Tributes flood in for AFL legend and Champion Data founder Ted Hopkins
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In the annals of Australian Football League (AFL) history, few figures have left as indelible a mark as Ted Hopkins.
The Carlton premiership hero and football statistician passed away at the age of 74 after a long illness, leaving behind a legacy that extends far beyond the football field.
Ted Hopkins played a mere 29 games for the Blues and soon retired from league football at the tender age of 21. Despite his brief career, his impact on the sport was profound, and his name is forever etched in the annals of the VFL/AFL.
The 1970 grand final remains one of the most memorable moments in AFL history, and Hopkins was at the heart of it.
As the Magpies led by a staggering 44 points at half-time, a young Hopkins was called upon by legendary coach Ron Barassi.
Hopkins, with his speed and agility, managed to turn the tide of the match, kicking four goals and leading Carlton to a monumental come-from-behind victory over Collingwood.
In a 2020 interview, Hopkins recalled the match, saying, 'That was amazing how Carlton would be able to get back against Collingwood.'
'I helped Carlton enormously because I had the speed, and we were able to get the handballs and the long kicking. There were great players.'
However, Hopkins' contributions to the sport didn't end with his retirement from playing. He went on to found Champion Data, a stats company that revolutionised football and remains at the heart of the AFL today.
His innovative approach to data analysis and his vision for the future of the sport have had a lasting impact on how the game is played and understood.
Hopkins' later years were marked by health challenges, including a stroke, dementia symptoms, and a diagnosis of mitochondrial disease.
He is survived by his only child, Erica, who fondly remembered her father, saying, 'Dad was so lovely and kind. He was [a] wonderful father. He was really smart, creative, and he did a lot of different things. He stayed close to football through his involvement with Champion Data and his connection with Carlton.'
The AFL community has also been mourning the loss of Hopkins, with former AFL reporter Mark Stevens writing, 'Really sad news. Loved my time talking stats with the quirky Ted in Champion Data’s early days. Created so much of today’s footy language.'
Tony De Bolfo, a Carlton historian, paid tribute to Hopkins, saying, 'Vale Ted Hopkins—waterskier, author, poet, publisher, broadcaster, data analyst. And as a Carlton premiership player of 1970, football’s most famous benchwarmer.'
You can read De Bolfo’s full post below:
Source: X/@tony_debolfo.
Football publisher Geoff Slattery added: 'I loved Ted. Anything but a four-goal GF hero. His AFL Record columns were so insightful. His vision to create Champion Data was remarkable and has never been replicated. His memoir The Stats Revolution is a superb life story. Vale.'
Hopkins' passing comes two months after the death of his premiership coach, Ron Barassi, aged 87, and the deaths of teammates Sergio Silvagni and Neil Chandler in 2021 and 2022 respectively.
As we remember Ted Hopkins, we celebrate not just a football hero but a visionary who transformed the sport in ways that continue to resonate today. His legacy is a testament to the power of innovation, the importance of data, and the enduring love of the game.
May Ted Hopkins rest in peace.
The Carlton premiership hero and football statistician passed away at the age of 74 after a long illness, leaving behind a legacy that extends far beyond the football field.
Ted Hopkins played a mere 29 games for the Blues and soon retired from league football at the tender age of 21. Despite his brief career, his impact on the sport was profound, and his name is forever etched in the annals of the VFL/AFL.
The 1970 grand final remains one of the most memorable moments in AFL history, and Hopkins was at the heart of it.
Ted Hopkins, a Carlton premiership hero, has passed away at age 74. Image source: X/@tony_debolfo.
As the Magpies led by a staggering 44 points at half-time, a young Hopkins was called upon by legendary coach Ron Barassi.
Hopkins, with his speed and agility, managed to turn the tide of the match, kicking four goals and leading Carlton to a monumental come-from-behind victory over Collingwood.
In a 2020 interview, Hopkins recalled the match, saying, 'That was amazing how Carlton would be able to get back against Collingwood.'
'I helped Carlton enormously because I had the speed, and we were able to get the handballs and the long kicking. There were great players.'
However, Hopkins' contributions to the sport didn't end with his retirement from playing. He went on to found Champion Data, a stats company that revolutionised football and remains at the heart of the AFL today.
His innovative approach to data analysis and his vision for the future of the sport have had a lasting impact on how the game is played and understood.
Hopkins' later years were marked by health challenges, including a stroke, dementia symptoms, and a diagnosis of mitochondrial disease.
He is survived by his only child, Erica, who fondly remembered her father, saying, 'Dad was so lovely and kind. He was [a] wonderful father. He was really smart, creative, and he did a lot of different things. He stayed close to football through his involvement with Champion Data and his connection with Carlton.'
The AFL community has also been mourning the loss of Hopkins, with former AFL reporter Mark Stevens writing, 'Really sad news. Loved my time talking stats with the quirky Ted in Champion Data’s early days. Created so much of today’s footy language.'
Tony De Bolfo, a Carlton historian, paid tribute to Hopkins, saying, 'Vale Ted Hopkins—waterskier, author, poet, publisher, broadcaster, data analyst. And as a Carlton premiership player of 1970, football’s most famous benchwarmer.'
You can read De Bolfo’s full post below:
Source: X/@tony_debolfo.
Football publisher Geoff Slattery added: 'I loved Ted. Anything but a four-goal GF hero. His AFL Record columns were so insightful. His vision to create Champion Data was remarkable and has never been replicated. His memoir The Stats Revolution is a superb life story. Vale.'
Hopkins' passing comes two months after the death of his premiership coach, Ron Barassi, aged 87, and the deaths of teammates Sergio Silvagni and Neil Chandler in 2021 and 2022 respectively.
May Ted Hopkins rest in peace.
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