Stories

With former GWS Giants player Alex Carey to make his test match cricket debut for Australia, aflplayers.com.au has put together a comprehensive list of the players who have represented their country in cricket at international level and played elite level football.

George Giffen

Giffen played a key role in the dawning of The Ashes, competing in the match that was later dubbed ‘the death of English cricket’ by the local press. But in between his 31-match career that included a stint as Australia’s captain, Giffen also suited up for Norwood in South Australia’s top league. He played eight seasons at the level.

Warwick Armstrong

Before his 50 Test matches, Armstrong had a brief stint at South Melbourne in the VFL, playing in 1899 and 1900. He made his international cricket debut in 1901, however, and established himself as a dangerous all-rounder. 20 years later, he captained Australia to a five-nil Ashes triumph.

Keith Miller

He is often considered Australia’s greatest ever all-rounder, but Miller was also a handy footballer for St Kilda, playing from 1940-42 and again in 1946. He scored 42 goals in 50 games but predominantly played at full back, where he made use of his elite kicking.

Sam Loxton

Loxton only played 12 Tests for Australia, but he formed part of Don Bradman’s famed ‘invincibles’, who forged an undefeated tour of England in 1948. He made his VFL debut six years earlier, however, starring as a forward for St Kilda. He booted 114 goals in only 41 games.

Max Walker

Walker, a fast bowler, played 34 Tests for Australia and might have played more if not for an Achilles injury, but spent five years in the VFL with Melbourne prior to commencing his international cricket career. A ruckman-defender, he played 85 games for the Demons from 1967-1972.

Simon O’Donnell

O’Donnell was a dominant junior footballer and played 24 games for St Kilda, but he swiftly turned his attention to cricket after scoring a century in his first-class debut. O’Donnell went on to feature in six Test matches for Australia and 87 one-day internationals.

Alex Carey

Carey joined Greater Western Sydney in 2010 and captained the club as it prepared for AFL entry in what was then known as the TAC Cup, but ultimately fell short of the Giants’ first official squad in 2012. Carey returned to Adelaide and considered playing in the SANFL, but soon focused on cricket and swiftly made his first-class debut. He has been a regular of Australia’s one-day outfit since 2018, but wears the baggy green for the first time against England in this summer’s opening Ashes test.