AFL Career
Rooke was recruited from Casterton in 2001, and made his debut in the second round of 2002. He was a regular senior player until a shin injury forced him to miss the second half of 2004, including the finals series, but recovered to play all but one game in 2005.
His lack of pace against small forwards was exposed in Round 20, 2005 when Melbourne's Russell Robertson kicked seven goals against him. This prompted coach Mark Thompson to move him into the midfield the following week. This move was successful, with Rooke nullifying champion midfielder Chris Judd. In Geelong's close loss to the Sydney Swans in the Elimination Finals, Rooke amassed a remarkable fifteen tackles.
Rooke missed out on most of the 2007 season after suffering a potential season-ending 7 cm hamstring tear in Round 13. On July 12, Geelong spent $20,000 on Rooke to receive treatment by soft-tissue expert Dr Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfarth in Germany. He returned to the side in the 106-point Qualifying Final win against Kangaroos, after key defender Matthew Egan suffered a season-ending foot injury.
On the 13th of October 2010, Rooke announced his retirement from AFL football. He cited an acute knee injury which kept him out for most of the 2010 Home and Away season.
Rooke will be returning to the Geelong Footbal Club in 2011 as the Development Coach.
Read more about this topic: Max Rooke
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