Andrew McLeod facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Andrew McLeod |
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McLeod playing for Adelaide in 2005
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Andrew Luke McLeod | ||
| Nickname(s) | Bunji, Macca | ||
| Date of birth | 4 August 1976 | ||
| Place of birth | Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia | ||
| Original team | Darwin (NTFL)/Port Adelaide (SANFL) | ||
| Draft | Traded from Fremantle, 1994 AFL Draft | ||
| Position(s) | Half-back, half forward, midfield | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Andrew Luke McLeod (born 4 August 1976) is a famous former professional Australian rules footballer. He played for the Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Andrew holds the record for the most games played for Adelaide, with 340 matches.
Many people think McLeod is the greatest player ever for the Adelaide Football Club. He helped the club win two championships, called premierships, in 1997 and 1998. He also won the Norm Smith Medal twice. This award goes to the best player in the AFL Grand Final.
Contents
Andrew's Early Life
Andrew McLeod was born in Darwin, Northern Territory. He is an Indigenous Australian, with family roots in the Wardaman and Warrgamay peoples through his mother. His father, Jock McLeod, is of Scottish descent. Andrew was the youngest of three children.
When he was young, his family moved to Katherine. They returned to Darwin in 1985. Andrew went to school at St John's College, Darwin. As a child, he loved the Essendon Football Club. He also looked up to AFL player Michael McLean, who was from Darwin.
My idol was Michael Mclean, number 51. I loved watching him play. He always gave me time when he came home. Seeing him on TV on the Winners and then when he came home you got to sit down with him and have a chat. He'd talk about what training you needed to do and the big league. I still keep in touch with him.
Andrew's First Football Steps
Andrew played many sports when he was younger. These included athletics, soccer, rugby union, rugby league, and Australian rules football. His family had a long history of playing for the Darwin Football Club in the Northern Territory Football League. His great-grandfather and father both played there. Andrew started playing for their senior team in 1993.
He was a very talented player. He was chosen to play for the Northern Territory in the AFL Under 19 Championships. He was named the best player in their win against Victoria.
Joining Port Adelaide
The Port Adelaide Football Club offered Andrew a contract to play in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). His father, Jock, knew moving to Adelaide would be a big step. Andrew quickly became a star at Port Adelaide. He played one game in the Under-17s, one in the Under-19s, and four in the reserves. He then played 14 games in the senior team. In 1994, he helped Port Adelaide win the SANFL premiership.
Moving to the AFL
The Fremantle Football Club was joining the AFL in 1995. They wanted to recruit Andrew. However, Andrew felt disrespected by their coach and did not want to play for Fremantle. The Adelaide Football Club heard about this. They quickly worked to bring Andrew to their team. Adelaide traded player Chris Groom to Fremantle to get Andrew.
Andrew's AFL Career
Starting at Adelaide (1995–1996)
When Andrew joined the Adelaide Crows, players first called him "Hamburger." But soon, they used his Darwin nickname, "Bunji," which means "Brother." He played his first AFL game for the Crows in Round 6 against Melbourne.
In his second game, against Hawthorn, Adelaide was losing badly. But they made a huge comeback. In the final seconds, Andrew kicked a difficult goal from the side. This amazing goal won the game for Adelaide!
McLeod, somehow, miraculously gathers possession of this wet and slippery ball, arches his back, goes one way and then the other and leaves Jenke slipping and sliding in his wake. Then, against the pressure of time and finding himself in a position to somehow conceive a way to win, he calmly caresses the greasy ball onto and across his boot and dribbles it through the goals in an arc from the boundary.
Later that year, Andrew was nominated for the Norwich Rising Star award. He found out he had broken bones in his feet. This was because the team's sponsor, Adidas, made boots that did not fit his feet. Andrew had to get injections to play without pain. After this, he started wearing Puma boots with Adidas stripes painted on them. Later, Adidas custom-made shoes for him.
Winning Championships and Medals (1997–1999)
1997: A Breakout Year
Andrew's big year was 1997, with new coach Malcolm Blight. Blight had the team do a lot of running, which helped Andrew get fitter. Blight decided to play Andrew as a half-back. This position suited him perfectly.
I said to Stephen: 'What about Andrew?'. He said, 'Well, we got him as a half-back flanker from Darwin'. And that was almost the light bulb moment for me. ... McLeod slotted in there beautifully. Some of the games he played there in '97, he was almost faultless, he could beat his man, and then set us up.
In a big game against Port Adelaide, called Showdown II, Andrew kicked a tough goal in the last minutes. This gave the Crows a 7-point lead, and they won the game.
In the preliminary final against the Western Bulldogs, Andrew moved to the midfield in the second half. This was a new role for him. The Crows were losing by 31 points, but Andrew helped them make an amazing comeback. They won by two points and reached the Grand Final for the first time!
In the Grand Final against St Kilda, Andrew played incredibly well. He had 31 disposals (times he touched the ball) and 11 marks. He was named the best player on the field, winning the famous Norm Smith Medal. He also helped his team win the AFL premiership. Soon after, he was named the Crows' Best and Fairest player for 1997.
