Stephen Kernahan
Encyclopedia
Stephen Scott Kernahan (born 1 September 1963 in Adelaide
, South Australia
) is a former Australian rules football
er best known for his career with the Carlton Football Club
of the Australian Football League
and the Glenelg Football Club of the SANFL from 1981 until 1997. He also played 13 State of Origin games for South Australia and gained selection as an All-Australian
five times (1983, 1986, 1988, 1992 and 1994).
Nicknamed Sticks, Kernahan was the captain of Carlton's Team of the Century and holds the club goal kicking record of 738 and the AFL record for the most games as club captain. He now serves as president of the Carlton Football Club.
. He began his senior career with Glenelg in the South Australian National Football League
(SANFL) in 1981 and played 136 games, kicking 290 goals, winning 3 straight best and fairest awards. Under the coaching of 1961 Magarey Medallist John Halbert
, Kernahan was a member of Glenelg's losing Grand Final teams to Port Adelaide
in 1981 and Norwood in 1982.
In 1983 he topped the voting in the Magarey Medal
with 44 votes, made all the more remarkable as Glenelg only won 9 of 22 games for the season, half the number won by premiers West Adelaide, and in fact lost their first 8 games. Unfortunately he was ineligible due to being reported for an incident with Norwood's Garry McIntosh
in Round 4 and was suspended for Round 5. Due to the rules of the SANFL, any player who receives a suspension during a season is ineligible to with the Medal and and the award was won by North Adelaide's
Tony Antrobus
who polled 35 votes. Kernahan was also twice leading goal kicker for The Bays, in 1983 and 1984 and in 1985 he was awarded the Jack Oatey Medal as best on ground in the club's premiership win over North Adelaide
.
In his days with Glenelg, Kernahan was mostly used as a ruckman
/ forward due to his 6'5" (196 cm) height and his strong marking and leading ability, often changing in the ruck with Bays legend Peter Carey. His height and his slight build led to the nickname "Sticks".
Kernahan was signed by Carlton in the Victorian Football League
(VFL) in 1981 but he didn't move to the club until 1986, mostly due to his slight build and the fear he wouldn't stand up to the physical play in the VFL. These fears were put to rest by Kernahan when he played State of Origin for South Australia. Often playing at full forward for the Croweaters, his height and strong marking saw him kick 10 goals in a losing side against Victoria at Football Park in Adelaide in 1984. His standout effort for South Australia saw Kernahan win the Fos Williams Medal
in 1984 as SA's player of the match.
After winning the 1985 premiership with Glenelg, Kernahan finally moved to Melbourne
to join Carlton in 1986
, the same year as two other quality South Australian players, Craig Bradley
from Port Adelaide
and Peter Motley
from Sturt joined The Blues and the three were immediately influential for the Blues. In only his second season at the club, Kernahan was made club captain and held the position until his retirement in 1997. He was premiership captain in 1987
and 1995
, won the best and fairest in 1987
, 1989
and 1992
, under the coaching of Robert Walls
, Alex Jesaulenko
and David Parkin
. He captained Carlton in 226 league matches, making him the longest serving club captain in VFL/AFL history.
Playing primarily at centre half-forward and later full forward, he was famous for his ability to kick the vital goal. He played thirteen games for South Australia and was selected as an All-Australian
five times (four for Carlton in 1986, 1988, 1992, 1994, one for Glenelg in 1983). He is a Carlton and AFL life member, and played a total of 403 senior games and kicked a total of 1133 goals for Glenelg, Carlton and South Australia.
After retiring as a player Kernahan joined the club's Board of Directors
and in 2006 became a Vice-President of the Club. Following Graham Smorgon
's failure to be re-elected at the 2007 Board Elections, Kernahan was made interim President, acquiring the services of and reliquishing the position to Richard Pratt
within days. On 20 June 2008 he again took the role of President, this time permanently, after Pratt stood aside to fight charges of giving false and misleading evidence to an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
.
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
) is a former Australian rules football
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 best known for his career with the Carlton Football Club
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
of 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...
and the Glenelg Football Club of the SANFL from 1981 until 1997. He also played 13 State of Origin games for South Australia and gained selection as an All-Australian
All-Australian Team
The All-Australian Team is an all star team of Australian rules footballers, selected by a panel at the end of each season. It represents a complete team, including interchange players and a coach, of the best performed during the season....
five times (1983, 1986, 1988, 1992 and 1994).
