Phil Narkle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Phil Narkle |
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Phillip Michael Narkle | ||
| Date of birth | 29 January 1961 | ||
| Place of birth | Boddington, Western Australia | ||
| Position(s) | Wing | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Phillip Michael Narkle (born January 29, 1961) is a former Australian rules football player. He is of Indigenous Australian descent. Phil played for the St Kilda and West Coast teams in the Australian Football League (AFL). He also played for the Swan Districts Football Club in the West Australian Football League (WAFL).
Phil played football from the mid-1970s to the early 1990s. His older brother, Keith Narkle, also played for Swan Districts. Phil usually played in the wing position. He was known for being a very skilled and determined player. He had amazing speed, which was perfect for the wing. This position allowed him to quickly change from defending to attacking.
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Phil Narkle's Football Journey
Phil Narkle started playing colts (junior league) for Swan Districts in 1977. He won the Medallists Medal that year. This award is given to the fairest and best player. He began playing for the main Swan Districts team in 1978. He slowly became a key player for the club. The team was getting stronger after a tough period.
Winning Championships and Awards
Narkle had an amazing year in 1982. He helped Swan Districts win the WAFL premiership (championship). In the same year, he also won the Sandover Medal. This award goes to the best player in the WAFL. Phil played one more year for Swan Districts. He won his second premiership with the club. This Grand Final was his last game for Swans.
After that, he moved to the St Kilda team. This team was part of the VFL back then. People thought he would be a great addition to the team. However, he had several injuries. Because of this, he could not show his best form until late in the 1986 season.
Moving to the West Coast Eagles
In 1987, Narkle returned to Western Australia. He joined the West Coast Eagles team. He was the first player from the Eagles to be chosen for the All Australian Team. This team features the best players from across Australia.
Before the 1988 season, Phil got an ankle injury. This meant he played only a few games that year. Later, a more serious knee injury affected his playing. This led to West Coast removing him from their team.
Return to Swan Districts
Even when Narkle came back to Swan Districts in 1989, he played several reserve matches first. He also changed his playing position to the back pocket. This was to avoid the high effort needed for his usual wing role.
The Eagles picked Narkle again in 1990. He played nine senior games for them. He also played in the WASFL (the new name for the WAFL). His experience was very important for Swans. He helped them win the 1990 grand final against Claremont.
Narkle often played in defence during this time. He became the captain of Swan Districts in 1992. He continued to play well, even though he had lost some of his explosive speed. Phil Narkle retired as a player at the end of 1993, when he was 32 years old. After retiring, he continued to help out in football administration roles.
