Bruce Abernethy

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Bruce Abernethy
Personal information
Date of birth (1962-05-10) 10 May 1962
Place of birth
Tasmania
Original teamRosewater Football Club (SAAFL
Debut1979, Port Adelaide (SANFL)
Playing career1

Port Adelaide (SANFL) (1979–81, 1987–92)

  • 190 Games, 115 Goals

North Melbourne (VFL) (1982–83)

  • 43 Games, 21 Goals

Collingwood (VFL) (1984–86)

  • 58 Games, 16 Goals

Adelaide (AFL) (1991–92)

  • 11 Games, 2 Goals
Total - 302 games, 154 goals
1 Playing statistics correct to end of 1992 season.
Career highlights

Bruce Abernethy (born 10 May 1962) is a former Australian rules footballer in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL), Victorian and Australian Football Leagues and a current media personality.

Football career

Nicknamed "ABBA", Abernethy was recruited from South Australian Amateur Football League (SAAFL) club Rosewater and debuted for Port Adelaide Football Club in the SANFL as a 16 year old in 1978 and quickly made his mark as a running player of the highest calibre.[1] Abernethy played in a premiership in each of his first full three years at senior level; 1979, 1980 and 1981.[2]

Abernethy transferred to VFL club North Melbourne in 1982 and made his senior debut on 27 March 1982 against Richmond Football Club at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Abernathy played 43 games in two seasons for North Melbourne before being traded to Collingwood in 1984 where he spent three seasons. After 58 games with Collingwood, and bringing up his 100th VFL game, Abernathy returned to Port Adelaide in 1987 instead of continuing on with a VFL career. His club Best and Fairest win in 1987 and his key role in his second trifecta of Port Adelaide premierships from 1988 to 1990, including a Jack Oatey Medal winning performance in the 1988 Grand Final, ensured that recruiting scouts continued to entice him to return to the VFL. When the Adelaide Crows were formed in 1991, Abernathy was one of their first recruits. He finished his career with a seventh premiership with Port Adelaide in 1992.[3]

Health problems led to his early retirement after 190 games and 115 goals with Port Adelaide, 43 games and 21 goals with North Melbourne, 58 games and 16 goals with Collingwood and 11 games and two goals with Adelaide.

Post-football career

After his football career, Abernethy became a boundary rider for the Seven Network's AFL coverage in Adelaide. Abernathy then became the main sports presenter at Channel Seven in the early 1990s and presents the sports report on Seven News on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, and on weekends to maximise his coverage of weekend AFL. Abernathy also acted as a presenter during Seven's coverage of the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney.

He was inducted into the South Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2007.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2002). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (4th ed.). Melbourne, Victoria: Crown Content. p. 1. ISBN 1-74095-001-1.
  2. ↑ Abernethy%20(Port%20Adelaide,%20North%20Melbourne,%20Collingwood,%20Adelaide) Biography at Full Points Footy
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 SA Football Hall of Fame induction, 2007

External links

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