Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
Mark Alan Bickley

Known as
Mark Bickley

Born
4 August 1969 (age 54)

Place of birth
Port Pirie, SA (5540)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 21y 252d
Last game: 34y 39d

Height and weight
Height: 178 cm
Weight: 82 kg

Senior clubs
South Adelaide; Adelaide; Australia

Jumper numbers
Adelaide: 26

Recruited from
South Adelaide (1991)

State of origin
SA

Hall of fame
Australian Football Hall of Fame (2009); South Australian Football Hall Of Fame (2007)

Mark Bickley

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
South AdelaideSANFL1989-199153430.81
AdelaideAFL1991-2003272770.2851%11.638.513.2632
AustraliaIR2002-2003300.00
Total1989-20033281200.37

AFL: 10,216th player to appear, 172nd most games played, 1,421st most goals kickedAdelaide: 27th player to appear, 7th most games played, 35th most goals kicked

Became the first VFL/AFL player in 42 years to lead his team to successive premierships in his first two years as captain - since Noel McMahon of Melbourne in 1955-6. All rounder/onballer who is never beaten...¹

Adelaide's dual (and to date only) premiership captain Mark Bickley began his football life with Port Pirie club Solomontown before progressing to South Adelaide, where he played 53 SANFL games in 1989 and 1990. In 1991, while still appearing intermittently for South, he made his AFL debut with Adelaide, impressing observers with his courage, strong tackling and excellent team sense. Chunky and compact in build at 178cm and 82kg, Bickley was never the most polished or overtly eye-catching of performers, but he always provided 100% commitment. 

Appointed Crows captain in 1997, he had the good fortune to lead his side to a flag in his first season in the role, courtesy of a rousing grand final win over St Kilda. The following year saw him repeat the accomplishment as North Melbourne was humbled. Bickley, who played much of his football across half back, but who could also function effectively on the ball, carried on as skipper of the Crows until the end of the 2000 season, when he was replaced by Mark Ricciuto. He retired in 2003 after a then club record 272 AFL games in 13 seasons.²

Author - John Devaney

Footnotes

1. 1999 Select AFL card number 3.
2. This total has since been eclipsed by six players, with the record now held by Andrew McLeod (340 games).

Sources

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

Footnotes

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