Stan Alves

Stan Alves
Personal information
Full nameNeil Stanley Alves
Date of birth22 May 1946
Original teamEdithvale-Aspendale
Height/Weight178 cm / 78 kg
Position(s)Wing
Playing career1
YearsClubGames (Goals)
1965–1976
1977–1979
Total		Melbourne
North Melbourne		226 (160)
40 (14)
266 (174)
Representative team honours
YearsTeamGames (Goals)
1968–1975Victoria4 (?)
Coaching career3
YearsClubGames (W–L–D)
1994–1998St Kilda110 (53–56–1)
1 Playing statistics correct to end of 1979 season.
2 State and international statistics correct as of 1975.
3 Coaching statistics correct as of 1998.
Career highlights
  • North Melbourne premiership side: 1977
  • Melbourne captain: 1973–1976
  • Brownlow Medal runner-up: 1975

Neil Stanley "Stan" Alves, OAM (born 22 May 1946) is a former Australian rules football player and coach.

Playing career

Alves played 226 games for the Melbourne Football Club in the 1970s, captaining them from 1973–1976 and finishing runner-up for the Brownlow Medal in 1975, before joining North Melbourne in 1977. Legend has it that he chose to play for North Melbourne rather than Collingwood based on a coin toss.[1] It proved to be a wise decision as North Melbourne met Collingwood in the 1977 Grand Final and, after initially playing a 76-all draw, won the replay 151–124.

Alves played 40 games for North Melbourne before retiring.

Post-playing career

Alves became coach of St Kilda in 1994. St Kilda won the 1996 pre-season competition.[2]

Alves went on to coach St Kilda to its second minor premiership and first Grand Final in 26 years in 1997, earning the AFL Coach of the Year award. Alves' coaching career at St Kilda concluded at the end of the 1998 season.

On 24 October 2000, Alves was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his contribution to Australian football.[3] On 26 January 2008, Alves was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for "service to Australian Rules football as a player, coach and commentator, and to the community as a supporter of charitable organisations".[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Sporting Life". The Age. 26 July 2002.
  2. ↑ "AFL 1996 Ansett Cup Grand Final – St Kilda v Carlton – St Kilda holds up the trophy after winning the 1996 Ansett Cup". Slattery Media Group. 1996-03-23. Retrieved 2009-11-07.
  3. ↑ "Stan Alves". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
  4. ↑ "Neil Stanley Alves OAM". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 31 December 2012.

External links