Mark 'Rubbers' Mickan (1987 - 1990)

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1 of 6 pre-selections in the 1986 VFL draft (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1986_VFL_Draft).

http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/6583/mickan4.jpg

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Record (http://www.sanfl.com.au/hall_of_fame/mark_j_mickan/)

PLAYING RECORD:
• 139 games and 38 goals for West Adelaide 1981 - 1996
• 85 AFL games and 38 goals - Brisbane 48 games and Adelaide 37 games
• Captain of West Adelaide 1986
• Captain of Brisbane 1987, 1988, 1989

GAMES FOR SOUTH AUSTRALIA: 5

ACHIEVEMENTS:
• Best and fairest West Adelaide 1983, 1985, 1986, 1993
• Fos Willaims Medallist 1988
• All Australian 1988
• Best and fairest Adelaide 1991

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Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Mickan)

Mark "Rubbers" Mickan is a former Australian rules footballer who has the unusual history of being on the inaugural player list for two VFL/AFL clubs - Brisbane Bears and Adelaide Crows. Recruited from West Adelaide in 1986 to play for the new VFL license in Queensland, the Brisbane Bears. Mickan's qualities as a leader and player were instantly recognised with his new club where he was appointed the inaugural captain. This is especially noteworthy given the team included immediate past captain of Collingwood, Mark "Chocco" Williams, who was appointed as Mickan's vice-captain. While the newly formed side suffered many crises during its early years, Mickan's skills were recognsied and he was named in the All-Australian Team in 1988.

Career statistics (http://stats.rleague.com/afl/stats/players/M/Mark_Mickan.html)

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Fullpointsfooty (http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/m.htm#Mark%20Mickan%20%28West%20Adelaide,%20Brisbane,%20Adel aide%29)

Ruckman Mark Mickan joined West Adelaide from Renmark and made his SANFL debut in 1981. He was a powerful, authoritative figure who won Bloods best and fairest awards in 1983, 1985 and 1986. In 1983 he suffered a major disappointment when a torn posterior ligament in his right knee, sustained during the last minor round game of the season, forced him to miss a finals series that culminated in West's first premiership in twenty-two years. Mickan was appointed West Adelaide skipper in 1986, but after only a year in the role he transferred to fledgling VFL club Brisbane, which ended up selecting him as its inaugural captain. He captained the Bears for three seasons, and ended up playing a total of 48 games for the club between 1987 and 1990.

http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/2690/mickan1.jpg

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Inaugural captain (http://www.bigpondsport.com/by-the-numbers-inaugural-afl-captains/tabid/91/newsid/66339/default.aspx)

Brisbane Bears (1987)Recruited from West Adelaide in the SANFL, Mark Mickan beat former Collingwood skipper Mark Williams for the job. The 26-year-old would play 48 games for the Bears over three seasons, and then head home to join the Crows, where he won their inaugural best and fairest award. Mickan played just 37 games for the Crows for a career total of 85. He wore No.1 for the Bears and 25 for the Crows.



Mark Williams (http://www.carltonfc.com.au/tabid/4311/default.aspx?newsid=59566)


"It didn’t help either that the people put in place to run the club, both on and off the field, had little or no experience in AFL football or in the particular position they were given. Peter Knights was a fantastic ambassador for the club and a great player, but I’m not even sure if he had coached before. Just like Mark Mickan, who was a wonderful player and person, but had never played a game of AFL prior to coming to Brisbane. Straight away there were two people on the match committee, who had had no experience at AFL level in the new roles they were given."

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Historic first game (http://www.lions.com.au/Default.aspx?tabid=5183)

B: Peter Banfield Mark Roberts Dale Dickson
HB: Cameron O'Brien Steve Reynoldson (dvc) Matthew Campbell
C: David O'Keeffe Geoff Raines Phillip Walsh
HF: Brenton Phillips Mick McCarthy John Fidge
F: Neil Hein Jim Edmond Mike Richardson
Rucks: Mark Mickan (c) Mark Williams (vc) Bernie Harris
I/C: Brad Hardie Chris Waterson
Emerg: Rick Norman
Coach: Peter Knights

It was an unforgettable post-match scene as 20 players and a largely inexperienced coaching staff, administration and support staff clutched pieces of paper carrying the words to the new club song.

Best players (http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/first_up_win_for_bears.htm)

Williams, Mickan, Phillips, Walsh, Harris, Campbell, Raines

http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/8163/mickan2.jpg

Mark Williams (http://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/6038/newsid/110549/default.aspx)

"It took a long time to get the whole list together and everyone gelling together," Williams, who later coached Port Adelaide to the 2004 premiership, remembers.

"Then all of a sudden the first game came around and we were playing North Melbourne in Melbourne under lights.

"It was going to be a big game. I remember Mark Mickan getting the first tap, then I got the first possession, first clearance and first kick.

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Mickan joins Adelaide (http://www.afc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/4417/newsid/105934/default.aspx)

December 5 1990: Former Brisbane Bears captain Mark Mickan joined Adelaide’s pre-season program for the first time. The Crows were still to broker a deal with the Bears but Mickan had already told the Club of his intentions.

The former West Adelaide and South Australian ruckman joined the Bears in their first year in the VFL (1987) and captained the club in its first three seasons. He played 48 games but only appeared twice at league level in 1990.

http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/4742/mickanadelaide.jpg

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Blast from the past (http://www.lions.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/5085/newsid/111526/default.aspx)
10:52 AM Thu 14 Apr, 2011

What are your memories from the very early Bears days?

I remember it being a really exciting time. All the players gathered in Brisbane in very early January 1987 and many of us had only met once before at a scheduled training session in Melbourne probably a month or so earlier. Everything was new - it was definitely a feeling of new beginnings.

I always think it was a really great achievement for us to win six games in our first year, given the circumstances. There was a lot of debate surrounding where we would play, where our home ground would be and where we would train. We trained at about 12 different venues in the first six months we were there, so it was a fairly unsettling time.

I thought the win we had in our first game over North Melbourne at the MCG will go down as one of the greatest achievements I’ve been involved in during my time in football. The following week we fronted up against Geelong at Kardinia Park and we beat them as well. Two away wins in the first two games was an outstanding achievement.

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/203/markmickannow.jpg