Tom Harley
Encyclopedia
Thomas 'Tom' Harley is a former Australian rules football
er for the Geelong Football Club
in the Australian Football League
(AFL). A defender at 1.93 metres (6 ft) and 95 kilograms (209 lb), Harley was a two-time premiership-winning captain
at the club.
After a successful junior career which culminated with selection in the under-18 All-Australian team, Harley was drafted to the Port Adelaide Football Club
as a zone selection. Although an inaugural member of the club, Harley struggled to force his way into the senior team and spent the majority of his early years playing for Norwood
in the South Australian National Football League
(SANFL). After making just one appearance for Port Adelaide, Harley was traded to the Geelong Football Club
in exchange for the 37th draft pick in the 1998 AFL Draft
.
Harley quickly established himself within the Geelong defence and received a range of accolades and club honours, including multiple Best Clubman awards. Prior to the 2007 AFL season, Harley was appointed club captain and went on to enjoy great individual and team success. He led the club to its first premiership in 44 years during 2007, and became a dual premiership captain after their victory in 2009. In between, he achieved All-Australian honours as vice-captain of the team, and won the AFL Players Association
(AFLPA) Best Captain Award. Harley also participated in the 2008 AFL Hall of Fame all-star game, and was inducted into the Geelong Football Club Hall of Fame.
He is noted for being a leading ambassador to various community campaigns, including the anti-violence program 'Just Think' and Barwon Health. Since his retirement as a player, Harley has undertaken various roles in the sporting industry: he currently holds positions as a project consultant to the Greater Western Sydney Football Club, a sports commentator with the Channel 7 football team, and an assistant coach and mentor role with the AIS-AFL Academy
.
, South Australia
. Harley attended Loreto College, Marryatville, from Prep to Grade 2. Harley was a talented junior footballer growing up, and played most of his junior football for the Walkerville Junior Football Club and St Peter's College from the under–11s to under–15s. Despite being regularly overlooked for a place in the elite South Australian junior state squads, Harley continued to follow the rest of the squad to training sessions in order to learn alongside them. Harley's persistent attendance at training was rewarded when he was called up to the under–18s squad as a late injury replacement a week prior to the National AFL Championships. Playing at centre half-back
, Harley's performance in defence earned him end-of-year All-Australian honours and brought him to the attention of AFL scouts.
drafted Harley to the club as part of their zone selections, which entitled them to recruit uncontracted players from the South Australian National Football League
(SANFL) prior to the 1996 National Draft. However, he struggled to break into the Port Adelaide senior team, and often found himself playing in the SANFL reserves for Norwood
during the 1997 season
. There, he helped the team reach the SANFL reserves Grand Final, where they were defeated by the Port Magpies
. Harley's contributions in the reserves team throughout the year saw him promoted to the senior Norwood side, where he featured in two of their SANFL finals before missing selection for the senior SANFL Grand Final.
Harley continued to ply his trade in the SANFL reserves during the 1998 season, before being rewarded mid-season with a senior team debut for Port Adelaide in round fourteen against Geelong
. The team opted to use Harley sparingly off the bench, with Harley's only meaningful contribution being a late goal scored with his only kick for the game. Returning to the Norwood reserves team, Harley helped the team reach their second successive Grand Final appearance against the Port Magpies and capture the reserves premiership. However, after struggling to break into the senior side, Harley was traded to Geelong during the off-season for the 37th pick in the 1998 AFL Draft
.
Harley made his debut for Geelong in round fourteen of the 1999 AFL season against Adelaide
, and kept his position in the senior team for the final nine games of the home-and-away campaign. The following season, Harley helped Geelong achieve a 12-9-1 record to qualify for the finals series. Harley made his finals debut in the First Elimination Final against Hawthorn, where he gathered 7 disposal
s and took 2 marks
in the clubs' nine-point loss. Harley's consistency throughout the year, during which he played in all club fixture games for the first time in his career, was rewarded when he won the club's Most Determined and Dedicated Player Award. Harley made his 50th senior appearance for the club the following season, and again featured in all 22 games over the next two seasons. Despite the club's inability to qualify for the finals series, Harley's consistency in the backline was recognised with successive top five placings in the club best and fairest award. During this period Harley was also awarded the Coach's Award and Best Clubman Award respectively.
, Harley was appointed as club captain of Geelong
. Harley's elevation to the captaincy was considered a surprise move to many outside the club. Despite the reaction, Harley was recommended by the club's board of directors following a review of the football department the previous year. The club noted that Harley "was a player who would dig deep and stand up when it counts", and was also chosen to help improve communication links between players, coaching staff and the board of directors.
