Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
Gary William Buckenara

Known as
Gary Buckenara

Born
3 July 1958 (age 65)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 23y 267d
Last game: 31y 347d

Height and weight
Height: 184 cm
Weight: 83 kg

Senior clubs
Subiaco; Hawthorn; Australia

Jumper numbers
Hawthorn: 11

Recruited from
Subiaco (1982)

Hall of fame
Western Australian Football Hall Of Fame (2004)

Gary Buckenara

Advanced stats
ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
SubiacoWAFL1979-1981611001.64—————
HawthornV/AFL1982-19901542931.9077%13.886.035.5327
AustraliaIR19862———————
Total1979-19902173931.81—————

AFL: 9,305th player to appear, 1,244th most games played, 204th most goals kickedHawthorn: 681st player to appear, 69th most games played, 13th most goals kicked

Exciting half forward whose aerial ability, ground play and accurate kicking have made him one of the best players in the VFL.¹

Gary Buckenara commenced his senior league career at Subiaco, where he played 61 games from 1979 to 1981, mainly in losing teams. Things were very different at Hawthorn, where he moved in 1982, and among Buckenara's 154 V/AFL games (for 293 goals) in nine seasons were appearances in the winning grand finals of 1983, 1986, 1988 and 1989. 

Strong overhead, and a magnificent kick, he was a big game player par excellence, well remembered in particular for his feat in kicking a long winning goal after the siren in the 1987 preliminary final against Melbourne. A regular state of origin representative for Western Australia, Buckenara was selected in three All Australian sides.

In 1992, Gary Buckenara was appointed coach of Sydney, but early the next season, with the Swans rooted to the bottom of the ladder, he was replaced by Ron Barassi. He spent the 1995 and 1996 seasons as coach of his original club, Subiaco.

When Hawthorn announced its official "Team of the Century" in 2003, Gary Buckenara was included on a half forward flank.

Author - John Devaney

Footnotes

1. “South Australia Bicentennial Football Budget”, 2-5 March 1988, page 24.

Sources

Full Points Footy's WA Football Companion, Crème de la Crème

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Footnotes

* Behinds calculated from the 1965 season on.
+ Score at the end of extra time.