Australian Football

Recruited locally, Danny Hughes made his league debut for Port Adelaide in 1981 while still eight months shy of his 18th birthday. He was in a back pocket, and a conspicuous performer, as the Magpies trounced Glenelg in that year's Grand Final. In 1984, after 71 SANFL games, he transferred to Melbourne, where he overcame a tentative start to develop into one of the best full backs in the VFL. Powerfully built at 189 cm and 90 kg, he was not afraid to use his body, and combined prodigious overhead strength with solid ground skills and a thumping kick. He won the Demons' best and fairest award in his second season, and was still playing good football in 1990, his final season with the club, when he brought his tally of V/AFL games to 124. 

The following season saw Hughes return home to South Australia and line up with Adelaide in that club's inaugural AFL season. However, he managed just 11 games, spending the other half of the season back with Port Adelaide in the SANFL, and at the end of the year he opted to bring down the curtain on his AFL career. He continued in the SANFL with Port for another three years, taking his final tally of SANFL games to 130, and was a member of the club's 1992 premiership team. Hughes made seven interstate appearances for South Australia, and was an All Australian in 1988.

Author - John Devaney