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Rino Pretto

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Full name
  
Rino Pretto

Years
  
Club

Nickname(s)
  
Moose

Name
  
Rino Pretto


Weight
  
89 kg

Height/Weight
  
188 cm / 89 kg

Positions
  
Full-forward


Date of birth
  
(1959-06-13) 13 June 1959 (age 56)

Original team(s)
  
Bulleen-Templestowe

Dandenong s rino pretto kicks 1000th v f a goal


Rino Pretto (born 13 June 1959) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for various clubs in the Victorian Football Association (VFA) and with Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Rino Pretto Dandenongs Rino Pretto Kicks 1000th VFA Goal YouTube

After serving his apprenticeship as a full-back in the Fitzroy under-19s and reserves, Pretto finally made his senior debut late in the 1978 VFL season. The game, which took place at VFL Park, was won by Carlton who were celebrating Rod Ashman's 100th league appearance. Pretto kicked a goal with his only kick and found himself back in the reserves the following weekend and for the entire 1979 season.

Pretto joined the VFA in 1980 and played initially at Camberwell. He was loaned to Coburg in 1981, then returned to Camberwell for the 1982 and 1983 seasons. He was still known as a full-back at this time, but his talent as a full-forward was discovered after he kicked eight goals when filling in for an injured full-forward at Camberwell.

In 1984, he transferred to Oakleigh, and was used as a regular full-forward there. Oakleigh played in the Second Division of the VFA and Pretto was the division's leading goal-kicker on four occasions (1985–88), with his highest total in 1985 when he kicked 170 goals. In the Grand Final that year he kicked 12 goals despite playing on the losing team. His best performance in a game was in 1986 when he kicked 20 against Mordialloc, despite feeling so ill during the game that he spent the next week in hospital with a diabetic condition.

In 1989 Pretto was full-forward for the VFA's representative team which won the NFL Shield. The VFA defeated the Australian Amateurs in the final and Pretto kicked 12 goals, which is still the record number of goals in a representative match by a VFA player.

Pretto started the 1992 season with Oakleigh, but transferred to Dandenong after two rounds. He played his final three seasons with Dandenong, and topped the Association's goal-kicking with 87 goals in 1994. At retirement, the VFA interstate football representative had kicked 1095 goals, a tally only bettered by Fred Cook.

References

Rino Pretto Wikipedia