Harley endured a difficult start to his first season as captain, as he ruptured a finger tendon during the club's round one loss to the Western Bulldogs
. After undergoing surgery on his finger, Harley made his return through the club's reserves team in the VFL but failed to earn a recall to the senior team until round ten. After playing the majority of his career at Geelong as a centre half back, Harley struggled to find his niche in the defence following the emergence of the younger Matthew Egan in the key position. He soon adjusted himself as a floating defender
capable of playing on small forwards
, and retained his position in the side after achieving career-best averages of 14 disposals and 5 marks a game. Harley helped the team compile a 18-4 win-loss record at the conclusion of the home and away season, earning them their eighth McClelland Trophy
and securing first position on the ladder leading into the finals series
. Harley led the defence to the number one defensive record in the league during the season, by letting only 1664 points be scored against them. After wins against North Melbourne and Collingwood in the Qualifying and Preliminary finals respectively, Geelong earned a spot in the Grand Final
against Harley's former team Port Adelaide. Collecting 13 disposals and 7 marks, Harley helped the club to an AFL-record 119 point win and secure its first premiership in 44 years. Harley became the first Geelong captain of a premiership-winning side since Fred Wooller
in 1963, and achieved the rare distinction of becoming a premiership-winning captain in his first year at the helm.
Harley's leadership qualities and influence on the club as captain was commended early on in the season after his handling of teammate Steve Johnson's off-field discretions. Johnson was banished from the team during the pre-season and demoted to the reserves for the first five games of the season. However, he successfully returned to the team and finished the season as a Norm Smith Medal
list and All-Australian. Harley's leadership influence on the team was reflected in his finishing fourth in the AFLPA Best Captain award during his first year at the helm. He was also awarded life membership of the Geelong Football Club following his 150th team appearance in the round sixteen win against the Western Bulldogs, and named in the end-of-season South Australian State of Origin team.
Harley's achievements at the club were recognised prior to the 2008 AFL season when he was inducted into the Geelong Football Club Hall of Fame. Following the success of 2007, Harley and the club were expected to feature prominently in the 2008 finals series once more. Harley featured in all 22 home-and-away fixture games and 3 finals games. He set career-highs of 14 marks (round three) and 14 handpasses (Preliminary Final) in the process, and helped the club achieve the number one defensive record during the season for the second consecutive year. During the season, he was also selected to the initial squad for the AFL Hall of Fame all-star game, although he failed to make the final teams. Geelong compiled a 20–2 win-loss record to once again capture the McClelland Trophy and qualify for the finals series in first position on the ladder. After successive wins against St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs, Harley led the team to their second straight Grand Final appearance against Hawthorn. During the Grand Final, Harley suffered mild concussion following a collision prior to the half-time break. As a result, he struggled to contribute for the rest of the game as Geelong lost by 26 points.
Despite the club's Grand Final defeat, Harley collected a range of individual accolades following his performances throughout the season. He earned his first All-Australian honour and was named as vice-captain of the team. Harley was also recognised by the AFLPA, as he was awarded the AFLPA Best Captain award in just his second season at the helm. After setting career-highs of 209 handballs and 378 disposals during the season, Harley was awarded a career-high seven Brownlow Medal
votes during the count and named once again in the South Australian State of Origin team. He was also awarded the Geelong Football Club Best Clubman award for a record third time, and named a co-winner of the club’s Community Champion award alongside teammates James Kelly and David Wojcinski
.
Harley was charged with helping the players regroup following the Grand Final loss the previous season, and admitted "losing the grand final was horrific". Harley missed the first six rounds of the 2009 campaign with a knee injury, before returning to feature in fourteen games for the year. Despite Harley's injury-riddled campaign, Geelong finished the home-and-away campaign in second place on the ladder with an 18–4 win-loss record. Following the failure of 2008, Harley suggested that the club had learnt that it needed to "just be the best team in September" and that once qualified for the finals, focus had shifted towards rest and recovery.
After finals wins against the Western Bulldogs and Collingwood, Harley and Geelong progressed through to the Grand Final
against St Kilda for a third successive season. During the final, Harley struggled to stay involved in the game and gathered only 5 disposals, 1 mark, and 3 tackles. However, Geelong prevailed by 12 points to win the 2009 AFL premiership and capture its second premiership cup within three seasons.
