Simon Beasley
Encyclopedia
Simon Beasley is a former Australian rules football
er who played with Footscray
in the Victorian Football League
(VFL).
Recruited from Swan Districts
in the WAFL
, Beasley moved to Melbourne
in 1982 to pursue his career as a stockbroker, and signed with Footscray
in the VFL
. He made his debut in the Round 1 of the 1982 VFL season
against a rampant Essendon
side at Windy Hill
, the Bulldogs losing heavily by 109 points. However, Beasley did not take long to establish himself as a prominent full-forward, kicking 12 goals against Geelong
in Round 16 and ending his debut season with a very respectable 82 goals in an under-performing side.
In 1985
, the Bulldogs rose up the ladder, finishing in second place at the end of the home-and-away season before losing to Hawthorn
in the Preliminary Final. Beasley played a key role, taking out the Coleman Medal
with 93 goals during the home-and-away season, his personal best. He reached the century mark with a seven-goal performance in the First Semi-final against North Melbourne and ended the season with 105 goals, becoming only the second Bulldog after Kelvin Templeton
to kick 100 goals in a season. In 1988
, Beasley kicked 82 goals to overtake Templeton as the Bulldogs' leading goalkicker, and retired from football in 1989
due to knee and back injuries.
In 2006 Beasley was appointed to host the Western Region Football League
's official show on Channel 31, renamed The Simon Beasley Show.
Beasley obtained his bookmaker
license in 2002. In 2009, he was charged with breaching betting regulations between April 2006 and October 2008. Specifically, he had taken 1,598 bets totalling $3.8 million in turnover without lodging them with racing authorities. Beasely was fined A$20,000 and disqualified from bookmaking for five years.
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 who played with Footscray
Western Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
in the Victorian 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...
(VFL).
Recruited from Swan Districts
Swan Districts Football Club
The Swan Districts Football Club, nicknamed the Swans, is an Australian rules football club playing in the West Australian Football League . The club is based at Bassendean Oval, in Bassendean, an eastern suburb of Perth, Western Australia...
in the WAFL
West Australian Football League
The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League...
, Beasley moved to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
in 1982 to pursue his career as a stockbroker, and signed with Footscray
Western Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
in the VFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
. He made his debut in the Round 1 of the 1982 VFL season
1982 VFL season
The 86th Victorian Football League Premiership season commenced on 20 March 1982 and concluded on 25 September 1982 with Carlton winning their second consecutive Premiership against Richmond...
against a rampant Essendon
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
side at Windy Hill
Windy Hill, Essendon
Windy Hill is an Australian rules football ground located in Essendon, a northwestern suburb of the Melbourne metropolitan area....
, the Bulldogs losing heavily by 109 points. However, Beasley did not take long to establish himself as a prominent full-forward, kicking 12 goals against Geelong
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...
in Round 16 and ending his debut season with a very respectable 82 goals in an under-performing side.
In 1985
1985 VFL season
The 89th Victorian Football League Premiership season commenced in March 1985 and concluded on 28 September 1985 with Essendon winning their second consecutive Premiership in their third consecutive Grand Final battle with Hawthorn...
, the Bulldogs rose up the ladder, finishing in second place at the end of the home-and-away season before losing to Hawthorn
Hawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
in the Preliminary Final. Beasley played a key role, taking out the Coleman Medal
Coleman Medal
The Coleman Medal is awarded yearly to the Australian Football League player who kicks the most goals in regular-season matches in that year...
with 93 goals during the home-and-away season, his personal best. He reached the century mark with a seven-goal performance in the First Semi-final against North Melbourne and ended the season with 105 goals, becoming only the second Bulldog after Kelvin Templeton
Kelvin Templeton
Kelvin Templeton is a former Australian rules footballer. At sixteen years of age Templeton kicked 100 goals for Traralgon in the 1973 Latrobe Valley FL season...
to kick 100 goals in a season. In 1988
1988 VFL season
The 92nd Victorian Football League Premiership Season commenced in April 1988 and concluded on 24 September 1988, with Hawthorn winning their seventh Premiership in their sixth consecutive Grand Final appearance.-Night Series:...
, Beasley kicked 82 goals to overtake Templeton as the Bulldogs' leading goalkicker, and retired from football in 1989
1989 VFL season
-Notable events:* In Round 13, horrendous conditions at Windy Hill saw Essendon and Footscray play the lowest scoring game since the 1927 Grand Final, with the teams combining for only 6.15 ....
due to knee and back injuries.
In 2006 Beasley was appointed to host the Western Region Football League
Western Region Football League
The Western Region Football League is an Australian rules football semi-professional league, based in the western suburbs of Melbourne, for both seniors and juniors.-History:The league was formed in 1931, as the Footscray District Football League...
's official show on Channel 31, renamed The Simon Beasley Show.
Beasley obtained his bookmaker
Bookmaker
A bookmaker, or bookie, is an organization or a person that takes bets on sporting and other events at agreed upon odds.- Range of events :...
license in 2002. In 2009, he was charged with breaching betting regulations between April 2006 and October 2008. Specifically, he had taken 1,598 bets totalling $3.8 million in turnover without lodging them with racing authorities. Beasely was fined A$20,000 and disqualified from bookmaking for five years.