1998: Back-to-Back Wins
Andrew continued to impress fans with his speed and skill in 1998. He was named in the All-Australian team for the first time.
In a preliminary final against the Bulldogs, Andrew kicked a career-high seven goals. In the Grand Final against the Kangaroos, the Crows won by 35 points. Andrew played brilliantly again, getting 30 disposals. He won his second Norm Smith Medal in a row! He was the first player since Gary Ayres to win two Norm Smith Medals.
1999: A Tougher Season
Adelaide did not do as well in 1999, finishing 13th. However, Andrew continued to be one of the team's best young stars.
Playing Under Gary Ayres (2000–2004)
2000: A Strong Performance
Andrew had a great season in 2000, playing mostly in the midfield. He averaged 24 disposals per game and kicked 28 goals. He was named in the All-Australian team as a half-forward. He finished second in Adelaide's Best and Fairest award.
2001: MVP Season
Andrew had one of his best seasons in 2001. He was a permanent player in the Crows' midfield. He averaged a career-best 24.7 disposals. He won the Leigh Matthews Trophy, which means he was voted the Most Valuable Player in the league by other players. He also won his second Best and Fairest award for the club.
Andrew was expected to win the Brownlow Medal, the AFL's highest individual award. His father even came to the event as a surprise if he won. However, Andrew finished second by just two votes.
2002: A Consistent Year
Andrew had another good season in 2002. He was reported for the first and only time in his career for a late charge on an opponent. He received a one-match ban. He played every other game and continued to perform well.
2003: Leading the Votes
Andrew played every game in 2003. He led the 2003 Brownlow medal count for much of the season. He had six "best-on-ground" performances. He finished 10th in the Brownlow Medal, with only 4 points separating him from the winners. His teammate Mark Ricciuto was one of the winners.
2004: A Difficult Year
2004 was a tough year for Adelaide, and their coach Gary Ayres was later replaced. Andrew's performance was not as strong this season.
Playing Under Neil Craig (2005–2010)
2005: Back to Defence
In 2005, under new coach Neil Craig, Andrew moved back to the half-back line. This allowed him to use his amazing skills to run the ball out of defence. He also played for the Australian International rules football team against Ireland. He was named the best player and won the Jim Stynes Medal.
In 2005, Andrew was named in the Indigenous Team of the Century as a ruck rover.
2006: Injury Challenges
Andrew returned to great form in 2006, earning his fourth All-Australian selection. He played his 250th AFL game against the Essendon Football Club. He took a spectacular mark in that game.
For much of the season, Andrew played with a foot injury. He had surgery, which was expected to keep him out for weeks. He returned earlier than expected for the preliminary final. However, his foot became infected, and he needed more surgery, missing the rest of the finals. This was a big loss for Adelaide's chances of winning the premiership.
2007: Captain and All-Australian
Before the 2007 season, Andrew won the Polly Farmer Medal. This was for being the best player for the Indigenous All-Stars team. He was the team's captain and kicked two goals.
Andrew played most of 2007 as a half-back flanker. He was great at picking up loose balls and starting attacks from defence. He had a fantastic season, with his highest average disposals since 2001. He was named captain and a half-back flanker in the 2007 All-Australian team. He also won the club's Best and Fairest award.
2008: 300 Games Milestone
After knee surgery, Andrew celebrated his 300th game in Round 19 with a big win over Richmond. He became only the second Aboriginal player to reach 300 games. After the season, his knee problems returned, and he needed more surgery.
2009: Club Games Record
Andrew captained the Indigenous All-Stars in 2009. He continued to play well for the Crows. In Round 9, he played his 313th game. This broke the club record for most games played, which was held by his friend Mark Ricciuto.
2010: Final Season and Retirement
Andrew started the 2010 season healthy. But in Round 11, he re-injured his right knee. This kept him out for a month. He returned on July 16, 2010, for a game against Geelong. This ended up being his last AFL game, as his knee problems continued.
On August 23, 2010, Andrew McLeod announced he was retiring from AFL football. He is remembered as one of the AFL's greatest players.
Andrew's Later Career
In 2011, Andrew signed a part-time contract with the Northern Territory Football Club. He played eight games for them in the new North East Australian Football League (NEAFL) season. He helped the team win the Northern Conference and NEAFL premierships.
Honours and Achievements
- AFL Premierships (Adelaide): 1997, 1998
- Norm Smith Medal: 1997, 1998
- Malcolm Blight Medal (Adelaide Best & Fairest): 1997, 2001, 2007
- Leigh Matthews Trophy (MVP Award): 2001
- All-Australian Team: 1998, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2007 (Captain)
- Jim Stynes Medal: 2005
- Polly Farmer Medal: 2007
- Michael Tuck Medal: 2003
- Showdown Medal: 2007 (Round 3)
- AFL Rising Star Nominee: 1995
- 300 Game Player
- Adelaide F.C. Games Record Holder: 340 Games
- Indigenous Team of the Century - Ruck Rover
- SANFL Premiership (Port Adelaide): 1994
- NEAFL Premiership (Northern Territory): 2011
