Andrew McLeod

Infobox afl player NEW
playername = Andrew McLeod
fullname = Andrew Luke Mcleod




image capt = Andrew McLeod representing the Dream Team
birthdate = birth date and age|1976|8|4|df=y
birthplace = Darwin, Australia
originalteam = Port Adelaide (SANFL)
heightweight = 181cm / 80 kg
position = Defender/Forward
currentclub = Adelaide
guernsey = 23
dead = alive
deathdate =
deathplace =
years = 1993 –
clubs = Adelaide
games(goals) = 304 (256)
coach = notcoach
coachingteams =
sooyears = 2008
sooteams = Dream Team
soogames(goals) = 1 (0)
nationalyears =
nationalteams =
nationalgames(goals) =
statsend = 2008
careerhighlights =

*Port Adelaide premiership side (SANFL) 1994
*Adelaide premiership side 1997, 1998
*Norm Smith Medal 1997, 1998
*Adelaide Best and Fairest 1997, 2001, 2007
*All-Australian 1998, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2007 (captain)
*Leigh Matthews Trophy 2001
*Brownlow Medal Runner Up 2001
*Wizard Home Loans Cup 2003
*Michael Tuck Medal 2003
*Indigenous Team of the Century
*International Rules Series 2005 (captain) (Jim Stynes Medal)
*Polly Farmer Medal 2007
*Dream Team captain 2008

Andrew Luke McLeod (born 4 August 1976) is an Australian rules football player in the Australian Football League of Aboriginal descent, and is number 23 of the Adelaide Football Club. One of the game's elite players, his blistering pace and smooth skills have made him one of the most damaging players in the league.

Career

Early years

Moving from Darwin in the Northern Territory to Adelaide in South Australia, McLeod started his career at the Darwin Football Club, before playing in the SANFL in 1994, playing for the Port Adelaide Football Club where he became known as an exciting young forward with electrifying pace. McLeod capped off a solid debut year for the Magpies with a Premiership medallion, bagging two goals in Port's 37-point win over Woodville-West Torrens in the 1994 SANFL Grand Final.

In the 1994 offseason period McLeod was recruited by the newly established Fremantle Football Club as part of their inaugural squad. However, Fremantle would later agree to exchange McLeod to the Adelaide Crows for promising forward Chris Groom in what many now consider to be one of the most lopsided trades in Australian rules football history.

In an interview with Australian men's magazine "Alpha" ["Alpha" magazine, September 2005] in September 2005, McLeod would later reveal that he refused to play for Fremantle after feeling insulted and belittled by Fremantle coach Gerard Neesham who had not actually seen him play before.

1995

In his first year with the Adelaide Crows, McLeod began his AFL career quietly, appearing tentative and nervous during pre-season games. However, in a round 9 match against Hawthorn at Football Park, a confident McLeod began to emerge.

In the dying seconds of the game with Adelaide trailing by 4 points, McLeod raced into an open forward line while being hotly pursued by Hawk Ray Jencke. Swooping onto the loose ball, he calmly laid it on his foot under pressure, dribbling it through for a miraculous goal from a tight angle at the Northern End of the ground to give his side a remarkable 2-point victory after they had trailed by 34 points at half-time. The Crows were able to avenge their worst ever home loss in history the year before (Round 9 1994 by 97 points to Hawthorn).

McLeod would later be named as an AFL rising star nominee late in the 1995 season after a string of consistent performances in a struggling Adelaide side which only managed a 9-13 record.

1997

After two tumultuous years under Robert Shaw, legendary footballer Malcolm Blight took over as coach of Adelaide. The Crows would begin the season slowly as they adjusted to Blight's long-kicking and direct style of football before claiming a finals berth for the first time since 1993.

In the preliminary final against the Western Bulldogs, McLeod, who had been playing primarily as a forward or half-back flanker was placed into the midfield in the second half by Blight in an effort to spark the Crows side who trailed by 31 points at half-time. It would be the first time in McLeod's career that he would play in the middle and in a thrilling contest, McLeod and the Crows would win the match by 2 points to reach the Grand Final for the first time in the club's history.

In the Grand Final against St. Kilda, McLeod would take his first significant step in his journey towards joining the game's elite. Accumulating 31 disposals, he was judged best on ground against the Saints, winning the prestigious Norm Smith Medal while helping his team win the AFL premiership. This was followed shortly thereafter with a gold jacket when he was named as the Crows best and fairest for the 1997 season.

1998

Having caught the eye of football followers with his magical feats in the 1997 finals, McLeod would continue to dazzle crowds with his pace and agility in 1998 before being named All-Australian for the season.

In a preliminary final rematch against the Bulldogs, McLeod would kick a career-high 7 goals while being opposed to Tony Liberatore who was reputed to be the most ferocious tagger in the game at the time. In the following game, against Grand Final favourites, the Kangaroos, the Crows would win by 35 points with McLeod emulating his feats a year earlier. Gathering 30 disposals and winning back-to-back Norm Smith Medals, McLeod became the first player to win two Norm Smith Medals since Gary Ayres in 1986 and 1988.

2001

McLeod had perhaps the finest season of his career in 2001, controversially being named runner-up in the Brownlow Medal Count. Having been made a permanent fixture in the Crows midfield by coach Gary Ayres, McLeod averaged a career-best 24.7 disposals [cite news|url=http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pc-adelaide-crows--andrew-mcleod |publisher=FootyWire|title=Andrew McLeod career statistics] . He would win the Leigh Matthews Trophy to be recognised as the Most Valuable Player in the league as voted by his peers in the AFL Players Association as well as his second best and fairest award from the club.

