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). He holds the record for the most games played for Adelaide, with 340 matches.
Many people believe McLeod is the greatest player ever for the Adelaide Football Club. He helped the club win two premierships in 1997 and 1998. He also won the Norm Smith Medal twice, which is given to the best player in the AFL Grand Final.
Contents
- Andrew McLeod's Early Life
- Andrew McLeod's Football Journey Begins
- Andrew McLeod's AFL Career
- Later Career
- Honours and Achievements
- See Also
- Images for kids
Andrew McLeod's Early Life
Andrew McLeod was born in Darwin, Northern Territory. He is an Indigenous person, with Wardaman and Warrgamay heritage from his mother's side. His father, Jock McLeod, has Scottish roots.
Andrew was the youngest of three children. When he was young, his family moved to Katherine. They returned to Darwin in 1985. He went to St John’s College Darwin.
As a child, Andrew supported the Essendon Football Club. He looked up to AFL player Michael McLean, who was also 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 McLeod's Football Journey Begins
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 with 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 Teal Cup. He was named the best player in their win against Victoria.
Joining Port Adelaide
The chief executive of Port Adelaide Football Club, Brian Cunningham, offered Andrew a contract. He would play for Port Adelaide in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). Andrew's father, Jock, knew moving to Adelaide would be tough for his son. So, he secretly arranged for Andrew to stay with a host family.
Andrew was not told he would be staying until his father left him there. Despite this surprising start, Andrew quickly became a key player for Port Adelaide. He played one game in the Under-17s, one in the Under-19s, and four in the reserves. He then played 14 straight games for the senior team. He even became a premiership player, winning the 1994 SANFL Grand Final.
Moving to the AFL
The Fremantle Football Club was joining the Australian Football League in 1995. They wanted to recruit Andrew. When Andrew met with Fremantle, the coach, Gerard Neesham, had not seen him play. He asked Andrew to stand up to show his height. Andrew felt disrespected and refused to play for Fremantle.
Adelaide Football Club heard that things were not going well. They contacted Andrew's father to say they were interested. Adelaide and Fremantle made a trade. Fremantle received player Chris Groom in return for Andrew.
Andrew McLeod's AFL Career
First Years at Adelaide (1995–1996)
Adelaide players first called Andrew "Hamburger" because he seemed a bit chubby. But soon, they used "Bunji," which means "Brother," a nickname he had in Darwin. He played his first AFL game for the Crows in Round 6 against Melbourne. The Crows won, but Andrew spent most of the game on the bench.
Andrew was dropped after this game. He played his second game in Round 9 against Hawthorn. Adelaide was losing by 34 points at half-time. But they made a great comeback. In the last seconds, Adelaide was still down by 4 points. The ball was kicked towards Adelaide's goal. Andrew raced for the ball, battling a Hawthorn defender. He got the ball, dodged the tackle, and kicked a goal from a difficult angle. This 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. However, he found out he had broken bones in his feet. He needed injections to play the last seven games without pain. These injuries happened because he had to wear boots from Adidas, a Crows sponsor. The Adidas boots did not fit his feet well. So, he started wearing Puma boots with Adidas stripes painted on them! Later, Adidas custom-made shoes for him.
Dual Premierships and Norm Smith Medals (1997–1999)
1997: A Breakout Year
Andrew's big year was 1997, with new coach Malcolm Blight. Blight made the team run a lot, which helped Andrew lose weight. Blight had seen Andrew's winning goal against Hawthorn. He first played Andrew in the forward line. But after talking to Andrew's SANFL coach, Stephen Williams, Blight moved him to half-back.
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.
Andrew had a memorable moment in Round 19 against Port Adelaide. He kicked a tough goal in the final minutes. This gave the Crows a 7-point lead, which they kept to win the game.
In the preliminary final against the Western Bulldogs, Andrew started playing in the midfield. This was a new role for him. The Crows were losing by 31 points at half-time. Andrew's move helped spark a comeback. The Crows won by two points, reaching their first Grand Final!
In the Grand Final against St Kilda, Andrew played amazingly. He had 31 disposals (times he got the ball) and 11 marks (catches). 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.
The Brisbane Lions offered Andrew a contract to join them. But Andrew decided to stay with Adelaide.
1998: Another Amazing Year
Andrew continued to impress fans with his speed and skill in 1998. He was named in the All-Australian team for the first time. This is a team of the best players in the league. He also received 10 Brownlow Medal votes.
In a preliminary final against the Bulldogs, Andrew kicked a career-high seven goals! This was against Tony Liberatore, who was known as a very tough defender. In the Grand Final against the Kangaroos, the Crows won by 35 points. Andrew played just as well as the year before. He had 30 disposals and won his second straight Norm Smith Medal. He was the first player since Gary Ayres to win two Norm Smith Medals in a row.
1999: A Tough Year for the Team
Adelaide did not do as well in 1999, finishing 13th. But Andrew kept playing well and showing he was one of Adelaide's young stars.
Playing Under Coach Gary Ayres (2000–2004)
2000: Midfield Star
Andrew had a great season in 2000, playing mostly in the midfield. He averaged 24 disposals per game, up from 18 in 1999. He also 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. He also got 20 Brownlow Medal votes, finishing third overall.
2001: League's Most Valuable Player
Andrew had one of his best seasons in 2001. He was named runner-up in the Brownlow Medal count, which caused some debate. Coach Gary Ayres made him a permanent midfielder. Andrew averaged a career-best 24.7 disposals. He won the Leigh Matthews Trophy, voted by his fellow players as the Most Valuable Player in the league. He also won his second best-and-fairest award for the club.
