Allen Christensen (footballer)

Born and raised in the Geelong rural suburb of Lara to parents Brendan and Helen, Christensen played junior football with the Lara Football Club, and later the St Mary's Football Club in Darwin as an under-15 and under-16 player while his father coached the senior side for two seasons in 2005 and 2006. Upon his return to Victoria in 2007, Christensen joined the Geelong Falcons where he played in the TAC Cup. In 2009, he finished runner-up in the TAC Cup's Morrish Medal after averaging 26 disposals per game. He also earned TAC Cup Team of the Year honours. ==AFL career==

Christensen was selected with 40th overall pick by the Geelong Football Club in the 2009 AFL draft. Prior to the draft, however, he was predicted to be drafted in the range of 10–25, and was interviewed by a total of 12 clubs in the recruiting process. Christensen did not make a senior appearance in his first season with Geelong; instead, he played with the club's VFL reserves team, where he played in 16 games. His consistent performance in the VFL was recognised in being listed among the "best players" for nine of these matches, Geelong (2011–2014) Christensen made his debut in the second round of the 2011 AFL season against Fremantle at Subiaco Oval in Perth. As the club's substitute for the match, he subbed in late in the third quarter and finished the game with eight disposals, assisting Geelong to an 11-point victory. As a result of his performance in Geelong's round 18 game against Richmond, in which he garnered 26 disposals and scored two goals, Christensen was nominated for the 2011 AFL Rising Star award. In 2020 he was named in the St Joseph’s College team of champions, recognising the best VFL/AFL players to have attended the school. He retired on 21 October 2020. ==Post-AFL career==

Christensen joined the Lauderdale Football Club in the Tasmanian State League for the 2021 season, remaining with the club, as senior coach until the completion of the 2024 season. He is the current senior coach of the Hobart Football Club in the Southern Football League. ==Player profile==

At the time of being drafted, Christensen's draft biography described him as a "prolific ball winner who amasses plenty of contested possessions" as well as being a "sound decision-maker who is extremely clever around goals." Additionally, Christensen himself felt he best resembled Simon Black as a footballer due to Black's ability to gain possessions while being a "good stoppage player". ==Statistics==

:Statistics are correct as at the end of the 2014 season. ==Honours and achievements==

Team • AFL Premiership (Geelong): 2011 Individual • AFL Rising Star nominee: 2011 ==Personal life==

Christensen is the nephew of former Geelong players Marty and Damien Christensen, and is of Indigenous Australian heritage. He also has two brothers and two sisters. ==References==