Nicknamed Sticks, Kernahan was the captain of Carlton's Team of the Century and holds the club goal kicking record of 738 and the AFL record for the most games as club captain. He now serves as president of the Carlton Football Club.
History
Stephen Kernahan is the son of South Australian rules footballer Harry Kernahan and the older brother of former Glenelg and Carlton player David KernahanDavid Kernahan
David Kernahan is a former Australian rules footballer best known as Stephen Kernahan's brother and for his career with Carlton in the 1980s and 1990s....
. He began his senior career with Glenelg in the South Australian National Football League
South Australian National Football League
The South Australian National Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia....
(SANFL) in 1981 and played 136 games, kicking 290 goals, winning 3 straight best and fairest awards. Under the coaching of 1961 Magarey Medallist John Halbert
John Halbert
John Arno Halbert M.B.E. is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Sturt in the SANFL.Halbert was a centreman and first played for Sturt in 1955. In his debut season he finished second in the Magarey Medal count to Lindsay Head and in 1958 was again the runner up with Head winning...
, Kernahan was a member of Glenelg's losing Grand Final teams to Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide Magpies
The Port Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the South Australian National Football League...
in 1981 and Norwood in 1982.
In 1983 he topped the voting in the Magarey Medal
Magarey Medal
For the biography award of the same name, see Magarey Medal for biography. For a list of winners, see List of Magarey Medallists.The Magarey Medal is an Australian rules football honour awarded annually since 1898 to the fairest and most brilliant player in the South Australian National Football...
with 44 votes, made all the more remarkable as Glenelg only won 9 of 22 games for the season, half the number won by premiers West Adelaide, and in fact lost their first 8 games. Unfortunately he was ineligible due to being reported for an incident with Norwood's Garry McIntosh
Garry McIntosh
Garry McIntosh is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Norwood in the South Australian Football League during the 1980s and 90s. He won back to back Magarey Medals in 1994 and 1995....
in Round 4 and was suspended for Round 5. Due to the rules of the SANFL, any player who receives a suspension during a season is ineligible to with the Medal and and the award was won by North Adelaide's
North Adelaide Roosters
North Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club, who play in the South Australian National Football League.- History :Formed in 1888 as Medindie, in 1893 the club renamed itself to North Adelaide. It is the fourth oldest club still in operation in the SANFL...
Tony Antrobus
Tony Antrobus
Anthony "Ant" Antrobus is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the North Adelaide Roosters in the South Australian National Football League and had stints with Essendon and St Kilda in the Victorian Football League . He was commonly referred to by his nickname of "The Ant"...
who polled 35 votes. Kernahan was also twice leading goal kicker for The Bays, in 1983 and 1984 and in 1985 he was awarded the Jack Oatey Medal as best on ground in the club's premiership win over North Adelaide
North Adelaide Roosters
North Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club, who play in the South Australian National Football League.- History :Formed in 1888 as Medindie, in 1893 the club renamed itself to North Adelaide. It is the fourth oldest club still in operation in the SANFL...
.
In his days with Glenelg, Kernahan was mostly used as a ruckman
Ruckman (Australian rules football position)
In Australian rules football, a ruckman is typically a tall and athletic player who contests at centre bounces and stoppages . The ruckman is one of the most important players on the field...
/ forward due to his 6'5" (196 cm) height and his strong marking and leading ability, often changing in the ruck with Bays legend Peter Carey. His height and his slight build led to the nickname "Sticks".
Kernahan was signed by Carlton 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) in 1981 but he didn't move to the club until 1986, mostly due to his slight build and the fear he wouldn't stand up to the physical play in the VFL. These fears were put to rest by Kernahan when he played State of Origin for South Australia. Often playing at full forward for the Croweaters, his height and strong marking saw him kick 10 goals in a losing side against Victoria at Football Park in Adelaide in 1984. His standout effort for South Australia saw Kernahan win the Fos Williams Medal
Fos Williams Medal
The Fos Williams Medal has been awarded since 1981 to the best Australian rules football player from South Australia during Inter-State or Inter-Competition matches. The medal is named in honour of legendary South Australian National Football League player and coach Fos Williams.Originally the...
in 1984 as SA's player of the match.
