He was an under-19 best and fairest at Footscray and his father, John and
uncle Norm had played for the club. Charles' opportunities at Footscray
were limited because the club had plenty of big men. When Terry Wheeler
told him the club was going to trade him he said he would try his luck in
baseball. It was a shattering rejection. There was some suprise when
Richmond picked Charles in the October 1995 draft after he had turned
his back on football for a year. His father knew Richmond's Francis
Bourke when both were involved at the Port Lonsdale surf club and that
created the link that took him to Punt Road. He played baseball for a year
with Florida Marlins minor league team in 1994. He immediately impressed
Richmond with his work ethic on the track and the amount of hours he
spent in the gym. That side of his preperation would have an unfortunate
spin-off. He started 1996 in brilliant style for the Tigers often rucking for
most of the day. An exuberant, sometimes confronting player who didnt
hesitate to let the opposition know when he had achieved something. At
the 1996 Brownlow count he jumped from his seat when he earned the first
vote of the night and knocked a bucket of ice onto nearby North players. It
was his first vote in 50 games, but that night he polled 17 votes and was just
four votes short of the winning tally. He was involved in a sensation in August
1997 when it was announced that he had tested positive to an anabolic
steroid - the first AFL player to do so. He used boldenone - a veterinary
steroid used for the treatment of injuies of horses and pigeons. 1997 had
been a frustrating season for him. He had foot, achilles and hamstring
injuries. He came back late in 1998 after serving his suspension and played
just two games before retiring due to the persistent injury problems.

Russell Holmesby, Jim Main,
The Encyclopidia of LAFL Footballers
Every Richmond AFL Player Ever
(BAS Publishing 2004)