Fremantle Career
Originally from the small town of Mount Barker in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, Sandilands was selected by Fremantle in the rookie draft prior to the 2002 season. He spent the entire 2002 year playing for East Fremantle in the WAFL, before being elevated to the senior list prior to the 2003 season.
Playing in 19 games in his first season, the highlights were being nominated for the AFL Rising Star and earning a Brownlow Medal vote for a dominant display against the reigning premiers, Brisbane Lions in Round 14 and playing in Fremantle's first ever finals match. Despite Essendon being convincing winners, Sandilands was one of the few to perform well, with 41 hitouts.
As ruckmen are generally considered to peak in their late 20s, Sandilands has impressed many to rank 6th or 5th in total hitouts in each of his first three seasons in the AFL, improving to 2nd (with the highest average) in 2006. Despite this dominance in hitouts, it does not always result in Fremantle winning the clearances.
In 2006 Sandilands suffered a broken jaw in the round 6 Western Derby in a clash with then West Coast Eagles ruckman Mark Seaby (now Sydney Swans). Following an investigation by the AFL, no charges were laid over the incident.
Sandilands has been named in the All-Australian Team three times, on the interchange bench in 2008 and as the only ruckman in the 2009 team. and as the key ruckman in 2010.
Read more about this topic: Aaron Sandilands
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