At the conclusion of the 2009 season, Harley announced his retirement from AFL football. Harley cited his inability to physically meet the demands of AFL football as his reason for departing the game. Harley retired as one of the most successful captains in Geelong's history: during his three years as captain, Harley led the club to a club-high two premierships—equalling the accomplishments of Fred Flanagan
—and compiled a 49-7 win-loss record. His legacy at the club was pronounced by Thompson as being "one of the great captains in the history of the Geelong Football Club".
Harley's achievements during his playing career were recognised when he was nominated for a record four awards during the AFL Player's Association Madden Medal night: the Madden Medal, the Football Achievement award, the Personal Development award, and the Community Spirit award.
Harley later also joined the AIS-AFL Academy
as an assistant coach and mentor. Prior to the 2010 AFL season, it was further announced that Harley would join the Channel 7 network football commentary team, replacing Nathan Buckley
in the leading special comments role. Harley admitted that his previous experience as a regular panellist on the football program One Week at a Time
during his playing days had fuelled an interest in working within the media industry.
capable of playing on small forwards
. Despite his personal admission to not being "the greatest player", Harley's play-reading ability saw him recognised as one of the league's best at intercepting opposition passes inside his defensive 50m arc.
Harley's leadership skills have been consistently praised during his time in the league. Despite his reputation for not being the team's greatest player, he was widely regarded as a natural leader whose character "was the heartbeat of Geelong". Teammate Gary Ablett
complimented Harley as being "very approachable ... [and] the key to gelling the team together". Many commentators have attributed his leadership influence as being a key factor in Geelong's premiership success. Specifically, he was credited with helping transform the culture of the club, in setting standards for on and off-field behaviour. Harley's legacy as captain of the club was pronounced by Bill McMaster
as being one of the great leaders of Geelong alongside Reg Hickey
and Fred Flanagan
.
.
After starting his Bachelor of Commerce degree at an Adelaide institution in 1996, Harley transferred to Deakin University
and graduated 11 years later in 2007. Harley was one of 21 players from the Geelong Football Club who witnessed the 2002 Bali bombings first-hand during an off-season holiday to the popular tourist destination. Harley and his fellow team mates were preparing to venture to the Sari night club just moments prior to the terrorist attack.
In 2008, Harley was named an ambassador for an anti-booze-fuelled violence campaign run by the Geelong Advertiser
newspaper, titled "Just Think". As part of his ambassadorial role, Harley has appeared in numerous advertisements alongside fellow Geelong teammates and ambassadors James Kelly and David Wojcinski
. He is also an active health ambassador for Barwon Health. During 2009, Harley's position as captain of the Geelong Football Club saw him participate in the inaugural Captains' Forum. Harley was selected as one of 24 leaders in Australian sport to discuss and develop a national response at Canberra's Parliament House for emerging challenges impacting sport and the broader community.
Team
Individual
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...
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). A defender at 1.93 metres (6 ft) and 95 kilograms (209 lb), Harley was a two-time premiership-winning captain
Captain (Australian rules football)
A captain of an Australian rules football team, sometimes known as a skipper is a player who, during the course of a match and off the field, has several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player....
at the club.
After a successful junior career which culminated with selection in the under-18 All-Australian team, Harley was drafted to the Port Adelaide Football Club
Port Adelaide Football Club
The Port Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, which plays in the Australian Football League and the South Australian National Football League...
as a zone selection. Although an inaugural member of the club, Harley struggled to force his way into the senior team and spent the majority of his early years playing for Norwood
Norwood Football Club
Norwood Football Club, nicknamed, Redlegs, is an Australian rules football club belonging to the South Australian National Football League in the state of South Australia...
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). After making just one appearance for Port Adelaide, Harley was traded to 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...
in exchange for the 37th draft pick in the 1998 AFL Draft
1998 AFL Draft
The 1998 AFL Draft consisted of a pre-season draft, a national draft, a trade period and a rookie elevation. The AFL Draft is the annual draft of talented players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.In 1998 there...
.
Harley quickly established himself within the Geelong defence and received a range of accolades and club honours, including multiple Best Clubman awards. Prior to the 2007 AFL season, Harley was appointed club captain and went on to enjoy great individual and team success. He led the club to its first premiership in 44 years during 2007, and became a dual premiership captain after their victory in 2009. In between, he achieved All-Australian honours as vice-captain of the team, and won the AFL Players Association
AFL Players Association
The AFL Players Association, or AFLPA, is the representative body for all current and past professional Australian Football League players....
(AFLPA) Best Captain Award. Harley also participated in the 2008 AFL Hall of Fame all-star game, and was inducted into the Geelong Football Club Hall of Fame.
