Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
Gregory Anderson

Known as
Greg Anderson

Born
14 May 1966 (age 57)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 21y 324d
Last game: 30y 75d

Height and weight
Height: 188 cm
Weight: 92 kg

Senior clubs
Port Adelaide; Australia; Essendon; Adelaide

Jumper numbers
Essendon: 11
Adelaide: 1

Recruited from
Port Adelaide (1988); Essendon (1993)

State of origin
SA

Greg Anderson

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
Port AdelaideSANFL1983-1987, 1995-1996150870.58
AustraliaIR19863
EssendonV/AFL1988-1992103600.5865%16.364.704.3535
AdelaideAFL1993-199659190.3246%13.196.413.2417
SANFL1983-1987, 1995-1996150870.58
IR19863
V/AFL1988-1996162790.4958%15.205.323.9452
Total1983-19963151660.53

AFL: 9,899th player to appear, 1,101st most games played, 1,380th most goals kickedEssendon: 937th player to appear, 167th most games played, 147th most goals kickedAdelaide: 48th player to appear, 92nd most games played, 114th most goals kicked

Devastating wingman or centreman whose pace and penetrating kicks always keep opposition defences in trouble.¹

Port Adelaide recruited Greg Anderson from St Michaels, and he made his league debut as a seventeen year old in 1983. The following year he was among the Magpies' best players in a nine-point grand final loss to Norwood. Tall, quick, and a sure ball handler, Anderson was a superb kick, especially with his favoured left foot, and his aerial skills were first rate. He played the majority of his football as a wingman, but at 188cm and 92kg he was physically well suited to hold down a key position, which he did to good effect on a number of occasions. The highlight of his initial time with Port came in 1986 when he was a popular winner of the Magarey Medal. He was also chosen as an All Australian after representing South Australia in 1987.

In 1988, after 121 games for the Magpies, he crossed to Essendon, where he quickly established himself as one of the foremost wingmen in the VFL. In 1990 he won a number of media awards to which he was warmly favoured to add the Brownlow Medal, but he polled just 13 votes, five adrift of the winner, Footscray's Tony Liberatore. He experienced further disappointment in that year's Grand Final which the Bombers lost resoundingly to Collingwood.

In 1993, after 103 games and 60 goals for Essendon, Anderson returned home to South Australia, and joined Adelaide. After an outstanding first season, however, during which he earned AFL All Australian selection, his form began to deteriorate, and he managed just 59 games (and 19 goals) in four seasons. In both 1995 and 1996 he spent a fair amount of time back at Port Adelaide, and was a member of that club's grand final victories over Central District in both years.

The 2000 season saw Anderson appointed non-playing coach of South Adelaide, but his four season stint at the helm was unsuccessful.

Author - John Devaney

Footnotes

1. South Australian Bicentennial Football Budget”, 2-5 March 1988, page 16.

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.