World Footy News

Todd Goldstein is set to become the ninth known Jewish player to play senior VFL/AFL football. The North Melbourne ruckman, taken with pick 37 in the 2006 draft has spent the last 18 months with the Kangaroos' VFL feeder teams Tasmania and Werribee. He has been selected to line up for the club in their away game against Port Adelaide on Saturday night. Goldstein is yet another example of tall kids with basketball backgrounds who have made the late transition to Australian football. He is described as an “athletic tap ruckman.”

The Jewish connection to football has been strong in Victoria particularly with AJAX Amateur Football Club in the VAFA (since 1957) and former AFL club Presidents Richard Pratt and Joe Gutnick. Perhaps Goldstein may be an inspiration to some of the Israeli contingent of the Peres Peace Team that will compete at this year’s International Cup. Ian Synman (St Kilda), Keith Baskin (South Melbourne), Henry Ritterman (Melbourne), Michael Zemski (Hawthorn), Mordy Bromberg (St Kilda), Trevor Korn (Melbourne), Julian Kirzner (Essendon/North Melbourne) and Ezra Poyas (Richmond) are others of the Jewish faith known to have preceded Goldstein at this level.