Greg Kennedy
Career : 1972 – 1975
Debut : Round 1, 1972 vs Fitzroy, aged 22 years, 247 days
Carlton Player No. 833
Games : 48
Goals : 143
Guernsey No. 16
Last Game : Semi Final, 1975 vs Richmond, aged 26 years, 46 days
Height : 187 cm (6 ft. 1 in.)
Weight : 76 kg (12 stone, 0 lbs.)
DOB : 28 July, 1949
Club Leading Goalkicker 1972
Greg Kennedy was a rangy, high-leaping full-forward from Eaglehawk (via Wycheproof), whose brilliant debut season showed why he was courted by Carlton for five years before he arrived. But like so many others, his career was blighted by injury, and his career at Princes Park was another example of unrealised potential.
Bendigo League powerhouse Eaglehawk has been fertile ground for Carlton over the years, with Ollie Grieve, Rod Ashman and Des English (as well as Kennedy) among the stars to have graduated from the Two Blues to the Navy Blues. In Kennedy’s case, he was first approached by Carlton in the late sixties, when the teenager’s regular bags of goals for Eaglehawk began making football headlines throughout the region.
A fast-leading, athletic forward with safe hands, he was equally adept at jumping over opponents for his marks, and his kicking for goal was often deadly. The Blues were determined to get him to Princes Park, and kept up the chase. Eventually, we got our man when Greg was added to a strong Carlton squad in 1972. Enjoying silver service ball delivery from the likes of Trevor Keogh, Barry Armstrong and Syd Jackson, he had a stellar year.
Andrew McKinnon
Career: 1989–1990
Debut: Round 1, 1989 vs Footscray
956th Carlton Player
Games: 15
Goals: 7
Last game: Round 22, 1990 vs Fitzroy
Guernsey No. 47 (No.60 in 1986)
Height: 175cm
Weight: 79kg
DOB: 28 July, 1968
Andy McKinnon came to Carlton from outer-eastern Olinda as a solidly built, promising rover-forward, and spent almost two seasons with the Blues’ Reserves team before gaining senior selection in 1989.
After showing promise in his first dozen games, he suffered a serious foot injury that prematurely ended his career in just his second year.
McKinnon was a Premiership Player at Reserves Level in 1990.
Greg Sharp
Playing Career: 1981 – 1983
Debut: Round 4, 1981 v Footscray
Carlton Player No. 892
Games: 11
Goals: 3
Last game: Round 11, 1983 v Essendon
Guernsey No. 29
Height: 192 cm
Weight: 88 kg
DOB: July 28, 1959
Greg Sharp was a solid, wingman and key defender in the early 1980’s.
Sharp was recruited from NSW side Western Suburbs in 1978, after he had played in their 1977 premiership and was runner-up for NSW Rookie of the Year in 1977. He was recommended to the Blues by former Carlton U/19’s and Reserves player Ian Harry who was Sharp’s coach whilst playing for Western Suburbs, ironically, both players would wear the No.29 guernsey at Carlton.
Sharp debuted in 1981, playing 9 games in our Premiership Year, but only managed 2 thereafter for the Blues. He also played in the losing 1981 Escort Cup Grand Final against Essendon, where Tim Watson’s leap over Doull is stuck in footy folklore.
Sharp was later transferred to St Kilda for the 1984 season where he played a further six games and kicked one goal. Sharp debuted in round 1 of the 1984 season at full-back for the Saints, later that season another debutant for the Saints who would take the full-back role for many years to come was a young Danny Frawley who would play 240 games for the Saints.