Adam Houlihan
Encyclopedia
Adam L. Houlihan is a former Australian rules football
er for the Geelong Football Club
and the Richmond Football Club
in the Australian Football League
(AFL). He is one of four brothers who were all drafted to AFL clubs, alongside Damian
, Ryan
and Josh, from Wahgunyah on the Murray River, in northern Victoria.
against Essendon. He wore the number 3 guernsey. He was drafted as a compensatory selection (second overall) in the 1995 pre-season draft from the Murray Bushrangers
at the age of 16. He actually started out as a jockey but a growth spurt put an end to that and he turned his attention to Australian rules football, playng senior football for Corowa-Rutherglen at 16. He made a name for himself as a talented half forward, kicking five goals in several games. He managed 14 games in his debut season but just one the following year after a series of injuries. He played two games early in 1999, having little impact. He returned to play all the final eight games and established himself in 2000, playing 22 of 23 games and a top 10 Best and Fairest
finish. But after playing 12 of the first 13 games in 2001, his form fell away, playing just two more games and he was then delisted.
and resumed his career there in 2002, wearing the number 44 guernsey. He played the first 12 games in 2002, including a three goal effort in Round 11 but only managed one further game, spending most of the remainder of the season in the VFL. He played 16 games in 2003, including four and five goal efforts. A hamstring injury kept him out for most of 2004. He returned late in the season for four games but incoming coach Terry Wallace
decided he did not fit in with his plans.
and training jockeys in diet and fitness. He is currently playing football with Old Scotch.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er for the Geelong Football Club
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
and the Richmond Football Club
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(AFL). He is one of four brothers who were all drafted to AFL clubs, alongside Damian
Damian Houlihan
Damian Houlihan is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood in the Australian Football League .Houlihan was the first of a set of four brothers to be drafted to the AFL...
, Ryan
Ryan Houlihan
Ryan Houlihan is a former Australian rules footballer who played 12 seasons and 201 games for the Carlton Football Club from 2000 to 2011.-Background:...
and Josh, from Wahgunyah on the Murray River, in northern Victoria.
Geelong: 1997–2001
Houlihan made his debut in Round 4, 1997 with the Geelong Football ClubGeelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
against Essendon. He wore the number 3 guernsey. He was drafted as a compensatory selection (second overall) in the 1995 pre-season draft from the Murray Bushrangers
Murray Bushrangers
Murray Bushrangers is an Australian rules football team playing in TAC Cup since 1993 based in Wangaratta. The team trains in WJ Findlay Oval. The team is coached by Darren Ogier...
at the age of 16. He actually started out as a jockey but a growth spurt put an end to that and he turned his attention to Australian rules football, playng senior football for Corowa-Rutherglen at 16. He made a name for himself as a talented half forward, kicking five goals in several games. He managed 14 games in his debut season but just one the following year after a series of injuries. He played two games early in 1999, having little impact. He returned to play all the final eight games and established himself in 2000, playing 22 of 23 games and a top 10 Best and Fairest
Best and Fairest
Best and Fairest is the term commonly used in Australian sport to describe the player adjudged to have had the best performance in a game or over a season for a given sporting club or competition while not receiving a suspension for misconduct or breaching the rules during that season.In the...
finish. But after playing 12 of the first 13 games in 2001, his form fell away, playing just two more games and he was then delisted.
Richmond: 2002–2004
He was drafted by RichmondRichmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
and resumed his career there in 2002, wearing the number 44 guernsey. He played the first 12 games in 2002, including a three goal effort in Round 11 but only managed one further game, spending most of the remainder of the season in the VFL. He played 16 games in 2003, including four and five goal efforts. A hamstring injury kept him out for most of 2004. He returned late in the season for four games but incoming coach Terry Wallace
Terry Wallace
Terry Wallace is a former professional Australian rules football player and coach.As a player, his career spanned three VFL/AFL clubs; most notably Hawthorn where he played in three premierships as well as achieving All-Australian selection, and two Best and Fairests with the Footscray Football Club...
decided he did not fit in with his plans.
Post-AFL career
He continued to play with Richmond's VFL affiliate Coburg in 2005. At 26 years of age, Houlihan decided that his career was already over and he ruled out playing AFL football again. He instead returned to his earlier interest in horse racing, hosting a horse-racing tips show with Brett Phillips and Nick Evans on radio station SEN 1116SEN 1116
SEN 1116 , the acronym standing for Sports Entertainment Network, is a commercial AM radio station based in Melbourne, Australia, operating on 1116 kHz...
and training jockeys in diet and fitness. He is currently playing football with Old Scotch.