Vale Neil Kerley

[Ford Fairlane]

One of the giants of local footy, premiership player and coach at West Adelaide, South Adelaide and Glenelg, Neil Kerley died this afternoon in a car accident.

Australian Football - Neil Kerley - Player Bio

Neil Kerley, the man and the legend

South Australia's answer to Ted Whitten deserves to be elevated to his true status: 'legend'.

www.theage.com.au

 

[Ford Fairlane]

 

[Ford Fairlane]

 

[Burningleviathan]

A legend of SA footy. How he made it to 88 considering the punishment he put his body through is a minor miracle.

 

[Grave Danger]

He started his coaching career at a young age, with this link to my old home town:


In 1953 Kerley headed north again and worked as a truck driver at a tent camp near the rocket testing range at Koolymilka, close to Woomera. Although just 19 years old he was appointed Captain-Coach of the local scratch side. He won the association's Mail Medal and led the team to the premiership.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

I was at the MCG for this state of origin game in 1995, This image of Kerls and Teddy Whitten and Teddy doing the lap of honour with Ted Jnr has stuck in my memory banks for 27 years.