Australian Football

AustralianFootball.com Celebrating the history of the great Australian game

 

Key Facts

Full name
Gilbert Arthur McAdam

Known as
Gilbert McAdam

Born
30 March 1967 (age 57)

Place of birth
Alice Springs, NT (0870)

Ethnicity
Indigenous Australian

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 23y 358d
Last game: 29y 175d

Height and weight
Height: 180 cm
Weight: 76 kg

Senior clubs
Claremont; Central District; St. Kilda; Brisbane

Jumper numbers
St. Kilda: 5
Brisbane: 2

Recruited from
Claremont (1988); Central District (1991); St. Kilda (1994); Brisbane (1998)

State of origin
NT

Family links
Greg McAdam (Brother)Adrian McAdam (Brother)Shane McAdam (Nephew)

Gilbert McAdam

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
ClaremontWAFL1986351.67
Central DistrictSANFL1988-1990, 199886921.07
St. KildaAFL1991-199353480.9157%11.758.404.045
BrisbaneAFL1994-199658410.7152%8.846.313.0216
WAFL1986351.67
SANFL1988-1990, 199886921.07
AFL1991-1996111890.8054%10.237.313.5021
Total1986, 1988-1996, 19982001860.93

AFL: 10,182nd player to appear, 2,133rd most games played, 1,227th most goals kickedSt. Kilda: 1,372nd player to appear, 297th most games played, 142nd most goals kickedBrisbane: 122nd player to appear, 104th most games played, 74th most goals kicked

Hailing from the South Alice Springs Football Club, Gilbert McAdam was recruited by Central District in 1988, having previously spent a brief period with Claremont a couple of years earlier, and having also spent a time with Waratahs. In 1986, he was one of the NTFL representative side best players in its 15.19 (109) to 14.6 (90) Australia Day win over Essendon at Gardens Oval.

Possessing the gait of a champion trotter, and the elusiveness of a roebuck, McAdam was following in the footsteps of his older brother Greg, who had been a star performer for North Adelaide, and who would join Gilbert at Elizabeth Oval in 1989. While with Centrals, Gilbert McAdam formed one quarter of the awesome foursome a quartet of highly talented Aboriginal footballers which also included Phil Graham, Eddie Hocking and Derek Kickett. In three seasons with the Bulldogs, Gilbert McAdam played 73 games, winning both the club best and fairest award and the Magarey Medal in 1989. In 1988/89 and 1989/90, he played once again for Waratahs in the NTFL.

Moving to St Kilda in 1991, McAdam provided frequent evidence of his talent in 53 games over the ensuing three seasons. He ventured north to Brisbane in 1994, and gave good service for the remainder of an AFL career which came to an end in 1996 after a total of 111 games. He returned to Central District for one final season in 1998.

Despite a nagging feeling that he could have achieved more, Gilbert McAdam gave sterling service to three league clubs, and considerable delight to the hordes of supporters who follow the fortunes of each of them.

Author - John Devaney

Sources

Full Points Footy's SA Football Companion

Footnotes

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