After winning the 1985 premiership with Glenelg, Kernahan finally 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...
to join Carlton in 1986
1986 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1986.- Awards :* The Brownlow Medal was awarded to both Greg Williams of the Sydney Swans and Robert "Dipper" DiPierdomenico of the Hawthorn Hawks...
, the same year as two other quality South Australian players, Craig Bradley
Craig Bradley
Craig Edwin "Braddles" Bradley is a former South Australian Australian rules footballer and first class cricketer. He is currently a part-time assistant coach at the Carlton Football Club, the club he represented 375 times in the VFL/AFL....
from Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide Magpies
The Port Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the South Australian National Football League...
and Peter Motley
Peter Motley
Peter Motley is a former professional Australian rules footballer, playing for Sturt Football Club in the South Australian National Football League and Carlton Football Club in the Victorian Football League....
from Sturt joined The Blues and the three were immediately influential for the Blues. In only his second season at the club, Kernahan was made club captain and held the position until his retirement in 1997. He was premiership captain in 1987
1987 VFL Grand Final
The 1987 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Carlton Football Club and Hawthorn Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 26 September 1987. It was the 91st annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine...
and 1995
1995 AFL Grand Final
The 1995 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Geelong Football Club and Carlton Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 30 September 1995. It was the 99th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football...
, won the best and fairest in 1987
1987 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1987.-Night Series: defeated 8.10 to 8.6 in the Final at Waverley Park.-Leading goalkickers:...
, 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 ....
and 1992
1992 AFL season
Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 1992. The AFL Grand Final this year was won by the West Coast Eagles, who became the first non-Victorian club to win a Premiership.-Ladder:...
, under the coaching of Robert Walls
Robert Walls
Robert Walls is a former Australian rules footballer and coach who now works primarily as a television commentator and newspaper columnist on the sport. On 22 June 2006 he was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.- Carlton :...
, Alex Jesaulenko
Alex Jesaulenko
Alex 'Jezza' Jesaulenko MBE is a former Australian rules footballer and coach. He is regarded as one of the game's greatest-ever players and is an official Legend of the Australian Football Hall of Fame...
and David Parkin
David Parkin
David Parkin is a former Australian rules footballer and four-time premiership coach.- Pre-football career :He attended Melbourne High School and during his time there, was the school vice-captain and captain of football....
. He captained Carlton in 226 league matches, making him the longest serving club captain in VFL/AFL history.
Playing primarily at centre half-forward and later full forward, he was famous for his ability to kick the vital goal. He played thirteen games for South Australia and was selected as an All-Australian
All-Australian Team
The All-Australian Team is an all star team of Australian rules footballers, selected by a panel at the end of each season. It represents a complete team, including interchange players and a coach, of the best performed during the season....
five times (four for Carlton in 1986, 1988, 1992, 1994, one for Glenelg in 1983). He is a Carlton and AFL life member, and played a total of 403 senior games and kicked a total of 1133 goals for Glenelg, Carlton and South Australia.
After retiring as a player Kernahan joined the club's Board of Directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
and in 2006 became a Vice-President of the Club. Following Graham Smorgon
Graham Smorgon
Graham Smorgon is a prominent Australian businessman and a member of the Smorgon family – one of Australia's wealthiest and most powerful and influential families...
's failure to be re-elected at the 2007 Board Elections, Kernahan was made interim President, acquiring the services of and reliquishing the position to Richard Pratt
Richard Pratt (Australian businessman)
Richard J. Pratt was a prominent Australian businessman, chairman of the privately-owned company Visy Industries, and a leading figure of Melbourne society. In the year before his death Pratt was Australia's fourth-richest person, with a personal fortune valued at billion...
within days. On 20 June 2008 he again took the role of President, this time permanently, after Pratt stood aside to fight charges of giving false and misleading evidence to an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is an independent authority of the Australia government. It was established in 1995 with the amalgamation of the Australian Trade Practices Commission and the Prices Surveillance Authority to administer the Trade Practices Act 1974...
.