Damian Monkhorst, Collingwood premiership player, Coach of Woori Yallock in the YVMDFL, father

Damian Monkhorst, Collingwood premiership player, Coach of Woori Yallock in the YVMDFL, father

Tonight, three jumpers will be up for auction. The Sydney Swans have donated a jumper signed by the entire team. The Yarra Valley Mountain District Football League, from the bushfire area, has donated two of their interleague jumpers signed by Woori Yallock’s Damian Monkhorst (ex Collingwood and St Kilda) and Silvan’s Ben Haynes (ex Richmond and Essendon).

Damian Monkhorst kicked the winning goal in the 1990 AFL Grand Final  that sealed Collingwood’s premiership.

It was in 1988 that the 202cm ruckman debuted for Collingwood. He went on to play 205 games before moving across to St Kilda for another 10 games in 2000. “Monkey” played his best football between 1992 and 1994 finishing third in each of these years for Collingwood’s best and fairest.

“In 1995 during the drawn Anzac Day match at the MCG in front of 95,000 spectators, Monkhorst was involved in an incident that would forever change on-field behaviour in the AFL when he was accused of racially taunting Essendon’s aboriginal wingman Michael Long. Monkhorst was required to attend a mediation session with Long and although Long was not happy with the outcome at the time, the handshake at the end of the session has paved the way for very few racial taunts on the field since”, writes Wikipedia.

In 2007, one of Monkhorst’s teenage sons, Brent, was struck by a chronic heart condition caused by a virus. Brent required and received a successful heart transplant thanks to an unknown donor. “I think about that person (the donor) and their family all the time“, said Monkey.

Monkey continues as Coach of Woori Yallock.

Ben Haynes, now with Silvan, was a rookie listed player at Richmond and was elevated to the main list for the 2000 season. He played 5 games with Richmond and was delisted after the 2001 season.

Essendon added him to their rookie list in 2002 and elevated him for the 2003 season. He went on to play 21 games for Essendon, including finals footy, and was delisted after the 2005 season.