Shane Crawford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shane Crawford |
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Crawford at Hawthorn training in 2007
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Shane Barry Crawford | ||
| Date of birth | 9 September 1974 | ||
| Place of birth | Mount Barker, South Australia | ||
| Original team | Finley(NSW)/Assumption College | ||
| Draft | No. 13, 1991 national draft | ||
| Debut | Round 1, 1993, Hawthorn v. Melbourne, at Waverley Park |
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| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Shane Barry Crawford (born 9 September 1974) is a famous former Australian rules football player. He is also a well-known television personality and author. Shane played 305 senior games for the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
During his amazing AFL career, he became the captain of Hawthorn in 1999. That same year, he won the AFL's top individual awards: the Brownlow Medal and the Leigh Matthews Trophy. He was chosen for the All-Australian team four times and played for Australia in three International Rules series. Shane won Hawthorn's Best & Fairest Award four times. He was also a key player in Hawthorn's team that won the 2008 championship.
Today, Crawford is the head coach for the Ardmona Cats football team.
Contents
Early Life and Football Start
Shane Crawford was born in Mount Barker, South Australia. He grew up in Finley, New South Wales, where he played junior football for the Finley Football Club. While attending boarding school at Assumption College in Kilmore, Victoria, he was picked by Hawthorn. This happened in the 1991 AFL Draft, where he was the 13th player chosen.
Shane Crawford's AFL Career
Shane made his first AFL appearance in 1993. In his very first game, he kicked a goal and had 19 possessions. He was even nominated for the League's Rising Star award in his second game. In that game, he kicked 5 goals and had 23 possessions.
Key Achievements in Football
In 1995 and 1996, Shane was the runner-up for Hawthorn's club champion award. He was also selected for the All-Australian team for the first time in 1996. In 1998, he was again named an All-Australian. This led to him playing for Australia against Ireland in the 1998 International Rules series.
He became the captain of Hawthorn in 1999. He stepped down from being captain after the 2004 season. In that year, he broke his arm, and the Hawks finished near the bottom of the AFL ladder. He played his 250th AFL game in the 2005 season against the Brisbane Lions.
Winning the Premiership
Shane played his 300th game for Hawthorn in 2008. This milestone game was against the Brisbane Lions in Launceston. Hawthorn won that game by 69 points.
On 27 September 2008, Shane Crawford won his first AFL championship. He was 34 years old at the time. He played more AFL games before winning a premiership than any other player in the history of the VFL/AFL.
Hawthorn offered Shane another year to play, but he decided to retire. He wanted to finish his career on a high note after winning the 2008 Grand Final. He is now known as one of the best midfielders in modern AFL history. In 2012, Shane Crawford was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.
Shane Crawford's Media Career
After his football career, Shane became a popular media personality. He was a regular on The AFL Footy Show from 2009 until it ended in 2019. He also presented on travel shows like Getaway and Postcards since 2008. Since 2014, he has been a presenter on the children's program Kids' WB.
Reality TV and Hosting
In 2011, Shane was a contestant on the first season of The Celebrity Apprentice. On this show, celebrities compete to raise money for charities. Shane raised $49,311 for Breast Cancer Network Australia. He finished third in the competition.
In 2020, he was a stand-in presenter for Australian Ninja Warrior. He became the main sideline presenter for the 2021 season. In 2022, Shane made his debut in musical theatre. He played the role of 'Pharaoh' in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in Melbourne.
In 2024, Crawford competed on Channel 7's Dancing With The Stars. He was eliminated in sixth place out of 12 contestants. In March 2025, it was announced that Shane would co-host the Seven Network’s House of Wellness. This show features discussions, humor, and health advice.
World Records Achieved
Shane Crawford has even set several Guinness World Records! In 2009, he set five records during The Footy Show:
- He had 157 live golden silk orb-weavers (spiders) on his body for 30 seconds.
- He kissed 96 people on the face in one minute.
- He put on 180 pairs of underwear, breaking the old record of 150.
- He and Adrian Mott broke the world record for the 100-meter sprint. They did this while both were inside a single pantomime horse costume.
- He cracked 90 eggs with his head in one minute.
In 2010, powerlifter Derek Boyer broke a record using Shane Crawford. Derek bench-pressed Shane, who weighed 114 kg, 10 times in 60 seconds. In 2018, Shane set another world record. He put on 32 swimming goggles in one minute.
Author and Children's Books
In 2010, Shane released his autobiography, That's What I'm Talking About. A special Junior Edition was released later for younger readers.
In March 2014, Shane co-authored a series of children's books. These books have football themes and are about a character named "Nick." Nick is the captain of the Cobar Creek Crocs football team. The four books in the series are:
- Crawf's Kick it to Nick: The Cursed Cup
- Crawf's Kick it to Nick: Outbreak on the Oval
- Crawf's Kick it to Nick: Bugs from Beyond
- Crawf's Kick it to Nick: Forward Line Freak
Fundraising for Breast Cancer
Shane Crawford has done amazing things to raise money and awareness for breast cancer.
"That's What I'm Walking About"
On 16 September 2010, Shane completed a 780 km run. He ran from Adelaide to the Channel 9 studio in Melbourne. This run, called "That's What I'm Walking About," took him 11 days. He ran the final part into the Footy Show studio, where a crowd was waiting. Hundreds of "pink ladies" affected by breast cancer cheered him on. Shane's efforts raised $500,000 for the cause.
"Tour de Crawf"
In June and July 2013, Shane cycled 3,600 km from Melbourne to Perth. This fundraising event was called "Tour de Crawf" and lasted 22 days. He rode almost 170 km each day. In total, he raised an incredible $1,328,249 for the Breast Cancer Network Australia.
Awards and Recognition
In October 2000, Shane Crawford received the Australian Sports Medal. This award recognized his great contributions to Australian football.
Personal Life
Shane Crawford and his partner, Olivia Anderson, have four sons. Their names are Charlie (born 2006), Benjamin (born 2008), and twins Jack and Harry (born 2011). Shane also has two brothers, Andrew and Justin.
Outside of football, Shane enjoys various hobbies, including horse racing. In 2011, he launched his own children's clothing line called Kiniki.
Images for kids
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Crawford at Hawthorn training in 2007
