, before moving to Geelong when he was three years old.
“I grew up there until I was 17, when I was drafted by Melbourne. I then moved up to the big smoke. My earliest memories of football were growing up in Geelong and barracking for Essendon. I used to have to go to Auskick and wear Geelong jumpers. I cried every time I had to put a Geelong jumper on - I just absolutely hated it, because they tried to breed Geelong into us. It was like, ‘if you live in Geelong, you barrack for Geelong’. It wasn’t something that appealed to me. As a family, we were always down at the beach, when I was growing up.
Bartram started junior football at age five. He played for Leopold in the Geelong Football League and then Ocean Grove in the Bellarine Football League.
“I was pretty lucky. I played in six or seven premierships as a junior. It was a rarity if we didn’t make a grand final, so it was good.
He was held back from playing seniors for Ocean Grove.
“The week I was supposed to play seniors for Ocean Grove, Danny Stanley, who played for Collingwood and is now at Gold Coast, broke his shoulder. So they said ‘we don’t want to jeopardise your chances of playing with Geelong Falcons, by playing against these big men’. I was about 60 kgs wringing wet. So I just played under 16s and we were pretty successful, winning the premiership that year.
Geelong was also interested in drafting Bartram. He was selected at No.60 by the Demons in the 2005 NAB AFL Draft. The Cats had the next pick and ended up taking Mathew Stokes.
“I was drafted as a bottom-age selection, which was pretty daunting at the time. Geelong said they were keen on me. They had the next pick after Melbourne, but it was a good thing that I moved out of Geelong. I learned to grow up a bit and see the big, wide world, instead of being spoon-fed by Mum back home and having all of my friends around.
Bartram’s rise through the ranks from Geelong Falcons to Melbourne happened quickly.
“I was lucky enough to play a couple of NAB Cup games and then lucky enough to get selected in round one, 2006. I ended up playing all 22 games, before an ankle injury struck me down. It was a pretty rapid rise through the AFL ranks - to being on the list, to playing NAB Cup and then to play in the AFL.
His first appearance in the red and blue was during a NAB Cup match against the Western Bulldogs in Darwin.
“You always remember the wins on the road. We probably had the youngest team we could’ve fielded and we weren’t expected to get close to them. We ended up winning by four points, but we were in the ice room after the game and it was pitch black and all of the boys were in there stomping on the ground, singing the song. It was the loudest thing you’ve ever heard, so that was a pretty fond memory.
Receiving a NAB Rising Star in round seven, 2006 was early recognition for his progression to the highest level.
“I had a real desire to succeed and do everything I can to win. It’s something I look back on and definitely don’t take for granted, but I look back and think I was pretty privileged to play 22 games in my first year and get that experience under my belt.
Surfing is a passion for Bartram. It is an outlet for him away from the game.
“When I’m in the water nothing really matters, which is super for me, because I can just forget about footy and any problems I’m having in life. No matter what you do, you just feel free out there. It’s always nice to go back home and catch up with Mum and the girls and a few mates.
Table tennis clashes with mates have also been a hobby for Bartram.
“When I moved into my house, we used to have a table tennis tournament. I lived next door to Andrew Mackie’s brother, Simon. A couple of doors down was another guy who played for Geelong Falcons, Lachie Teal. We used to have some pretty intense table tennis matches and get the sweatbands on and really go for it. I was an absolute scrapper and in the summer I’d come out absolutely drenched, because you’d be going for it for hours.
Bartram is already looking towards life after football, dabbling in property.
“I’ve already dipped my toes and looked at ways to venture into that. I want to go a bit deeper into what else is out there. I’ve got a strong interest in property investing, but whatever I do, it’ll be based around lifestyle and what I’m doing at the moment, which is football. I’d like to find something that fits in with my life. Whatever path that is, it’s got to fit in on my terms. I know that’s selfish, but it’s just goals I have.”
