Justin Koschitzke<

Personal information
Birth	20 September 1982 (1982-09-20) (age 27), Albury, New South Wales
Recruited from	Murray U18 (TAC Cup)
Height and weight	197cm / 98kg
Playing career¹
Debut	Round 3, 15 April 2001, St Kilda vs. West Coast Eagles, at Docklands, Melbourne
Team(s)	St Kilda Football Club 2001 - 142 games, 171 goals
¹ Statistics to end of 2009 season
Career highlights
* St Kilda Minor Premiership Side 2009 St Kilda AFL Cup Winning Side 2008 (Captain) St Kilda AFL Cup Winning Side 2004 AFL Rising Star Winner 2001

Justin Gregory "Kosi" Koschitzke (born 20 September 1982) is an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.

[edit] Career Overview

Recruited in the 2000 AFL Draft at pick number two, there were high expectations on Koschitzke from a young age. His athletic 197 cm build and strong marking were a great asset to the St Kilda Football Club, which drafted him and gave him his AFL debut early in 2001. He made an immediate impact and, in a debut year where he played 20 games, he won the AFL Rising Star award.

In 2002 Koschitzke played just four games in an injury riddled season. His quad and hamstring injuries continued to cause him trouble into 2003 and 2004, when he missed five and eight games respectively.

Koschitske played in St Kilda’s 2004 AFL Wizard Home Loans Cup winning side - St Kilda Football Club’s 2nd AFL Cup Win.^[1]

In 2005, another injury-affected season, Koschitzke played sporadically until he made a return in Round 14 against the Western Bulldogs. In a best-on-ground performance he picked up 19 disposals and booted three goals. His form continued when he kicked 16 goals over the next four games, but injury struck again after Round 21, causing him to miss the finals series.

Koschitzke is considered a versatile key position player who can play at centre half-forward and centre half-back, as well as a ruckman. Although some have questioned whether using him in the ruck would be too hard on his body.

Koschitzke has appeared on FOX FM's Matt and Jo Show with Matt Tilley and Jo Stanley, with his weekly Friday football analysis.

[edit] 2006 season

In 2006 Koschitzke suffered further injury problems, first missing Rounds 1–3 with a minor knee injury and then missing Round 5 with a quadriceps injury. After being a surprise inclusion for Round 6 against the Bulldogs, he was knocked out by Daniel Giansiracusa(Gia) with a legal hip and shoulder and was then diagnosed with a fractured skull, and was expected to miss 4–6 weeks. But 4 weeks on, Koschitzke had not regained hearing in one ear, and for future health concerns, was ruled out for the remainder of the season. Coach Grant Thomas later came to say if he did return to play in 2006, it would be an unexpected bonus.

On Sunday 18 June, Justin Koschitzke collapsed while filming a live television spot for Channel Seven program Sportsworld whilst being interviewed by David Schwarz. He was released from hospital later in the day after scans found nothing abnormal. St. Kilda staff put the faint down to a number of factors including, fatigue, dehydration and a minor virus. There was no direct connection with his original injury and the collapse.

[edit] 2007 Season

Koschitzke played 19 games in 2007, both in the forward line and the ruck, kicking 26 goals (season high 4 goals twice) and getting 155 hit outs (season high 21) and 116 marks (season high 10 twice).

After significant time in the ruck more of a forward role beckoned for Koschitzke after Fraser Gehrig announced his retirement.

[edit] 2008 Season

Koschitske was Captain in St Kilda’s 2008 AFL National Australia Bank Cup winning side - St Kilda Football Club’s 3rd AFL Cup Win. ^[2][3][4]

[edit] 2009 Season

Koschitske played in 20 of 22 matches in the 2009 AFL Premiership Season Home & Away Rounds where the St Kilda Football Club qualified in first position for the 2009 AFL Finals Series, winning the club’s 3rd Minor Premiership.^[5]

Koschitzke had one of his most consistent seasons in 2009 playing mainly at full-forward. He contributed in the saints making the 2009 AFL grand final and polled well in the brownlow medal finishing =11th.

St Kilda won direct qualification through to the 2009 AFL Grand Final after Qualifying & Preliminary Final wins. Koschitske played in the 2009 AFL Grand Final where St Kilda was defeated by 12 points.

As of the end of the 2009 AFL Premiership Season, Koschitske had played in 10 AFL Finals Series matches - including 1 AFL Grand Final - and 2 AFL Cup Finals.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Justin Koschitzke profile on the Official AFL Website of the St Kilda Football Club
• Justin Koschitzke's statistics from AFL Tables