44 Facts About Alex Jesaulenko

Alex Jesaulenko immortalised his reputation in the game by taking the most iconic mark in football history in the 1970 VFL Grand Final.

Alex Jesaulenko's popularity caused the code to surge in popularity there, and he remains a household name in the ACT.

In July 2013, Alex Jesaulenko was named captain of the first Australia Post Multicultural Team of Champions.

Alex Jesaulenko's mother, Vera, was born in Russia, and she had survived the horrors of seeing her father shot dead by German soldiers and having her first child, whom she first gave the name Alex, taken away from her when she was in a German prison camp.

The young Alex Jesaulenko was enrolled at St Edmund's College and then Telopea Park High, where he played soccer and rugby union.

Alex Jesaulenko did not start playing Australian rules football until he was 14 years old.

Alex Jesaulenko began playing at the Eastlake Football Club in Canberra.

Alex Jesaulenko has credited his time at Eastlake for instilling in him a winning culture.

On joining Carlton, Alex Jesaulenko reflected in an interview with The Canberra Times that:.

Alex Jesaulenko moved to Melbourne with his wife Anne in November 1966, and during his first pre-season was left in no doubt the standard that Barassi required at Carlton:.

Alex Jesaulenko made his senior VFL debut in the opening round of the 1967 season against Fitzroy at Princes Park, where he had 14 touches and kicked two goals in a 94-point victory.

Alex Jesaulenko was selected for All-Australian honours in 1969 and 1972.

Alex Jesaulenko has the dubious record at Carlton for the most inaccurate score of 5 goals and 12 behinds, against Hawthorn in 1969.

In December 1969, Alex Jesaulenko put an end to newspaper rumours that he might leave Carlton and either play football in Western Australia or return to Canberra.

Alex Jesaulenko kicked 115 goals in the 1970 season, breaking the club record and becoming the first player to kick more than 100 goals in a season for Carlton.

Alex Jesaulenko went on to play in the famous 1970 VFL Grand Final against Collingwood.

Alex Jesaulenko's marking skill was perhaps best highlighted by a spectacular mark over big Collingwood ruckman Graeme Jenkin in the 1970 VFL Grand Final.

Alex Jesaulenko's sporting achievements were recognised outside the football world as well; he was included in the 1979 New Year Honours list as a Member of the Order of the British Empire "for service to the sport of Australian Rules football".

Amazingly, Alex Jesaulenko was back in action just two weeks later in the Round 12 game against Geelong at Kardinia Park; trailing by 30 points at the last change, Carlton almost pulled off a great comeback, eventually falling short by six points.

Alex Jesaulenko underwent a daily 30-minute exercise routine to strengthen his stomach and back muscles, returning to on-field action in time for the final round of the home-and-away season against South Melbourne at Princes Park.

Alex Jesaulenko retired as a player after Round 8 on 16 May 1981.

Alex Jesaulenko was the last person to serve as captain-coach in the VFL; however, Malcolm Blight was a non-captaining player-coach at North Melbourne until Round 16 of the same season but was not captain during this time.

Alex Jesaulenko retired at the end of 1984 after Sandgate lost their semi-final, after which he moved into the hotel business in Queensland for several years.

Alex Jesaulenko had not been back at Carlton since his acrimonious departure almost a decade earlier, when he was appointed caretaker senior coach of Carlton for the remainder of the 1989 season.

Alex Jesaulenko's optimism appeared to rub off on the Carlton players; they beat Sydney by 28 points and would win six more games to finish eighth.

Alex Jesaulenko stepped down as Carlton Football Club senior coach at the end of the 1990 season and was replaced by David Parkin, who returned in his second stint as Carlton senior coach.

Alex Jesaulenko's last coaching appointment, at Coburg for the 1993 season, was a total disaster, with the Lions losing all eighteen games during a losing sequence of thirty games in the dying days of the Victorian Football Association.

When Carlton set up their Hall of Fame in 1987, Alex Jesaulenko was one of the inaugural inductees.

Alex Jesaulenko was an inaugural inductee into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 1996, and in 2008 was elevated to Legend status.

In July 2013, Alex Jesaulenko was named captain of the first Australia Post Multicultural Team of Champions.

Aussie rules was very lucky that Alex Jesaulenko chose our game.

Alex Jesaulenko was a fantastic mark, but was fantastic at ground level, and that combination doesn't exist in many players.

Alex Jesaulenko was a bit like Darrel Baldock of the '60s; great balance, low centre of gravity, sensational overhead.

Alex Jesaulenko was such a devastating player, an inspirational player, and at Richmond, he was absolutely one of the players we had enormous respect for.

Alex Jesaulenko had the capability to be best on ground and had that magical quality to lift teammates.

Alex Jesaulenko brings a smile to your face, doesn't he, and bit of excitement.

Alex Jesaulenko is an icon of the game, absolutely, no question, and as they say in the classics, could play.

Alex Jesaulenko first met Pratt when he arrived at Carlton in 1966, and remembered him fondly:.

Alex Jesaulenko touched people personally even though he was running such a big company.

Alex Jesaulenko used to come around every year like a footy coach and give everybody a confidence boost.

Alex Jesaulenko was adamant that Pratt saved Carlton when he became club president during 2007:.

When it was known that Pratt was in his last days in April 2009, Alex Jesaulenko contemplated paying him a farewell visit at his mansion, but thought better of it lest he attracted too much attention.

Alex Jesaulenko is mentioned in the 1985 song "The Back Upon Which Jezza Jumped" by Melbourne band TISM, appearing on the band's self-titled demo tape.

In 2006, Alex Jesaulenko was featured in a Toyota Memorable Moments commercial with Stephen Curry and Dave Lawson, which involved spray-painting Alex Jesaulenko's navy suit and trying several methods to recreate the famous mark he took in the 1970 Grand Final, including a small trampoline, a stepladder and finally succeeded with a large crane.