He is noted for being a leading ambassador to various community campaigns, including the anti-violence program 'Just Think' and Barwon Health. Since his retirement as a player, Harley has undertaken various roles in the sporting industry: he currently holds positions as a project consultant to the Greater Western Sydney Football Club, a sports commentator with the Channel 7 football team, and an assistant coach and mentor role with the AIS-AFL Academy
Australian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport is a sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The Institute's headquarters is situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The 66.0 hectare site campus is in the northern suburb of Bruce, but some of the...
.
Early life
Tom Harley was born to Rick Harley and Trish Rofe in AdelaideAdelaide
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...
. Harley attended Loreto College, Marryatville, from Prep to Grade 2. Harley was a talented junior footballer growing up, and played most of his junior football for the Walkerville Junior Football Club and St Peter's College from the under–11s to under–15s. Despite being regularly overlooked for a place in the elite South Australian junior state squads, Harley continued to follow the rest of the squad to training sessions in order to learn alongside them. Harley's persistent attendance at training was rewarded when he was called up to the under–18s squad as a late injury replacement a week prior to the National AFL Championships. Playing at centre half-back
Centre half-back
In Australian rules football, the centre half-back refers to a position in the half-back line of a football field.Centre half back is considered a key position in defence. Examples of centre half-backs include Glen Jakovich, Darren Mead, Tom Harley and Chris Tarrant....
, Harley's performance in defence earned him end-of-year All-Australian honours and brought him to the attention of AFL scouts.
Port Adelaide experience (1998)
Following their entry into the AFL in 1997, Port AdelaidePort Adelaide Football Club
The Port Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, which plays in the Australian Football League and the South Australian National Football League...
drafted Harley to the club as part of their zone selections, which entitled them to recruit uncontracted players from 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) prior to the 1996 National Draft. However, he struggled to break into the Port Adelaide senior team, and often found himself playing in the SANFL reserves for Norwood
Norwood Football Club
Norwood Football Club, nicknamed, Redlegs, is an Australian rules football club belonging to the South Australian National Football League in the state of South Australia...
during the 1997 season
1997 AFL season
Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 1997.The Port Adelaide Power joined the competition.The Brisbane Lions also joined the competition after the merger of the and ....
. There, he helped the team reach the SANFL reserves Grand Final, where they were defeated by the Port Magpies
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...
. Harley's contributions in the reserves team throughout the year saw him promoted to the senior Norwood side, where he featured in two of their SANFL finals before missing selection for the senior SANFL Grand Final.
Harley continued to ply his trade in the SANFL reserves during the 1998 season, before being rewarded mid-season with a senior team debut for Port Adelaide in round fourteen 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...
. The team opted to use Harley sparingly off the bench, with Harley's only meaningful contribution being a late goal scored with his only kick for the game. Returning to the Norwood reserves team, Harley helped the team reach their second successive Grand Final appearance against the Port Magpies and capture the reserves premiership. However, after struggling to break into the senior side, Harley was traded to Geelong during the off-season for the 37th pick in the 1998 AFL Draft
1998 AFL Draft
The 1998 AFL Draft consisted of a pre-season draft, a national draft, a trade period and a rookie elevation. The AFL Draft is the annual draft of talented players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.In 1998 there...
.
Mixed success (1999–2006)
Adelaide Crows
The Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed The Crows, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Adelaide, South Australia, playing in the Australian Football League ....
, and kept his position in the senior team for the final nine games of the home-and-away campaign. The following season, Harley helped Geelong achieve a 12-9-1 record to qualify for the finals series. Harley made his finals debut in the First Elimination Final against Hawthorn, where he gathered 7 disposal
Disposal
A disposal occurs in Australian rules football when a player either kicks or handballs the football. A disposal is not counted if a player fumbles or illegally disposes the ball...
s and took 2 marks
Mark (Australian football)
A mark is a skill in Australian rules football where a player cleanly catches a kicked ball that has travelled more than 15 metres without anyone else touching it or the ball hitting the ground....
in the clubs' nine-point loss. Harley's consistency throughout the year, during which he played in all club fixture games for the first time in his career, was rewarded when he won the club's Most Determined and Dedicated Player Award. Harley made his 50th senior appearance for the club the following season, and again featured in all 22 games over the next two seasons. Despite the club's inability to qualify for the finals series, Harley's consistency in the backline was recognised with successive top five placings in the club best and fairest award. During this period Harley was also awarded the Coach's Award and Best Clubman Award respectively.
