It's official: As of Monday 7 September, Ben Kennedy is the happiest man in football.

Why?

While all indications are that most players are happy to see the back of the substitute rule, Kennedy has particular reason to be thankful.

The 21-year-old has played 25 senior games across the past three seasons, twelve of which he began in the green substitute's vest.

It means Kennedy is the answer to the dubious trivia question that will (or perhaps won't) stand the test of time: Which Collingwood footballer began the most matches in the substitute's vest?

Kennedy finishes ahead of Alan Didak (ten) and Paul Seedsman (eight) after 117 Collingwood matches with involving a substitute since 2011.

The substitute rule

The AFL introduced the substitute rule at the start of 2011, which dictated each club must have three players on the interchange and one substitute who could not be used until one of the existing 21 players is taken out of the game.

Collingwood, in fact, played in the last game that did not involve a substitute - the 2010 Grand Final Replay.


Debutants

Interestingly, eleven of Collingwood’s 29 debutants in the past four years began their first game as the substitute.

None of these players spent more than half the game on the field. Sam Dwyer, who debuted as a 26-year-old in round one, 2013, played 49 per cent of his first game. Adam Oxley managed to play 39 per cent of the Queen’s Birthday win over Melbourne in 2013 but only Tim Broomhead (34 per cent), Ben Kennedy (33 per cent), Jordan De Goey (32 per cent), Ben Sinclair (32 per cent) and Paul Seedsman (32 per cent) have played any more than 30 per cent of their debut games.

Of the eleven, Kirk Ugle received the least amount of game time, playing 17 per cent of the ANZAC Day win over Essendon in 2012.

Streaks


No Collingwood player began as the substitute in more than two consecutive matches.

Tyson Goldsack, Alex Fasolo, Alan Didak (twice), Paul Seedsman, Kirk Ugle, Jamie Elliott, Ben Kennedy (thrice), Adam Oxley, Sam Dwyer, Taylor Adams, Tim Broomhead and Jarryd Blair all clocked consecutive matches in green.

Ugle was the substitute in all three of his senior games for the Magpies and Seedsman’s first three games began in green.

Caolan Mooney was involved as a substitute in all six of his senior games. He started as the substitute in five and was taken out of the game at half time during Collingwood’s clash with Greater Western Sydney in round 18, 2012.

Collingwood’s Substitutes

2011

Round One v Port Adelaide: Brent Macaffer
Round Two v North Melbourne: Andrew Krakouer
Round Three v Carlton: Leon Davis
Round Four v Richmond: Alan Toovey
Round Five v Essendon: Brad Dick
Round Six v Western Bulldogs: Simon Buckley
Round Seven: BYE
Round Eight v Geelong: Brad Dick
Round Nine v Adelaide: Alan Didak
Round 10 v West Coast: Jarryd Blair
Round 11 v St Kilda: Tyson Goldsack
Round 12 v Melbourne: Tyson Goldsack
Round 13: BYE
Round 14 v Sydney: John McCarthy
Round 15 v Hawthorn: Luke Rounds (debut)
Round 16 v North Melbourne: Alex Fasolo
Round 17 v Carlton: Alex Fasolo
Round 18 v Gold Coast: John McCarthy
Round 19 v Essendon: Ben Sinclair (debut)
Round 20 v Port Adelaide: Alan Didak
Round 21 v St Kilda: Alan Didak
Round 22 v Brisbane: John McCarthy
Round 23 v Fremantle: Tom Young
Round 24 v Geelong: Jarryd Blair
Qualifying Final v West Coast: Alex Fasolo
Preliminary Final v Hawthorn: Alan Didak
Grand Final v Geelong: Alex Fasolo

2012

Round One v Hawthorn: Paul Seedsman (debut)
Round Two v Richmond: Paul Seedsman
Round Three v Carlton: Ben Sinclair
Round Four v Port Adelaide: Paul Seedsman
Round Five v Essendon: Kirk Ugle (debut)
Round Six v Western Bulldogs: Kirk Ugle
Round Seven v Brisbane: Peter Yagmoor (final game)
Round Eight v Geelong: Simon Buckley
Round Nine v Adelaide: Jamie Elliott (debut)
Round 10 v Gold Coast: Kirk Ugle (final game)
Round 11 v Melbourne: Tom Young
Round 12: BYE
Round 13 v West Coast: Tom Young
Round 14 v Fremantle: Caolan Mooney (debut)
Round 15 v Carlton: Ben Sinclair
Round 16 v Geelong: Marty Clarke
Round 17 v Hawthorn: Caolan Mooney
Round 18 v Greater Western Sydney: Marty Clarke
Round 19 v St Kilda: Tom Young
Round 20 v Sydney: Alan Didak
Round 21 v North Melbourne: Caolan Mooney
Round 22 v West Coast: Ben Sinclair
Round 23 v Essendon: Alan Didak
Qualifying Final v Hawthorn: Alan Didak
Semi-Final v West Coast: Jamie Elliott
Preliminary Final v Sydney: Jamie Elliott

