Stephen Malaxos

PLAYER: 1979-98

GAMES: 374: Claremont 151; West Coast 66; East Fremantle 138; Hawthorn 9; WA 10.

PREMIERSHIPS: Claremont 1981; East Fremantle 1992-94

HONOURS: Sandover Medal 1984: fairest and best Claremont 1983-84, West Coast 1987, East Fremantle 1992, 94; All Australian  1984; captain Claremont 1986, West Coast 1990, East Fremantle 1992-97.

Steve Malaxos started his career as a deadly accurate and opportunist forward at Claremont, became famous as one of the top midfielders in the game and finished as a defender at East Fremantle.  In a career spanning 20 seasons he managed 374 games, was named an All Australian captain in 1984 and was one of three men to share in the Sandover Medal the same year.  Malaxos was not quick and could not kick over long distances, but he was an absolute professional, read the play superbly and had rock solid skills.

The Claremont full forward line of Brett Farmer, Warren Ralph and Malaxos was known as “The Golden Triangle” when the Tigers won the 1981 premiership.  Ralph won the WAFL goal kicking with 120 goals and Malaxos finished third with 76.  After his stellar 1984 he went to Hawthorn but returned to WA after just nine games.  He made his greatest AFL impact at West Coast, where he played 66 matches and captained the team in 1990, winning the club’s first best and fairest trophy in 1987.   While most now quit football at the end of their AFL careers, Malaxos played eight seasons and 138 games at East Fremantle between 1991 and 1998, before pursuing assistant coaching roles at Sydney and Fremantle.