Monkhorst said that he was lucky to be playing in the Grand Final after fellow big man James Manson had a brilliant finals campaign, but Monkhorst dominated experienced performer Simon Madden after spending most of the first quarter on the bench.

Monkhorst developed well, and performed at his peak in years 1992–1994, where he finished third in the best and fairest in each of the seasons.

In 1995 during the drawn Anzac Day match at the MCG in front of 95,000 spectators, Monkhorst was involved in an incident that would bring enduring social change to the AFL when he was accused of racially vilifying Essendon's Aboriginal wingman Michael Long.

At the end of 1999 he was traded to St Kilda where he played only one season with the club, which finished wooden spooner.

Monkhorst's eldest son, Brent, was in an induced coma in the Alfred Hospital in 2007, due to a virus that required a heart transplant,[3] He later made a full recovery.