STOKES, Mathew

Mathew Stokes was a classy small forward who had played 189 games at Geelong between 2006 and 2015 before accepting the opportunity to extend his career at Essendon in 2016 as one of the ten "top-up" players who joined the Club to fill in for those suspended owing to the ASADA ban.

He had had a fine career at Geelong, playing finals in all but his first and last seasons there and winning three premiership medals in 2007, 2009 and 2011.

His time at Essendon was interrupted by injuries and he missed five consecutive games with a hamstring tear and later, four consecutive games with a groin strain. But he managed eleven games for the Bombers in 2016 and provided strong leadership and guidance to his younger teammates.

He retired after Round 22 at the end of the 2016 season, having achieved the milestone of 200 AFL games. He then became the AFL's Indigenous engagement and programs manager until he returned to Geelong in 2018 as its people and engagement manager.

Stokes has an Indigenous Australian, Spanish and Filipino background.