Captaining the Cats (2007–2009)
At the beginning of 20072007 AFL season
The 2007 AFL Season was the 111th season of the Australian Football League, the highest-level professional Australian rules football league in Australia...
, Harley was appointed as club captain of 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...
. Harley's elevation to the captaincy was considered a surprise move to many outside the club. Despite the reaction, Harley was recommended by the club's board of directors following a review of the football department the previous year. The club noted that Harley "was a player who would dig deep and stand up when it counts", and was also chosen to help improve communication links between players, coaching staff and the board of directors.
Harley endured a difficult start to his first season as captain, as he ruptured a finger tendon during the club's round one loss to the Western Bulldogs
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...
. After undergoing surgery on his finger, Harley made his return through the club's reserves team in the VFL but failed to earn a recall to the senior team until round ten. After playing the majority of his career at Geelong as a centre half back, Harley struggled to find his niche in the defence following the emergence of the younger Matthew Egan in the key position. He soon adjusted himself as a floating defender
Back pocket
In Australian rules football, the back pocket refers to a position on the field deep in defence.Back pocket players, situated in the backline, need to have good spoiling skills and usually, quality back-pockets are noted for their hardness....
capable of playing on small forwards
Forward pocket
In Australian rules football, the forward pocket refers to a position on the field deep in offense.Forward pocket players, situated in the forward line, need to have good avoidance and goal sneak skills and usually, quality forward-pockets are noted for their agility and ability to score difficult...
, and retained his position in the side after achieving career-best averages of 14 disposals and 5 marks a game. Harley helped the team compile a 18-4 win-loss record at the conclusion of the home and away season, earning them their eighth McClelland Trophy
McClelland Trophy
The McClelland Trophy is an Australian rules football trophy, currently awarded to the minor premiers in the Australian Football League each year...
and securing first position on the ladder leading into the finals series
2007 AFL finals series
- The finals system :The system is a final eight system. This system is different to the McIntyre Final Eight System, which was previously used by the AFL, and is currently used by the National Rugby League....
. Harley led the defence to the number one defensive record in the league during the season, by letting only 1664 points be scored against them. After wins against North Melbourne and Collingwood in the Qualifying and Preliminary finals respectively, Geelong earned a spot in the Grand Final
2007 AFL Grand Final
The 2007 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Geelong Football Club and the Port Adelaide Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 29 September 2007. It was the 111th annual Grand Final of the VFL/AFL, staged to determine the...
against Harley's former team Port Adelaide. Collecting 13 disposals and 7 marks, Harley helped the club to an AFL-record 119 point win and secure its first premiership in 44 years. Harley became the first Geelong captain of a premiership-winning side since Fred Wooller
Fred Wooller
Fred Wooller is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Geelong in the VFL.Recruited from Bacchus Marsh, Wooller started his career as a full forward and topped Geelong's goalkicking with 56 goals in 1957, his tally being the equal second highest in the league for that season...
in 1963, and achieved the rare distinction of becoming a premiership-winning captain in his first year at the helm.
Harley's leadership qualities and influence on the club as captain was commended early on in the season after his handling of teammate Steve Johnson's off-field discretions. Johnson was banished from the team during the pre-season and demoted to the reserves for the first five games of the season. However, he successfully returned to the team and finished the season as a Norm Smith Medal
Norm Smith Medal
The Norm Smith Medal is the award given in the AFL Grand Final to the player adjudged by an independent panel of experts to have been the best player in the match.-History:The Norm Smith Medal is named after former Melbourne player and coach, Norm Smith...
list and All-Australian. Harley's leadership influence on the team was reflected in his finishing fourth in the AFLPA Best Captain award during his first year at the helm. He was also awarded life membership of the Geelong Football Club following his 150th team appearance in the round sixteen win against the Western Bulldogs, and named in the end-of-season South Australian State of Origin team.
Harley's achievements at the club were recognised prior to the 2008 AFL season when he was inducted into the Geelong Football Club Hall of Fame. Following the success of 2007, Harley and the club were expected to feature prominently in the 2008 finals series once more. Harley featured in all 22 home-and-away fixture games and 3 finals games. He set career-highs of 14 marks (round three) and 14 handpasses (Preliminary Final) in the process, and helped the club achieve the number one defensive record during the season for the second consecutive year. During the season, he was also selected to the initial squad for the AFL Hall of Fame all-star game, although he failed to make the final teams. Geelong compiled a 20–2 win-loss record to once again capture the McClelland Trophy and qualify for the finals series in first position on the ladder. After successive wins against St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs, Harley led the team to their second straight Grand Final appearance against Hawthorn. During the Grand Final, Harley suffered mild concussion following a collision prior to the half-time break. As a result, he struggled to contribute for the rest of the game as Geelong lost by 26 points.