McLeod, however, would be denied the AFL's greatest individual honour in the 2001 Brownlow Medal. Trailing by two votes in the last round to Jason Akermanis of the Brisbane Lions, many believed he would receive votes after amassing a best-afield 37 disposals against Fremantle in the final round. Instead, the umpires decided not to award McLeod with any votes for the game leaving him stunned as he looked on while the medal was presented to the flamboyant Akermanis.

Adding further fuel to the fire, the short highlight package that summarized the best players in each round of football specifically stated that McLeod was named best-on-ground for that particular match. To this day it is considered by the majority of the South Australian football public to be one of the worst Brownlow voting decisions ever made; many remain adamant that the medal went home with the wrong player that night.

2002 to 2004

Having established himself as one of the league's premier players in 2001, McLeod had to contend with increasing attention and pressure from opposition players over the following seasons. Combined with various personal off-field problems, McLeod grew increasingly frustrated and struggled to recapture his best form. However, he was still able to provide sporadic bursts of brilliance, as seen when he was awarded the 2003 Michael Tuck Medal for being best on ground in a pre-season Grand Final win against the Collingwood Magpies.

2005

In 2005, under coach Neil Craig, McLeod made a return to the half-back line to provide his side with run and drive from defense using his sublime skills. In round 2 against Collingwood and the scores tied late in the game and the Crows desperately needing a win, McLeod kicked an unbelievable left-foot goal from the boundary line from about 35m out to seal the deal. This win would be the Crows' first in 6 years vs the Pies and spur Adelaide to a minor premiership by the end (top spot after 22 rounds) of the season. McLeod polled 11 votes in the 2005 Brownlow Medal.

In October, McLeod was named co-captain of the Australian International rules football team against Ireland. In what became a somewhat spiteful match, Australia would win comfortably while McLeod was named best player and awarded the Jim Stynes Medal.

2006

After a year under Neil Craig's system, McLeod would return to some of his best form. Teaming with the younger Graham Johncock at half-back, the duo would be part of a stingy Adelaide defense, regularly streaming from the back lines, evading opponents and delivering the ball with precision to teammates up the ground. His form would eventually lead to his 4th All-Australian selection.

Against the Essendon Football Club in round 10, McLeod played his 250th game at AAMI Stadium where he tallied 18 disposals while soaring for a spectacular mark in a 138-point demolition of the Bombers.

For much of the season, however, McLeod played with a painful bursa in his left foot. After round 16, the decision was made for him to undergo surgery to remove the bursa, an operation expected to keep him out for a few weeks.

McLeod made a relatively earlier than expected return to the side in round 19. However, by round 21, after a disappointing loss to Port Adelaide, his foot was heavily infected and the club announced that he would require further surgery along with the disappointing news that he would more than likely miss the rest of the season and Finals. [cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/200608/s1726336.htm |publisher=ABC Sport|title=McLeod sidelined with foot infection]

Despite rating himself just a "two out of ten" chance to return for the finals [cite news|url=http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=297399 |publisher=AFL.com.au|title=McLeod almost out of time] , McLeod made a surprise return to the side in the preliminary final against the West Coast Eagles. After a promising first half, however, McLeod and the Crows were swamped by the West Coast midfield in the second half to eventually lose by ten points. McLeod kicked a superb boundary line goal from the southwest pocket which bought the crowd to its feet but it couldn't give Adelaide the momentum back. McLeod polled 7 votes in the 2006 Brownlow Medal.

2007

Prior to the start of the AFL 2007 season, McLeod won the Polly Farmer Medal after being the best for the Indigenous All-Stars in a 50-point loss to Essendon. McLeod, the side's captain, kicked two goals to be his team's leading goalkicker.

McLeod played most of 2007 again as a half-back flanker, sweeping up loose balls and creating his trademark run out of defense with his smooth skills. McLeod, however, was well held in his final game of the season, finishing with just 12 disposals after being heavily tagged by Hawthorn's Richard Vandenberg in Adelaide's elimination final loss to the Hawks.

Nevertheless, McLeod had a fine season. His average of 23.9 disposals was his highest since finishing runner-up for the Brownlow Medal in 2001. This was duely acknowledged when he was announced as a 2007 All-Australian on the half-back flank as well as captain of the 2007 All-Australian team. [cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/09/18/2035897.htm |publisher=ABC News|title=McLeod chosen as All Australian skipper] McLeod polled 15 votes in the 2007 Brownlow Medal and won the club's Best and Fairest award.

2008

Four weeks after returning from a stint on the sidelines due to knee surgery, McLeod celebrated his 300-game milestone with a 63-point victory over Richmond in round 19.

Personal life and controversies

Despite separating for a short while in 2004, Andrew is still currently married to Rachael. Rachael was rumored to be responsible for an alleged feud between the McLeod's and Tyson Edwards and Tyson's wife, Mandy. He is the father of 2 kids, with a third due soon.

McLeod was also apparently involved in a feud with long-time best friend and No. 1 Crows ticketholder Lleyton Hewitt, who is understood to be good friends with the Edwards. McLeod was reported (in Australian newspapers) to refuse footage of a sacred Aboriginal site to be used on a DVD of Hewitt's. [cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/tennis/hewitt--love-or-hate-him/2006/01/15/1137259943496.html |publisher=The Age|title=Hewitt - love him or hate him] Things have settled down since.

External links

*Adelplayer|ref=13962
*AflRleague|ref=A/Andrew_McLeod.html

References