Career: 1992 - 1993
Debut: Round 1, 1992 vs Brisbane, aged 24 years, 135 days
Carlton Player No. 975
Games: 30
Goals: 6
Guernsey No. 25
Last Game: Grand Final, 1993 vs Essendon, aged 25 years, 322 days
Height: 178cm
Weight: 76kg
DOB: 7 November, 1967
Look up the word 'journeyman' in the AFL Dictionary is a picture of Mark Athorn, sitting next to other 4-clubbers such as Stuart Wigney, Adrian Fletcher and Phil Carman. Athorn, who wore the number 25 for the Blues, played 17 games for the Dogs, 21 for Fitzroy and 15 for the Swans before coming to Carlton at the end of 1991, he had originally started out with Essendon U/19's.
In 30 games for the Blues, the right footed tagger played some good football, but perhaps Athorn is more remembered for his tagging attempts on Michael Long in our unsuccessful 1993 Grand Final. Constantly bumping the dangerous Long, then at the height of his powers and pace, Athorn was trying hard to put Long off his game. But history shall record that Long, a champion Bomber, played a brilliant game to win the Norm Smith Medal and left Athorn in his wake.
According to our records, Athorn did not play another game for Carlton, his last club. Overall, Athorn would play 83 games of VFL / AFL footy.
Athorn was originally from East Keilor.
Career Highlights
1993 - Reserves Best & Fairest Award1994 - 6th Reserves Best & Fairest