Past Shannon Rusca (1999-2000)

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Pick 1 in the 1998 Rookie Draft

 

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Wikipedia

Early life:

Rusca began playing senior Australian Football with Southern Districts in the Northern Territory Football League.

AFL career:

He was listed on the rookie list by the Brisbane Lions in 2000 before being elevated during the season. During the 2000 AFL season he played two matches. Rusca was traded to the Western Bulldogs for selection 49 in the 2001 AFL Draft. He did not play a senior match for the Bulldogs.

Post AFL:

Rusca played for the Northern Territory Thunder in the Queensland AFL and Southern Districts in the NTFL. Rusca was a playing coach with Southern Districts during the 2008/2009 NTFL season.

Statistics:

AFL Tables
footywire
final siren

 

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Trade

The Western Bulldogs gain Shannon Rusca and Marcus Picken
from the Brisbane Lions for draft selection 49

The Brisbane Lions on-traded draft selection 49 (Josh Houlihan) along with Trent Knobel
to St Kilda for draft selection 45 (Nathan Clarke)

Bulldogs bio

A lightning fast wingman originally from Darwin via Brisbane, he will add much-needed pace and bite to the engine room. Starred for the Brisbane AFLQ side and finished fifth in the best and fairest. Took out the players' sprint on Grand Final day, showcasing his pace and acceleration, and will be a huge benefit to the midfield, though may also be used in attack.

 

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NT Thunder

#7 Shannon Rusca

Age: 30

Height: 184cm

Hometown: Darwin, NT

Recruited from: Southern Districts FC

Position: Half Back Flank / Wing

Favourite Food: Beef stew & rice

Thing you couldn't live without: Footy & family

AFL team you support: Brisbane Lions

What does it mean to you to play for the NT Thunder? It means a lot to me, I was a part of the first ever NT Thunder back in '97 and it's great that we have come so far.

 

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Link ....

Rusca's knee collapsed in June last year in the Thunder's high class clash with Morningside in Cairns, robbing them of their most experienced player.

The 29-year-old would have played more than his two senior games with Brisbane had he not been hampered with injury, and he has been a standout in the NTFL since the end of his AFL days.

Rusca's experience, calm demeanour, leadership and undoubted skills were sadly missed as the Thunder's finals hopes evaporated over the latter stages of 2009.

 

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Rusca's litmus test as a coach
GREY MORRIS
November 22nd, 2008

Southern Districts begin a new era under captain-coach Shannon Rusca, who officially takes over from premiership guru Michael McLean today.

 

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NT Thunder player guilty of pub fight assault
Myles Morgan
September 26, 2011 17:13:17

Northern Territory Thunder player Shannon Rusca has been convicted and fined $1000 for an aggravated assault outside a Palmerston pub.

The Darwin Magistrates Court saw security camera vision of him punching two men in February last year. Rusca was acquitted of those two charges was but convicted of assault for an incident that occurred later.

He said there was a fight but Rusca was provoked by all three men.
One of the men, Patrick Braund, said he had insulted Rusca as he was walking away from the pub. Rusca then punched him.

 

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[YOUTUBE]J7adWL3oJpU[/YOUTUBE]

 

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SDFC NT Thunder Stars another G/F win

The SDFC congradulates Shannon Rusca, Will Farrer, Dean Staunton & Cameron Roberts on a great season with the NT Thunder. Shannon, Will and Cameron played in last weeks NEAFL Northern Conference Premiership and whilst Cameron missed out through injury, Dean Staunton came into the side on Saturday Night in Alice Springs that won the NEAFL Cross Conference Grand Final. Well done guys.

 

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Link ....

Brisbane Lions' jumping jack Jared Brennan has a standing vertical leap of 90 centimetres. Off a two-step run-up, it's one metre.

Brennan's vertical leap is as good as anyone at the Lions in recent years. He is on a par with fellow Darwin product Shannon Rusca, who played two AFL games in 2000.

 

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Nichols Medal
Monday, March 26, 2007

Southern Districts Shannon Rusca took out the 2006/07 Nichols Medal for the best and fairest player in the NTFL competition. Rusca was always the favourite to win the 60th Nichols Medal and won with 21 votes from Palmerston's Nick Tomlinson with 15 votes and fellow Crocodile Ben AhMat with 12 votes.

Top vote getters for each club were:
Waratahs - Brad Rayson (12)
Southern Districts - Shannon Rusca (21)
Wanderers - Colin Karpany (11)
St Marys - Austin Wonaemirri (11)
Nightcliff - Warren Berto (6)
Palmerston - Nick Tomlinson (15)
Darwin - Kaelun Brown (10)

 

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RUSCA ENJOYING THE RIDE AS THE THUNDER ROLLS ON IN
By Terry Wilson
NEAFL Record Round 15

Rusca, now 30, has been a member of the Thunder playing roster since the club’s inception in 2009, but after undergoing a
knee reconstruction that year, was contemplating retirement.
It has been a long pathway for Rusca, who hit the AFL scene when selected by Brisbane in the 1998 rookie draft.

He will never forget his first experience of AFL. He arrived from Darwin as a fresh-faced 18-year-old from the Top End – and ran straight into Leigh Matthews.
“That was pretty daunting,” said Rusca of the champion coach.
“He was a very intense man and I quickly learnt that you play it by the book or you’re out.
“Yet he was very smart – the best coach going around.”

So Rusca was finally on the big stage, although continuing soft-tissue injuries haunted him through his seasons with firstly Brisbane then the Western Bulldogs. He managed only two AFL games in that time, yet does not harbour any regrets. At least he was on football’s centre stage. Many others never made it that far.