Super Goalie
18 May 2007, 19:03
ANDREW McLeod tonight becomes an AFL life member.
The league says it is an "automatic" honour, by weight of the Adelaide premiership half-back playing - against Richmond at AAMI Stadium tonight - his 300th officially endorsed game.
By weight of what McLeod - a winner of every AFL award bar the Brownlow Medal - has done in his 299 games, he merits AFL life membership.
The 300 - a milestone McLeod has passed off with little fuss because he does not consider it quite the real thing - has McLeod's 267 premiership games with Adelaide since 1995 boosted with 25 pre-season Cup games, a State-of-Origin match with the Allies and six against Ireland in the International Rules series.
Quite impressive for an SANFL premiership player inaugural Fremantle coach Gerard Neesham passed up after asking McLeod: "And what makes you think you are good enough to play for us?"
More than a decade later that question seems farcical.
McLeod's "real 300" is due next season. Most important to McLeod is it will all be played with Adelaide, a long-held dream that was almost lost late last year.
First, the 30-year-old Darwinite struggled to seal a new contract with the Crows. Then he questioned his place at West Lakes as the off-field issues with team-mate Tyson Edwards became too public.
Adelaide chairman Bill Sanders recalls how last year he stood with McLeod in his study admiring his collection of photographs and asked: "Do you want the last photographs to be in a Carlton or Fremantle jumper?"
More than being an AFL life member, McLeod tonight appreciates he will be an Adelaide player for life
Champion.
Congratulations Andrew McLeod :thumbsu: :thumbsu:
The league says it is an "automatic" honour, by weight of the Adelaide premiership half-back playing - against Richmond at AAMI Stadium tonight - his 300th officially endorsed game.
By weight of what McLeod - a winner of every AFL award bar the Brownlow Medal - has done in his 299 games, he merits AFL life membership.
The 300 - a milestone McLeod has passed off with little fuss because he does not consider it quite the real thing - has McLeod's 267 premiership games with Adelaide since 1995 boosted with 25 pre-season Cup games, a State-of-Origin match with the Allies and six against Ireland in the International Rules series.
Quite impressive for an SANFL premiership player inaugural Fremantle coach Gerard Neesham passed up after asking McLeod: "And what makes you think you are good enough to play for us?"
More than a decade later that question seems farcical.
McLeod's "real 300" is due next season. Most important to McLeod is it will all be played with Adelaide, a long-held dream that was almost lost late last year.
First, the 30-year-old Darwinite struggled to seal a new contract with the Crows. Then he questioned his place at West Lakes as the off-field issues with team-mate Tyson Edwards became too public.
Adelaide chairman Bill Sanders recalls how last year he stood with McLeod in his study admiring his collection of photographs and asked: "Do you want the last photographs to be in a Carlton or Fremantle jumper?"
More than being an AFL life member, McLeod tonight appreciates he will be an Adelaide player for life
Champion.
Congratulations Andrew McLeod :thumbsu: :thumbsu: