Robert Shirley (footballer)
| Rob Shirley | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Robert Shirley | ||
| Date of birth | 9 June 1980 | ||
| Place of birth | Adelaide,Australia | ||
| Original team(s) | Woodville-West Torrens(SANFL) | ||
| Draft |
67th overall,1999 Adelaide | ||
| Height | 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Weight | 85 kg (187 lb) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfield, tagger | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 2000–2009 | Adelaide | 150 (28) | |
|
1Playing statistics correct to the end of 2009. | |||
| Sources:AFL Tables,AustralianFootball | |||
Robert Shirley(born 9 June 1980) is anAustralian rules footballerwho played for theAdelaide Football Clubin theAustralian Football League(AFL). He also played for theWoodville-West Torrens Football Clubin theSouth Australian National Football League(SANFL). Shirley was known as one of the best taggers in the AFL.
AFL career
[edit]Originally drafted fromWoodville-West Torrenswith pick 67 in the1999 AFL Draft,Shirley played 21 games in his first three seasons at the highest level before being delisted at the end of the2002 AFL season.Despite rumoured interest fromCarlton,Shirley was immediately redrafted by the Crows with pick 53 in the2002 AFL Draftand placed on the club's rookie list.
Shirley won a shock recall in round 12 ofthe next seasonafterSimon Goodwinbroke his wrist, and he did well enough to play every game for the remainder of the season. This included a noteworthy shutdown of futureBrownlow MedallistChris Juddin the Crows' Elimination Final victory over theWest Coast Eagles.[1][2]"It's funny how the game turns around pretty quickly," Shirley noted after the game. "A few months ago I wasn't really close to getting a game. In the second half of the season I've been lucky enough to stay in the side. It's week-by-week for me and I don't take it any further than that."[3]
Shirley was reminded of the fickleness of form when he was dropped after the Crows' abysmal first-up loss to theKangaroosin round 1, 2004.[4]He was recalled in round 9, however, and played every game for the remainder of the season.
The2005 AFL seasonproved a watershed year for Shirley as he became the club's primary tagger following the decision byTyson Stengleinto return home to Perth at the end of 2004. Beginning with another personal victory overJuddin round 1 Shirley went from strength to strength, missing only one game in the team's unexpected rise to theMinor Premiershipand subsequent exit at the Preliminary Final stage.[5]His good form was acknowledged with the Coaches' Award at the club's Club Champion Award ceremony.[6]
In2006Shirley began to develop his ballwinning skills, averaging 16 disposals per game and leading the club in Hard Ball Gets with 75 for the year. He also continued to be a reliable tagger for the club, finishing third in the club's tackle count with 85.[7]
By2007Shirley had added another dimension to his game, registering eight 20-plus disposal games including a career high 30 touches against theBrisbane Lionsin Round 21.[8]He still remained one of the club's most prolific tacklers, achieving a personal best of 10 tackles in Adelaide's Elimination Final loss toHawthorn Football Club.[9]and placing third in the club's tackle count. At the conclusion of Round 5 Shirley won theAFL Army Awardfor the most courageous act of that week's matches, for his last-ditch spoil going back with the flight of the ball deep into the last quarter of the Crows' 1-point loss toFremantle.[10][11]At season's end Shirley's hard work was acknowledged with his second AFC Coach's Award.[12]
From Shirley's recall to the side in 2004 to the last game of the2008 AFL season,he missed only five games, four of which were through injury. However, in2009,a new-look Adelaide outfit had no place for Shirley. Dropped for the first few games of the season, Shirley did return in round 11 but could not hold his place on a consistent basis and was in and out of the side, as quicker and more attacking players such asMichael DoughtyandNathan van Berlowere favoured in negating roles. Shirley was the highest profile player of five delisted by the club at the end of the season.
TheGold Coast Sunswere considering selecting Shirley, but the 29-year-old midfielder decided to accept a lucrative contract from theAinslie Football Club,rather than play with the Gold Coast.[citation needed]
Shirley returned to theWoodville-West Torrens Football Clubfor the2012 SANFL season.[citation needed]
References
[edit]- Notes
- ^Place, M. 'Unsung hero Shirley shuts down Judd',Sunday Times(Perth), 7 September 2003
- ^Rucci, M. 'Adelaide's tenacious tagger proves himself with daunting duel: Comeback kid called Shirley',The Advertiser,11 September 2003
- ^Rucci, 'Comeback kid called Shirley', 11 September 2003
- ^Stevens, M. 'Knives Drawn',Herald Sun,2 April 2004
- ^Earle, R. 'Shirley Effort To No Avail',The Advertiser,28 March 2005
- ^Anonymous,'The Honours List',The Age,3 October 2005
- ^Lovett, M. (ed.)AFL Record Guide To Season 2007,AFL Publishing, Melbourne, 2006, p. 38.ISBN978-0-9758362-7-9
- ^'Adelaide vs. Brisbane Lions, Round 21 2007'
- ^'Hawthorn vs. Adelaide, Elimination Final 2007'
- ^'Shirley's Courage Rewarded',Official Website of the AFL, 9 May 2007, Retrieved 20 June 2007
- ^Link to video stream of Shirley's spoilArchived28 September 2009 at theWayback Machine
- ^Burtenshaw, D. (ed.),Adelaide Football Club 2007 Year Book,Custom Integrated Print Services, Brompton, 2007, p. 16
External links
[edit]- Robert Shirley's playing statisticsfrom AFL Tables
- Robert Shirley's profile