Despite the club's Grand Final defeat, Harley collected a range of individual accolades following his performances throughout the season. He earned his first All-Australian honour and was named as vice-captain of the team. Harley was also recognised by the AFLPA, as he was awarded the AFLPA Best Captain award in just his second season at the helm. After setting career-highs of 209 handballs and 378 disposals during the season, Harley was awarded a career-high seven Brownlow Medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
votes during the count and named once again in the South Australian State of Origin team. He was also awarded the Geelong Football Club Best Clubman award for a record third time, and named a co-winner of the club’s Community Champion award alongside teammates James Kelly and David Wojcinski
David Wojcinski
David "Wojo" Wojcinski is an Australian rules footballer for the Geelong Football Club in the Australian Football League .-Career:Wojcinski made his debut in 1998. He won the club's Most Improved Player award for 2004....
.
Harley was charged with helping the players regroup following the Grand Final loss the previous season, and admitted "losing the grand final was horrific". Harley missed the first six rounds of the 2009 campaign with a knee injury, before returning to feature in fourteen games for the year. Despite Harley's injury-riddled campaign, Geelong finished the home-and-away campaign in second place on the ladder with an 18–4 win-loss record. Following the failure of 2008, Harley suggested that the club had learnt that it needed to "just be the best team in September" and that once qualified for the finals, focus had shifted towards rest and recovery.
After finals wins against the Western Bulldogs and Collingwood, Harley and Geelong progressed through to the Grand Final
2009 AFL Grand Final
The 2009 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the St Kilda Football Club and the Geelong Football Club at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 26 September 2009...
against St Kilda for a third successive season. During the final, Harley struggled to stay involved in the game and gathered only 5 disposals, 1 mark, and 3 tackles. However, Geelong prevailed by 12 points to win the 2009 AFL premiership and capture its second premiership cup within three seasons.
At the conclusion of the 2009 season, Harley announced his retirement from AFL football. Harley cited his inability to physically meet the demands of AFL football as his reason for departing the game. Harley retired as one of the most successful captains in Geelong's history: during his three years as captain, Harley led the club to a club-high two premierships—equalling the accomplishments of Fred Flanagan
Fred Flanagan
Fred Flanagan is a former Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League .Flanagan was a gifted centre half-forward from Swan Hill who was a magnificent mark and kick...
—and compiled a 49-7 win-loss record. His legacy at the club was pronounced by Thompson as being "one of the great captains in the history of the Geelong Football Club".
Harley's achievements during his playing career were recognised when he was nominated for a record four awards during the AFL Player's Association Madden Medal night: the Madden Medal, the Football Achievement award, the Personal Development award, and the Community Spirit award.
After retiring as a player
In the weeks following his retirement, Harley was sounded out by the AFL's newest team, Western Sydney, to join the club in an off-field role. On December 4, 2009, it was announced that Harley would join the club as a project consultant, serving on committee board and the football department in a part-time role.Harley later also joined the AIS-AFL Academy
Australian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport is a sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The Institute's headquarters is situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The 66.0 hectare site campus is in the northern suburb of Bruce, but some of the...
as an assistant coach and mentor. Prior to the 2010 AFL season, it was further announced that Harley would join the Channel 7 network football commentary team, replacing Nathan Buckley
Nathan Buckley
Nathan Charles Buckley is a former professional Australian rules football player, commentator and coach, best known for his time as captain of the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League ....
in the leading special comments role. Harley admitted that his previous experience as a regular panellist on the football program One Week at a Time
One Week at a Time
One Week at a Time can refer to one of the following television shows:*One Week at a Time , a sports analysis show centred around Australian rules football first screened in 2009 till 2011...
during his playing days had fuelled an interest in working within the media industry.
Player profile
During his playing career, Harley was considered as one of the league's "most respected players" and the "general of the most miserly defence in the league". Harley began his early career as a key position player at centre half back, where he used his physical size to great effect. However, during his later years he played as a floating defenderBack pocket
In Australian rules football, the back pocket refers to a position on the field deep in defence.Back pocket players, situated in the backline, need to have good spoiling skills and usually, quality back-pockets are noted for their hardness....
capable of playing on small forwards
Forward pocket
In Australian rules football, the forward pocket refers to a position on the field deep in offense.Forward pocket players, situated in the forward line, need to have good avoidance and goal sneak skills and usually, quality forward-pockets are noted for their agility and ability to score difficult...