Andrew was expected to win the 2001 Brownlow Medal. His father, Jock, was even brought to the ceremony as a surprise if he won. Andrew was two votes behind Jason Akermanis in the last round. He had a season-high 37 disposals in Adelaide's final game. However, he received no votes for that game. He finished second behind Akermanis. Akermanis later said, "I stole the Brownlow from Andrew McLeod."
2002: A Strong Season
Andrew had another good season in 2002. He was reported for the first and only time in his career for a late hit on Essendon's Matthew Lloyd. He received a one-match ban. He played every other game and got 16 Brownlow votes.
2003: Leading the Brownlow Count
Andrew played every game in 2003. He led the 2003 Brownlow medal count until Round 15. He had six "best-on-ground" performances by then. However, he did not get any more votes and finished 10th with 18 votes. His teammate Mark Ricciuto was one of the joint winners. Andrew finished 3rd in Adelaide's best and fairest award.
2004: A Challenging Year
2004 was a tough year for Adelaide, and coach Gary Ayres was later let go. Andrew only received two votes in the Brownlow Medal.
Playing Under Coach Neil Craig (2005–2010)
2005: Return to Defence
In 2005, under coach Neil Craig, Andrew moved back to the half-back line. This allowed him to use his great skills to run and create plays from defence. He received 11 votes in the 2005 Brownlow Medal.
In October, Andrew was named co-captain of the Australian International rules football team against Ireland. Australia won easily, and Andrew was named the best player, winning the Jim Stynes Medal.
In 2005, Andrew was also named in the Indigenous Team of the Century as a ruck rover.
2006: All-Australian Again
After a year in Neil Craig's system, Andrew returned to his best form. He was selected for his 4th All-Australian team.
In Round 10 against the Essendon Football Club, Andrew played his 250th AFL game. He had 18 disposals and took a spectacular mark in a big win.
For much of the season, Andrew played with a bursa (a small fluid-filled sac) in his left foot. After Round 16, he had surgery to remove it. He was expected to miss a few weeks.
Andrew returned earlier than expected in Round 19. But by Round 21, his foot became badly infected. He needed more surgery and missed the rest of the season and finals. This injury was a big blow to Adelaide's chances of winning the premiership.
Despite saying he had only a "two out of ten" chance to return, Andrew made a surprise comeback in the preliminary final against the West Coast Eagles. After a good first half, the Crows lost. Andrew only got seven votes in the 2006 Brownlow Medal. He finished 4th in Adelaide's best and fairest.
2007: Captain and Best and Fairest
Before the 2007 AFL season, Andrew won the Polly Farmer Medal. This was for being the best player for the Indigenous All-Stars. He was the team's captain and kicked two goals.
Andrew played most of 2007 as a half-back flanker again. He would gather loose balls and create plays from defence with his smooth skills. However, in Adelaide's elimination final loss to Hawthorn, he was closely marked and had only 12 disposals.
Still, Andrew had a great season. His average of 23.9 disposals was his highest since 2001. He was named captain and a half-back flanker in the 2007 All-Australian team. Andrew received 15 votes in the 2007 Brownlow Medal and won the club's Best and Fairest award.
2008: 300 Games
Four weeks after returning from knee surgery, Andrew celebrated his 300th game. This was in a 63-point win over Richmond in Round 19. Andrew McLeod is only the second Aboriginal player to reach 300 games. After the season, his knee flared up again, needing more surgery.
2009: Club Games Record
After recovering from injury, Andrew captained the Indigenous All-Stars in 2009. He continued to play well for the Crows. In Round 9 (Indigenous Round), he played his 313th game. This broke the club games record held by his former teammate and friend Mark Ricciuto.
2010: Final Season and Retirement
Andrew started the 2010 season healthy. But in a Round 11 game against Fremantle, he re-injured his right knee. This kept him out for a month. He returned on 16 July 2010 in a Round 16 game against Geelong. Adelaide won by 11 points. This ended up being Andrew's last AFL game, as his knee continued to cause problems.
On 23 August 2010, Andrew McLeod announced he was retiring from AFL football.
Later Career
In 2011, Andrew signed a part-time contract with the Northern Territory Football Club. He played eight games for them in the first North East Australian Football League season, including the finals. Andrew helped the Thunder win their Northern Conference and NEAFL premierships.
Honours and Achievements
- AFL
- Team
- Individual
- VFLPA MVP Award (Later named the Leigh Matthews Trophy): 2001
- Malcolm Blight Medal (Adelaide F.C. Best & Fairest): 1997, 2001, 2007
- Norm Smith Medal: 1997, 1998
- All-Australian: 1998, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2007 (C)
- Australian Representative Honours in International Rules Football: 2001, 2002, 2005 (C)
- Jim Stynes Medal: 2005
- Indigenous All-Stars Representative Honours: 2003 (C), 2005, 2007 (C), 2009 (C)
- Polly Farmer Medal: 2007
- Dream Team Representative Honours in AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match: 2008 (C)
- Michael Tuck Medal: 2003
- Showdown Medal: 2007 (Round 3)
- AFL Rising Star Nominee: 1995 (Round 20)
- 300 Game Player
- Adelaide F.C. Games Record Holder: 340 Games
- Indigenous Team of the Century - Ruck Rover
- SANFL
- Team
- SANFL Premiership (Port Adelaide): 1994
- Team
- NEAFL
- Team
- NEAFL Premiership (Northern Territory): 2011
- Team
See Also
- Australian Football Hall of Fame
- List of Adelaide Football Club players
Images for kids
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McLeod playing for Adelaide in 2005
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McLeod challenging a mark in a game against Port Adelaide
