Troy Broadbridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Troy Broadbridge |
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Troy Broadbridge | ||
| Date of birth | 5 October 1980 | ||
| Place of birth | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | ||
| Date of death | 26 December 2004 (aged 24) | ||
| Place of death | Phi Phi Islands, Thailand | ||
| Original team | Port Adelaide (SANFL) | ||
Troy Broadbridge (born October 5, 1980 – died December 26, 2004) was an Australian rules footballer. He played for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
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Troy Broadbridge's Football Career
Playing for Melbourne (2001–2004)
Troy Broadbridge started his football journey as a defender. He played for the Port Adelaide club in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). His father, Wayne, also played for this team.
The Melbourne Football Club chose Troy in the draft at the start of the 2001 AFL season. He quickly became a key player for the team. In 2001, he won the club's Most Improved Player award. Over three seasons, Troy played a total of 40 games.
Troy's first and last games in the AFL were both against Essendon. He played his first game in Round 8 of 2001. His last game was in the 2004 elimination final. Melbourne lost both of these matches. His very last football game was for Sandringham, Melbourne's VFL-affiliate, in their 2004 championship team.
Marriage and Tragic Death
Troy Broadbridge married Trisha Silvers on December 18, 2004. They went to the Phi Phi Islands in Thailand for their honeymoon.
On December 26, 2004, a huge tsunami hit after a powerful earthquake in the Indian Ocean. Troy was swept out to sea by the waves and sadly drowned. Trisha, his wife, survived the disaster. Troy's father found his body in a morgue in Thailand on January 3, 2005.
Troy's Lasting Legacy
After Troy's death, his wife Trisha wrote a book called Beyond The Wave. It was about what happened. In 2006, Trisha was named Young Australian of the Year. This was for her volunteer work with different charities. She even helped build a school on Phi Phi Island. The school was named in Troy Broadbridge's honor.
In Melbourne's first game of the 2005 AFL season, the players wore black armbands. These armbands had the number 20 on them to remember Troy. Melbourne won that game and dedicated their victory to Troy and Trisha.
Troy's number 20 jersey was not used for the next two seasons (2005–2006). In 2007, a new player named Colin Garland started wearing the number 20 again.
Since 2007, there has been a special award called the Troy Broadbridge Memorial Trophy. It is given to the Melbourne player who gets the most votes for the club's VFL team.
After winning the 2021 AFL Grand Final, Melbourne captain Max Gawn remembered Troy Broadbridge. He paid tribute to Troy and other important club members who had passed away.
