Adem Yze

DOB: September 21, 1977
Debut: Round 13, 1995 against Richmond at MCG
Last Game: Round 22, 2008 against Richmond at MCG

Games: 271
Goals: 234
Career Statistics (external link)

Wins	Draws	Losses	Winning %
120	1	150	44.28

From: Shepparton United/Murray U18

Number: 44 1995, 13 1996-2008

Honours:
Best and Fairest - 2001
Best First Year Player - 1995
Rising Star Nomination - Round 11, 1996
Grand Final team - 2000
Victorian State Representative - 2000
All Australian - 2002
International Rules Representative - 2000, 2002
Mark of the Year nominee - Round 16, 2005, Round 21, 2006

Statistical categories led:
Most kicks : 3899

Recruited from Shepparton United Football Club, which has produced such footballers as Shaun Hart, and known around the footballing world as "Ooze", Adem Yze was taken with selection 16 in the 1994 National Draft, making his debut Round 13 the following year.

As a junior he had played an Under 16's game in baggy board shorts, and responding to heckles from the crowd for his bizarre attire kicked 20 goals. Melbourne's interest in him was sealed when he kicked six goals for the Murray Bushrangers in an Under 18's final.

Recieving a Rising Star Nomination for his 19-disposal, 5-goal performance against Fitzroy in Round 11, 1996, Yze continually swapped between the halfback line and the midfield, sometimes going up the ground as a small forward. In Round 8, 1997, Yze began his amazing streak of 226-consecutive games, while his form continued to improve, thanks to a permanent move to the midfield, which showed off his kicking ability, regarded by some as arguably the best in the competition.

Yze was one of the performers of 2000, pivotal in helping the Demons reach the Grand Final and he earned a two year contract extension which he celebrated by winning the Best and Fairest Award in 2001. Despite this it wasn't until 2002 that Yze's game and form hit their peak, finishing equal 3rd in the Brownlow medal along with fellow Demon Travis Johnstone, and making the All-Australian team as a midfielder. That year he led the league in kicks, 418, while only dishing off 72 handballs.

At the end of 2002 Yze represented Australia in the International Rules Series and was nearly lured to Carlton as an uncontracted player. The Blues offered $1.2 million for his services over three years, above the $1 million over three that the Demons offered but despite the increased financial terms on offer Yze re-signed with the Demons.

In round 17, 2003 Yze played his 150th consecutive game. He had played through rolled ankles and osteitis pubis, but his streak nearly ended when his wife was due to give birth on the same day as the round 1 clash with Hawthorn. She had the baby on the Wednesday before the game and the streak continued.

Through 2003 and 2004, he cotinued this great form, but a shift to the forward line in 2005 proved to be in his best interests, as he kicked 41-goals for the year, his best load being 5 against Richmond in Round 10 & Collingwood in Round 12.

For the second time in his career Yze came close to leaving the Demons at the end of 2005. Contract negotiations broke down after a poor second half of the season. He finished 10th in the Best and Fairest despite playing every game. Eventually Yze signed for three seasons.

The twilight of Yze's career began in 2006, highlighted with one of the Marks Of The Year in Round 21 over Geelong's Josh Hunt in the Melbourne goal-square

However, playing football for a near record 11-years straight finally caught up with Adem, as injury to his body and groin resulted in poor form, which ended in Yze being dropped for Round 2, 2007, ending his run of 226-consecutive games, less than one season away from fellow Demon Jim Stynes record of 242. Yze tried his hardest to beat injury, including a career high 38-disposals against Fremantle in Round 4, but by Round 12 his body had succumbed to his groin injury, which turned out to be a hernia, resulting in an operation and a finished season.

Yze did manage to return to football Round 1, 2008, but by then Neale Daniher had left the Melbourne Football Club as coach, replaced by Dean Bailey, who instigated a youth-policy, resulting in Yze taking second-fiddle to the younger crop of players coming through, & despite playing gallantly, including a 3-goal haul in Round 10 (just his second game of 2008), at the end of the season Yze was de-listed, along with fellow Demon Jeff White, his #13 being retired for one season as a show of respect.

Yze finished his career with the 3rd most games played for the Melbourne Football Club (just one game behind Robbie Flower & 35-games behind David Neitz) & the 19th most goals. He expressed interest in continuing his football career elsewhere by nominating himself for the 2009 National Draft, but conceded he had "stuff all" chance of being drafted. This came to be & he returned to the VFL, from where his football career started, playing for the Box Hill Hawks.

He then joined the Shepparton Swans for the 2010 side, playing alongside former teammate Russell Robertson.

Yze's brother Damien was a supplementary list player for the Demons in the late 90's.

Year	Games	Goals	Brownlow
1995	9	3	0
1996	19	9	0
1997	19	9	0
1998	25	7	0
1999	22	10	0
2000	25	37	14
2001	22	24	8
2002	24	19	17
2003	22	17	5
2004	23	19	14
2005	23	41	7
2006	24	30	5
2007	8	4	0
2008	6	5	1

Tribunal Record

Match	Charge	Sanction
Round 17, 1997	Wrestling	1 week's pay, 1 match payment
Round 9, 1998	Wrestling	$1000 fine
Round 10, 1999	Charging	Not Guilty
Round 21, 2000	Melee	$3500 fine
Round 18, 2001	Charging	Not Guilty
2002 Wizard Cup Match 2	Striking	1 match
Round 4, 2003	Unduly Rough Play	Not Guilty
Round 14, 2004	Charging	Withdrawn
Round 5, 2006	Wrestling	$900 fine
Round 16, 2006	Abusive language	$900 fine
2007 NAB Cup Round 1	Attempted trip	Reprimand