Mitch White

Mitch White (born 10 April 1996) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). A defender, 1.88 metres (6 ft 2 in) tall and weighing 88 kilograms (194 lb), White plays primarily as a half-back flanker. He entered top-level football early when he played as a bottom-aged player for the Dandenong Stingrays in the TAC Cup in 2013, the next season saw him win the club best and fairest. He was recruited by the Melbourne Football Club with the twentieth selection in the 2015 rookie draft and he made his AFL debut during the 2015 season. He played four matches in the AFL before he was delisted at the conclusion of the 2017 season.

For the former West Coast and Geelong player, see Mitchell White.
For the professional baseball player, see Mitchell White (baseball).

Mitch White
White in March 2017
Personal information
Full name Mitchell White
Date of birth (1996-04-10) 10 April 1996
Original team(s) Dandenong Stingrays (TAC Cup)
Draft No. 20, 2015 rookie draft
Debut Round 23, 2015, Melbourne
vs. Greater Western Sydney, at Etihad Stadium
Height 188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight 88 kg (194 lb)
Position(s) Defender
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2015–2017 Melbourne 4 (0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2017.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Early life

White was raised in Carrum Downs, Victoria and played his junior football with the Seaford Football Club.[1] He played for the Dandenong Stingrays in the TAC Cup as a bottom-aged player in 2013, playing six matches.[2] He was selected again to play for Dandenong in 2014,[3] playing sixteen matches and was awarded the club best and fairest.[1]

AFL career

White was recruited by the Melbourne Football Club with their second selection and twentieth overall in the 2015 rookie draft.[1] He made his Victorian Football League (VFL) debut for Melbourne's affiliate team, the Casey Scorpions, in round three and spent the majority of 2015 playing for Casey.[4][5] He made his AFL debut in the twenty-six point win against Greater Western Sydney at Etihad Stadium in the final round of the season, in which he recorded sixteen disposals and six marks.[5]

The 2016 season saw White play predominately in the VFL before he was upgraded to the senior list in July.[6] He played his first AFL match of the year in the thirty-two point win against Fremantle at TIO Stadium in round sixteen,[7] in which he recorded twenty disposals and received praise from then-Melbourne coach, Paul Roos.[8] He retained his spot the next week in the thirty-six point loss against St Kilda at Etihad Stadium,[9] before being omitted for the round eighteen match against West Coast at Domain Stadium.[10] He returned to the VFL and helped Casey claim the minor premiership and reach their first grand final since 1999,[11] in which the club ultimately lost to Footscray by thirty-one points.[12][13]

An ankle injury forced White to miss the entire 2017 JLT Community Series and VFL practice matches, before playing his first match of the year in the round two VFL match against North Ballarat.[14] After "terrific VFL form" according to senior coach, Simon Goodwin, he played in his first AFL match for the season in the round fifteen match against Sydney at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.[15] It was ultimately his only AFL match for the season and after four matches in three seasons with Melbourne, he was delisted in September.[16] He subsequently signed with the Casey Demons for the 2018 VFL season.[17]

Statistics
Statistics are correct to the end of the 2017 season[18]
Legend
 G  Goals  B  Behinds  K  Kicks  H  Handballs  D  Disposals  M  Marks  T  Tackles
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2015 Melbourne 411009716610.00.09.07.016.06.01.0
2016 Melbourne 4120091928760.00.04.59.514.03.53.0
2017 Melbourne 411005611410.00.05.06.011.04.01.0
Career 4 0 0 23 32 55 17 8 0.0 0.0 5.8 8.0 13.8 4.3 2.0

References
  1. McEvoy, Simon (3 December 2014). "Melbourne takes a chance on Cranbourne's Mitch White in AFL Rookie Draft". Cranbourne Leader. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  2. "Player Profile—Mitchell White". TACcup. Fox Sports Pulse. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
  3. McEvoy, Simon (3 December 2014). "Dandenong Stingrays name team list for 2014 TAC Cup season". Dandenong Leader. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
  4. Plapp, Justin (5 May 2015). "VFL player review: round three". MelbourneFC.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
  5. Harrington, Anna (3 September 2015). "Rookie White to debut". MelbourneFC.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  6. Burgan, Matt (7 July 2016). "White elevated from rookie list". MelbourneFC.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  7. Burgan, Matt (10 July 2016). "Mitch shows he's made of the White stuff". MelbourneFC.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  8. Burgan, Matt (15 July 2016). "Roos praises Grimes, White". MelbourneFC.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  9. Guthrie, Ben (15 July 2016). "TEAMS: Eagles recruit axed again, gun Demon mid back". AFL.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  10. "AFL Teams: Full Round 18 squads and the best SuperCoach advice". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. 22 July 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  11. Diamond, Brent (24 September 2016). "VFL grand final 2016: Casey Scorpions and Footscray set for their biggest battle". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  12. "Casey Scorpions Grand Final team". MelbourneFC.com.au. Bigpond. 22 September 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  13. "Casey v Footscray VFL Grand Final marred by all-in brawl". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. 25 September 2016. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  14. Burgan, Matt (29 June 2017). "White to play first game of season". MelbourneFC.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  15. Landsberger, Sam (2 July 2017). "Four Demons banned from selection after drinking session following VFL game". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  16. Burgan, Matt (12 September 2017). "Trengove, Spencer among four list changes". MelbourneFC.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  17. Burgan, Matt (12 September 2017). "Mitch to make most of new opportunity". MelbourneFC.com.au. Bigpond. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  18. "Mitch White". AFL Tables. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
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