Australian Football

Originally from Shepparton United, Shaun Hart was taken by Brisbane as the number 33 selection in the 1989 National Draft, and he made his AFL debut the following year. Extremely gutsy and tenacious, he played most of his early football as a tagger, but as his career progressed, and his confidence improved, he began to assume a more creative role in the team. When the Lions began to emerge as a genuine premiership threat in the late 1990s, Shaun Hart was a key factor in their improvement.

Hart enjoyed a stellar 2001 season culminating in a best-on-ground performance - and a Norm Smith Medal - in the Grand Final win over Essendon. He was also among his side's best players in the 2002 and 2003 premiership victories. He retired at the end of the 2004 season after playing a total of 273 AFL games and kicking 177 goals, most with a left foot that was among the most reliably accurate in the game.

Author - John Devaney