. Despite his personal admission to not being "the greatest player", Harley's play-reading ability saw him recognised as one of the league's best at intercepting opposition passes inside his defensive 50m arc.
Harley's leadership skills have been consistently praised during his time in the league. Despite his reputation for not being the team's greatest player, he was widely regarded as a natural leader whose character "was the heartbeat of Geelong". Teammate Gary Ablett
Gary Ablett, Jr.
Gary Ablett, Jr. is a professional Australian rules football player and current captain of the Gold Coast Football Club in the Australian Football League ....
complimented Harley as being "very approachable ... [and] the key to gelling the team together". Many commentators have attributed his leadership influence as being a key factor in Geelong's premiership success. Specifically, he was credited with helping transform the culture of the club, in setting standards for on and off-field behaviour. Harley's legacy as captain of the club was pronounced by Bill McMaster
Bill McMaster
Cyril 'Bill' McMaster is a former Australian rules footballer and a coach in the VFL.-External links:*- References :*...
as being one of the great leaders of Geelong alongside Reg Hickey
Reg Hickey
Reg Hickey was a player, and later coach, of the Geelong Football Club. Between 1926 and 1959 he led the club to four premierships....
and Fred Flanagan
Fred Flanagan
Fred Flanagan is a former Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League .Flanagan was a gifted centre half-forward from Swan Hill who was a magnificent mark and kick...
.
Personal life
Harley is the second of three children and has two brothers, elder brother Sam and younger brother Ben. He is married to Sydney-based journalist Felicity Harley (née Percival), whom he met while being interviewed for an article in CosmopolitanCosmopolitan (magazine)
Cosmopolitan is an international magazine for women. It was first published in 1886 in the United States as a family magazine, was later transformed into a literary magazine and eventually became a women's magazine in the late 1960s...
.
After starting his Bachelor of Commerce degree at an Adelaide institution in 1996, Harley transferred to Deakin University
Deakin University
Deakin University is an Australian public university with nearly 40,000 higher education students in 2010. It receives more than A$600 million in operating revenue annually, and controls more than A$1.3 billion in assets. It received more than A$35 million in research income in 2009 and had 835...
and graduated 11 years later in 2007. Harley was one of 21 players from the Geelong Football Club who witnessed the 2002 Bali bombings first-hand during an off-season holiday to the popular tourist destination. Harley and his fellow team mates were preparing to venture to the Sari night club just moments prior to the terrorist attack.
In 2008, Harley was named an ambassador for an anti-booze-fuelled violence campaign run by the Geelong Advertiser
Geelong Advertiser
The Geelong Advertiser is a daily newspaper servicing Geelong, Victoria, Australia, the Bellarine Peninsula and surrounding areas. The Geelong Advertiser is the oldest newspaper title in Victoria and the second oldest in Australia, and was first published on 21 November 1840. The newspaper is...
newspaper, titled "Just Think". As part of his ambassadorial role, Harley has appeared in numerous advertisements alongside fellow Geelong teammates and ambassadors James Kelly and David Wojcinski
David Wojcinski
David "Wojo" Wojcinski is an Australian rules footballer for the Geelong Football Club in the Australian Football League .-Career:Wojcinski made his debut in 1998. He won the club's Most Improved Player award for 2004....
. He is also an active health ambassador for Barwon Health. During 2009, Harley's position as captain of the Geelong Football Club saw him participate in the inaugural Captains' Forum. Harley was selected as one of 24 leaders in Australian sport to discuss and develop a national response at Canberra's Parliament House for emerging challenges impacting sport and the broader community.