2013

Round One v North Melbourne: Sam Dwyer (debut)
Round Two v Carlton: Paul Seedsman
Round Three v Hawthorn: Alex Fasolo
Round Four v Richmond: Dale Thomas
Round Five v Essendon: Tyson Goldsack
Round Six v St Kilda: Ben Kennedy (debut)
Round Seven v Fremantle: Caolan Mooney
Round Eight v Geelong: Ben Kennedy
Round Nine v Sydney: Ben Kennedy
Round 10 v Brisbane: Alan Didak
Round 11 v Melbourne: Adam Oxley (debut)
Round 12 v Western Bulldogs: Adam Oxley
Round 14 v Port Adelaide: Ben Kennedy
Round 15 v Carlton: Ben Kennedy
Round 16 v Adelaide: Josh Thomas
Round 17 v Gold Coast: Caolan Mooney
Round 18 v Greater Western Sydney: Jamie Elliott
Round 19 v Essendon: Josh Thomas
Round 20 v Sydney: Sam Dwyer
Round 21 v Hawthorn: Sam Dwyer
Round 22 v West Coast: Alan Didak
Round 23 v North Melbourne: Jarryd Blair
Elimination Final v Port Adelaide: Alan Didak (final game)

2014

Round One v Fremantle: Ben Kennedy
Round Two v Sydney: Taylor Adams
Round Three v Geelong: Taylor Adams
Round Four v Richmond: Josh Thomas
Round Five v North Melbourne: Luke Ball
Round Six v Essendon: Josh Thomas
Round Seven v Carlton: Ben Kennedy
Round Eight: BYE
Round Nine v Adelaide: Sam Dwyer
Round 10 v West Coast: Clinton Young
Round 11 v St Kilda: Paul Seedsman
Round 12 v Melbourne: Luke Ball
Round 13 v Western Bulldogs: Tim Broomhead (first game)
Round 14 v Hawthorn: Tim Broomhead
Round 15 v Carlton: Ben Kennedy
Round 16 v Gold Coast: Josh Thomas
Round 17 v Essendon: Ben Kennedy
Round 18 v Adelaide: Ben Kennedy
Round 19 v Port Adelaide: Kyle Martin (final game)
Round 20 v West Coast: Clinton Young
Round 21 v Brisbane: Tony Armstrong
Round 22 v Greater Western Sydney: Luke Ball
Round 23 v Hawthorn: Paul Seedsman

2015

Round One v Brisbane: Jordan De Goey (first game)
Round Two v Adelaide: Paul Seedsman
Round Three v St Kilda: Patrick Karnezis (first game for Collingwood)
Round Four v Essendon: Sam Dwyer
Round Five v Carlton: Patrick Karnezis
Round Six v Geelong: Tim Broomhead
Round Seven v Richmond: Patrick Karnezis
Round Eight v Gold Coast: Tim Broomhead
Round Nine v North Melbourne: Jordan De Goey
Round 10 v Melbourne: Ben Kennedy
Round 11 v Greater Western Sydney: Ben Kennedy
Round 12: BYE
Round 13 v Fremantle: Paul Seedsman
Round 14 v Hawthorn: Jarryd Blair
Round 15 v Port Adelaide: Jordan De Goey
Round 16 v West Coast: Jarryd Blair
Round 17 v Western Bulldogs: Jarryd Blair
Round 18 v Melbourne: Jamie Elliott
Round 19 v Carlton: Matthew Scharenberg
Round 20 v Sydney: Levi Greenwood
Round 21 v Richmond: Jordan De Goey
Round 22 v Geelong: Jonathon Marsh
Round 23 v Essendon: Alan Toovey

Totals

12 – Ben Kennedy
10 – Alan Didak
8 – Paul Seedsman
6 – Jarryd Blair
5 – Sam Dwyer, Jamie Elliott, Alex Fasolo, Caolan Mooney, Josh Thomas
4 – Tim Broomhead, Jordan De Goey, Ben Sinclair, Tom Young
3 – Luke Ball, Tyson Goldsack, Patrick Karnezis, John McCarthy, Kirk Ugle
2 – Taylor Adams, Simon Buckley, Marty Clarke, Brad Dick, Adam Oxley, Alan Toovey, Clinton Young
1 – Tony Armstrong, Leon Davis, Levi Greenwood, Andrew Krakouer, Brent Macaffer, Jonathon Marsh, Kyle Martin, Luke Rounds, Matthew Scharenberg, Dale Thomas, Peter Yagmoor