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Liam Picken
Picken playing for the Western Bulldogs in June 2017
Personal information
Full name Liam Picken
Date of birth (1986-08-01) 1 August 1986 (age 38)
Place of birth Hamilton, Victoria, Australia
Original team(s) Williamstown (VFL)
Draft No. 30, 2009 rookie draft
Height 185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight 83 kg (183 lb)
Position(s) Midfielder
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2009–2019 Western Bulldogs 198 (87)
International team honours
Years Team Games (Goals)
2010 Australia 2 (0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2019.
2 State and international statistics correct as of 2010.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Liam Picken (born 1 August 1986) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Western Bulldogs in the Australian Football League (AFL) from 2009 to 2019. In 2016 he played in the Bulldogs' 2nd premiership team (first was in 1954). Picken is from the western Victorian town of Hamilton.

Early playing career

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Before being drafted he completed a pre-season with Collingwood and two with the Bulldogs. He played 63 games and kicked 45 goals with Williamstown from 2005 to 2008 and in 2008 he was the Williamstown Seagulls best and fairest player in the Victorian Football League (VFL), winning the Gerry Callahan Medal and earning a position on the Bulldogs rookie list. He played in a Seconds premiership side at Williamstown in 2005 and finished in third place in the Seconds best and fairest the same year. He was awarded the most consistent player in the seniors in 2007.

AFL career

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Picken made his debut against North Melbourne on 5 April 2009, collecting 9 possessions in a traditional tagging role against Kangaroos stalwart Brent Harvey, in which he kept his opponent goalless and largely ineffective.[1]

Since his brilliant debut, he has since played on other key players to great effect including Andrew McLeod, Leigh Montagna and Brett Deledio. He played on Deledio twice in 2009 and restricted the star player to just 16 and 13 disposals respectively, the only two times during the season that Deledio had fewer than 20 touches.

During a match against Fremantle in 2013, Picken accidentally collided with goal umpire Courtney Lai in the third quarter, when he was attempting to smother a point-blank shot at goal by Michael Walters; the result was that Lai, a qualified doctor, suffered what was a self-diagnosed an ACL tear. Picken recalled the clash as being "an accident".[2]

Although branded as a tagger, Picken could also win possession of the ball and use it well. When Luke Beveridge took over as coach of the Bulldogs at the end of 2014, he gave Picken a more attacking role.[3] During the Bulldogs' run to the 2016 AFL Premiership, Picken was a crucial figure, starring in all four finals and kicked three goals (including the sealer) in the Grand Final. He was awarded the Best Finals Player by the Western Bulldogs.

In 2017, the Australian food company Australian Almonds approached Picken, along with fellow footballers Scott Selwood, Max Gawn, Brianna Davey and Ellie Blackburn, to serve as an ambassador of their campaign to recognise hard-working but low-profile individuals through the Australian Hard Nut Awards.[3] Also in 2017, the late cricket legend Shane Warne ranked Picken as his favourite player in the league.[4]

While playing in a pre-season game against Hawthorn in Ballarat, Picken received an accidental knock to the head and suffered severe concussion and because of side effects missed the entire 2018 season.[5]

On 1 April 2019, after numerous comeback attempts, Picken announced his retirement due to ongoing concussion symptoms.[6]

Personal life

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Picken is the son of former Collingwood and Sydney footballer: Billy Picken, who's a member of the Collingwood Team of the Century and played across both clubs from 1973 to 1986. Picken's older brother, Marcus Picken, also played for the Brisbane Lions, as did their cousin, former captain and Coleman Medal winner Jonathan Brown.

He is married to Annie Nolan, a blogger and social commentator. They have three children: a son named Malachy (born in 2011)[7] and twin daughters, Delphi and Cheska (born in 2013).[8]

Liam Picken has pledged to donate his brain in hopes to aid further research in chronic traumatic encephopathy as a result of repetitive head injuries sustained during his time in the AFL.

Picken possesses undergraduate and masters degrees in international finance and business.[9]

In March 2023, Picken lodged a claim in the Supreme Court of Victoria against the AFL, the Western Bulldogs and two Bulldogs club doctors regarding concussion-related injuries, with Picken alleging that he was left in the dark about “irregular” cognitive tests, that he was never sent for expert help and he was repeatedly sent back onto the field to play despite repeatedly raising concerns about his ongoing concussion symptoms.[10] His initiation of a civil claim against the AFL occurred shortly after a similar claim was filed by former Collingwood player Emma Grant in the County Court of Victoria, and shortly before a similar claim was filed by former Geelong player Max Rooke in the Supreme Court of Victoria.[11]

Statistics

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Statistics are correct to the end of the 2017 season[12]
Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2009 Western Bulldogs 42 23 8 2 120 190 310 52 98 0.3 0.1 5.2 8.3 13.5 2.3 4.3
2010 Western Bulldogs 42 20 8 5 127 158 285 37 104 0.4 0.3 6.4 7.9 14.3 1.9 5.2
2011 Western Bulldogs 42 22 4 4 166 164 330 50 117 0.2 0.2 7.5 7.5 15.0 2.3 5.3
2012 Western Bulldogs 42 22 9 6 197 207 404 70 119 0.4 0.3 9.0 9.4 18.4 3.2 5.4
2013 Western Bulldogs 42 20 1 3 181 146 327 67 66 0.1 0.2 9.1 7.3 16.4 3.4 3.3
2014 Western Bulldogs 42 22 3 6 217 185 402 85 88 0.1 0.3 9.9 8.4 18.3 3.9 4.0
2015 Western Bulldogs 42 21 13 9 248 249 497 94 135 0.6 0.4 11.8 11.9 23.7 4.5 6.4
2016# Western Bulldogs 42 26 17 11 300 294 594 121 107 0.7 0.4 11.5 11.3 22.8 4.7 4.1
2017 Western Bulldogs 42 22 24 14 197 213 410 84 67 1.1 0.6 9.0 9.7 18.6 3.8 3.1
Career 198 87 60 1753 1806 3559 660 901 0.4 0.3 8.9 9.1 18.0 3.3 4.6

Honours and achievements

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AFL

References

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  1. ^ Jennifer Witham (6 April 2009). "Picken powers through debut".
  2. ^ Phelan, Jennifer (6 April 2013). "Umpire clash a blur: Picken". AFL.com.au. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  3. ^ a b "LIAM PICKEN – FROM HARD NUT TO PREMIERSHIP STAR". AFL Players. 6 June 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
  4. ^ "Shane Warne Reveals His Five Favourite AFL Players". Triple M. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Picken to miss remainder of 2018 season".
  6. ^ "Picken calls time on his career". westernbulldogs.com.au. 1 April 2019. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
  7. ^ Quayle, Emma (1 May 2011). "Picken, winner". The Age. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  8. ^ "Celebrity Baby News: Liam Picken and Annie Nolan". 6 August 2013.
  9. ^ Pierik, Jon. "'More will come forward': AFL concussion claims to rise". The Age. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  10. ^ Pearson, Erin; Ryan, Peter. "Former Bulldog Liam Picken launches legal action against AFL, club, doctors after concussions". The Age. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  11. ^ Ryan, Peter (5 April 2023). "Former Cat Rooke to lead concussion class action against AFL in Supreme Court". The Age. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  12. ^ "Liam Picken Stats". AFL Tables. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
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