ANSWER MAN with LACHLAN

Cooper Harvey made his debut last week for the Kangaroos. It has been nearly seven years since his father Brent last played in the AFL. Is that the shortest gap between a father and son playing in AFL/VFL history?

BRIAN MAY, NEWCASTLE, NSW

LE: Across AFL/VFL history there have been more than 530 sets of father-son combinations. Most recently, Cooper Harvey and Taj Woewodin joined that group with their fathers Brent Harvey and Shane Woewodin. Harvey played 432 games for the Kangaroos across 20 years and holds the record for most matches played in AFL/VFL history. The gap between Brent’s last match to Cooper’s first match was six years and 302 days. Remarkably, it is not the shortest gap of all time – that record belongs to the Rankins, Teddy and Bert, at one year and 320 days. Teddy played 180 games for the Cats between 1897-1910 and when he retired, his son Bert made his debut in round three, 1912. At the other end of the scale, the longest gap is 44 years and 344 days. Gerry Sexton played his last game for the Bulldogs in round 20, 1945, before his son Damian made his debut in round 19, 1990, for St Kilda.

ROUND 18, 2022

North Melbourne last week.

SHORTEST GAPS BETWEEN FATHER-SONS PLAYING

1910

Ablett jnr Geel/GCS R1, 2002 6 years, 230 days

Kavanagh Melb/Fitz R7, 1989 6 years, 279 days

LONGEST GAPS BETWEEN FATHER-SONS PLAYING

Coventry Coll R9, 1941

CAN YOU ASSIST?

u Former Carlton and Collingwood ruckman

Chris Bryan played 46 games and kicked 19 goals between 2005-09. His great-grandfather career at Collingwood and Essendon between 1910-20. Lumsden played in two premierships for the Magpies in 1917 and 1919 and was Essendon’s leading goalkicker in 1914 with 28 goals. u Less than a week after sacking senior coach David Noble, North Melbourne pulled off a stunning upset over finals contender Richmond. With caretaker coach Leigh Adams in charge, the Roos stood tall in a hectic final term to down the inaccurate Tigers by four points. Cameron Zurhaar starred with six goals, while Jy Simpkin (30 disposals) and Luke Davies-Uniacke (28) dominated the midfield battle. The Western Bulldogs kept their finals hopes alive with a 28-point win over a disappointing St Kilda. Youngster Nick Daicos (40 disposals, three goals) led Collingwood to a tough five-point win over Adelaide in Magpie skipper Scott Pendlebury’s 350th game. Sydney scored a 17-point win over Fremantle at Optus Stadium with Chad Warner (35 disposals) outstanding for the Swans. Geelong’s class and experience proved too great for Carlton in front of 68,208 fans at the MCG. Lively Melbourne forward Kysaiah Pickett booted six goals in the Demons’ 14-point win over Port Adelaide in Alice Springs. Hawthorn veteran Luke Breust also kicked six goals in the Hawks’ 25-point win over West Coast.