Australian Football

Shane Crawford spent his childhood in Finley, New South Wales and played his junior football with the Finley Football Club, before attending boarding school at the famous VFL/AFL breeding ground, Assumption College in Kilmore. He was selected by Hawthorn with the 13th pick in the 1991 AFL Draft. He made his debut in 1993, writer Matt Burgan noting he "has since become an all-time club great and remains the only link from Hawthorn's golden era through to today."

Crawford played 305 career AFL games, was a four-time All-Australian player and played in three International Rules series' for Australia. He became Captain of Hawthorn in 1999 and that season also won the AFL's top individual honour, the Brownlow Medal, along with the Leigh Matthews Trophy. He has won four Hawthorn Best & Fairest Awards (1998, 1999, 2002, 2003) and came second in the Brownlow in 2003, losing to the winner by one vote. He was also a member of Hawthorn's 2008 Premiership side. Crawford stepped down from the Hawthorn Captaincy after the 2004 season, in which he broke his arm and the Hawks finished second last on the AFL ladder. He regained some form in the 2005 season and was again one of the league's leading possession winners. He played his 300th game for Hawthorn against Brisbane in Round 19 in 2008 in Launceston when, after a slow start, Hawthorn eventually defeated the Lions by 69 points.

On 27 September 2008, Crawford won his first Premiership in his 305th AFL match, aged 34. He played more AFL games before receiving his first Premiership Medal than any other player. Crawford was offered another year with the Hawks, but he announced his retirement, wanting to go out on a high note. He ended his career after Hawthorn won the 2008 Grand Final, and is now remembered as one of the greatest midfielders in the modern era of AFL football.

Crawford is currently a television presenter on Channel Nine and a permanent panel member of the long running 'Footy Show'.