Introduction
Dean Solomon (born 9 January 1980) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Football Club and the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Solomon served as caretaker coach with the Gold Coast Football Club for the last 3 games of the 2017 season, following the departure of head coach Rodney Eade on 7 August 2017.
Early career
Solomon grew up in the small mining town of Broken Hill excelling in basketball, cricket and football though it is the latter in which he held the most promise.
Playing for the North Broken Hill Football Club, a team with which his family has a long history he received several honours as a junior, along with several junior premierships, however as a 16-year-old he was awarded "best junior" when playing for the league or A-grade team against many large, hard men who would often attempt to physically intimidate him.
Solomon played his last game for North Broken Hill in 1996, unfortunately injuring his fingers and missing a grand final.
Solomon then went on to play for the Bendigo Pioneers in the under 18 TAC Cup competition. He was selected in the 1997 AFL Draft by Essendon with a 2nd round selection, number 20 overall.
AFL career
Solomon made his AFL debut in 1998 for Essendon and was part of their 2000 premiership team. On numerous occasions, however, Solomon has shown his lack of discipline to be detrimental to his game, one example being the 2005 clash with Adelaide at AAMI Stadium, where Solomon's concession of a 50-metre penalty was considered a turning point in the match, from which Adelaide became big victors.
On 13 October 2006 Solomon was traded to the Fremantle Dockers, following a trade of draft picks No. 42 and No. 47, Fremantle also gained pick No. 52 from the Bombers. He links up with close friend, forward Chris Tarrant who was traded to the Dockers on the same day from Collingwood.
In 2008, Solomon was reported for elbowing Cameron Ling to the head which resulted in broken cheekbones and eye socket and Solomon received an 8-week suspension, the most severe AFL tribunal penalty in 11 years.
On 18 February 2010 Solomon announced his retirement from AFL football due to a painful degenerative knee injury.
Solomon was an assistant coach with Fremantle in 2010. He joined the new Gold Coast Football Club as an assistant coach in the months before they entered the AFL for the 2011 season.
Playing statistics
| Legend | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | Goals | B | Behinds | K | Kicks | H | Handballs | D | Disposals | M | Marks | T | Tackles |
| Season | Team | No. | Games | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | G | B | K | H | D | M | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Totals | Averages (per game) | ||||||||||||||||
| 1998 | Essendon | 7 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 38 | 25 | 63 | 12 | 13 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 5.4 | 3.6 | 9.0 | 1.7 | 1.9 |
| 1999 | Essendon | 7 | 19 | 4 | 4 | 139 | 105 | 244 | 61 | 39 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 7.3 | 5.5 | 12.8 | 3.2 | 2.1 |
| 2000 | Essendon | 7 | 25 | 8 | 7 | 196 | 136 | 332 | 115 | 43 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 7.8 | 5.4 | 13.3 | 4.6 | 1.7 |
| 2001 | Essendon | 7 | 24 | 8 | 5 | 208 | 119 | 327 | 101 | 55 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 8.7 | 5.0 | 13.6 | 4.2 | 2.3 |
| 2002 | Essendon | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2003 | Essendon | 7 | 24 | 11 | 20 | 243 | 105 | 348 | 103 | 86 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 10.1 | 4.4 | 14.5 | 4.3 | 3.6 |
| 2004 | Essendon | 7 | 23 | 15 | 17 | 245 | 154 | 399 | 79 | 88 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 10.7 | 6.7 | 17.3 | 3.4 | 3.8 |
| 2005 | Essendon | 7 | 16 | 4 | 5 | 130 | 62 | 192 | 65 | 45 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 8.1 | 3.9 | 12.0 | 4.1 | 2.8 |
| 2006 | Essendon | 7 | 20 | 4 | 3 | 146 | 97 | 243 | 72 | 48 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 7.3 | 4.9 | 12.2 | 3.6 | 2.4 |
| 2007 | Fremantle | 6 | 20 | 11 | 10 | 196 | 120 | 316 | 77 | 108 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 9.8 | 6.0 | 15.8 | 3.9 | 5.4 |
| 2008 | Fremantle | 6 | 13 | 7 | 7 | 149 | 71 | 220 | 70 | 36 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 11.5 | 5.5 | 16.9 | 5.4 | 2.8 |
| 2009 | Fremantle | 6 | 18 | 4 | 6 | 144 | 125 | 269 | 60 | 87 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 8.0 | 6.9 | 14.9 | 3.3 | 4.8 |
| Career | 209 | 78 | 85 | 1834 | 1119 | 2953 | 815 | 648 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 8.8 | 5.4 | 14.1 | 3.9 | 3.1 | ||
Tribunal history
| Season | Round | Charge category (level) | Victim | Result | Verdict | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 11 | Melee involvement | — | Guilty (accepted fine) | $4,500 fine | |
| 2005 | 18 | Melee involvement | — | Guilty (accepted fine) | $2,400 fine | |
| 2006 | 8 | Charging (3) | Ben Cousins | Not guilty (won at tribunal) | — | |
| 2007 | PS-QF | Striking (1) | Brent Harvey | Guilty (early plea) | Reprimand | |
| 6 | Misconduct (3) | Jason Roe | Guilty (lost at tribunal) | 1 match suspension | ||
| 21 | Wrestling | Brad Miller | Guilty (accepted fine) | $900 fine | ||
| 2008 | 1 | Rough conduct (1) | Shane Wakelin | Guilty (lost at tribunal) | 2 matches suspension | |
| 8 | Wrestling | Tom Williams | Guilty (accepted fine) | $1,800 fine | ||
| 15 | Striking (6) | Cameron Ling | Guilty (direct to tribunal) | 8 matches suspension |
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