John Benetti

Who is John Benetti?

John Benetti is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Carlton in the Victorian Football League.

Benetti, who debuted for Carlton in 1958, had played schoolboy football at CBC Parade alongside his cousin Sergio Silvagni, who also started at Carlton that year. From 16 games in 1958, Benetti polled 12 Brownlow Medal votes to finished equal 13th overall and the best placed Carlton player. After such a strong showing in his first season, he only played eight games in 1959, but got his first taste of finals football when he appeared in a preliminary final.

Used mostly as a defender during his career, Benetti played finals again in 1962 and was in the back pocket in the Carlton side which lost the 1962 VFL Grand Final. The following year he was one of four Carlton players to appear in all 18 rounds and represented the VFL in an interstate match against South Australia.

He played his final VFL game in 1965, then joined Oakleigh as captain-coach for the 1966 Victorian Football Association season.