Statistics
| Season | Team | No. | Games | Disposals | Kicks Kick (football) Kicking is a method used by many types of football, including:* Association football* Australian rules football* International rules football* American football* Canadian football* Gaelic football* Rugby league* Rugby union... |
Handballs Handball (Australian rules football) Handball is a term in the sport of Australian rules football which describes a method of disposing of possession of the football by hand. It is the most frequently used alternative to kicking the ball... |
Marks Mark (Australian football) A mark is a skill in Australian rules football where a player cleanly catches a kicked ball that has travelled more than 15 metres without anyone else touching it or the ball hitting the ground.... |
Tackles Tackle (football move) Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend.... |
Goals | Behinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 2009 AFL season -Round 1 :-Round 2:-Round 3 :-Round 4:-Round 5 :-Round 6:-Round 7:-Round 8:-Round 9 :-Round 10:... |
Geelong | 2 | 14 | 13.0 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 4.3 | 1.9 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| 2008 2008 AFL season -Round 1 :-Round 2:-Round 3 :-Round 4:-Round 5:-Round 6 :-Round 7:-AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match:-Round 8:... |
Geelong | 2 | 25 | 15.1 | 6.8 | 8.4 | 5.0 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 2007 2007 AFL season The 2007 AFL Season was the 111th season of the Australian Football League, the highest-level professional Australian rules football league in Australia... |
Geelong | 2 | 17 | 13.8 | 7.9 | 5.9 | 5.4 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| 2006 2006 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2006.-National Cup: 3.10.5 defeated 1.10.15 in the 2006 NAB Cup Final... |
Geelong | 2 | 13 | 12.2 | 6.8 | 5.5 | 4.6 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 2005 2005 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2005.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-National Cup:... |
Geelong | 2 | 13 | 10.5 | 7.0 | 3.5 | 4.9 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 |
| 2004 2004 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2004.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-Wizard Home Loans Cup:The Wizard Home Loans Cup Final saw St... |
Geelong | 2 | 25 | 13.2 | 8.8 | 4.3 | 5.3 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 2003 2003 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2003.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-National Cup:... |
Geelong | 2 | 14 | 14.0 | 9.0 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 2002 2002 AFL season -Round 2:-Round 3:-Round 4:-Round 5 :-Ladder:All teams played 22 games during the home and away season, for a total of 176... |
Geelong | 2 | 22 | 13.2 | 9.1 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
| 2001 2001 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2001.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-National Cup:Port Adelaide defeated Brisbane Lions 17.9 to 3.8 in the Final.... |
Geelong | 37 | 22 | 10.8 | 7.0 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| 2000 | Geelong | 37 | 23 | 10.6 | 7.6 | 3.0 | 3.3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 1999 | Geelong | 37 | 9 | 8.7 | 6.6 | 2.1 | 3.0 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 1998 | Port Adelaide | 27 | 1 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Career Averages | 12.4 | 7.6 | 4.9 | 4.4 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | |||
| Season | Team | No. | Games | Disposals | Kicks Kick (football) Kicking is a method used by many types of football, including:* Association football* Australian rules football* International rules football* American football* Canadian football* Gaelic football* Rugby league* Rugby union... |
Handballs Handball (Australian rules football) Handball is a term in the sport of Australian rules football which describes a method of disposing of possession of the football by hand. It is the most frequently used alternative to kicking the ball... |
Marks Mark (Australian football) A mark is a skill in Australian rules football where a player cleanly catches a kicked ball that has travelled more than 15 metres without anyone else touching it or the ball hitting the ground.... |
Tackles Tackle (football move) Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend.... |
Goals | Behinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 2009 AFL season -Round 1 :-Round 2:-Round 3 :-Round 4:-Round 5 :-Round 6:-Round 7:-Round 8:-Round 9 :-Round 10:... |
Geelong | 2 | 14 | 182 | 84 | 98 | 60 | 26 | 1 | 0 |
| 2008 2008 AFL season -Round 1 :-Round 2:-Round 3 :-Round 4:-Round 5:-Round 6 :-Round 7:-AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match:-Round 8:... |
Geelong | 2 | 25 | 378 | 169 | 209 | 126 | 28 | 1 | 0 |
| 2007 2007 AFL season The 2007 AFL Season was the 111th season of the Australian Football League, the highest-level professional Australian rules football league in Australia... |
Geelong | 2 | 17 | 234 | 134 | 100 | 92 | 19 | 1 | 0 |
| 2006 2006 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2006.-National Cup: 3.10.5 defeated 1.10.15 in the 2006 NAB Cup Final... |
Geelong | 2 | 13 | 159 | 88 | 71 | 60 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 2005 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2005.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-National Cup:... |
Geelong | 2 | 13 | 136 | 91 | 45 | 64 | 16 | 2 | 1 |
| 2004 2004 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2004.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-Wizard Home Loans Cup:The Wizard Home Loans Cup Final saw St... |
Geelong | 2 | 25 | 329 | 221 | 108 | 132 | 32 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 2003 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2003.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-National Cup:... |
Geelong | 2 | 14 | 196 | 126 | 70 | 69 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 2002 AFL season -Round 2:-Round 3:-Round 4:-Round 5 :-Ladder:All teams played 22 games during the home and away season, for a total of 176... |
Geelong | 2 | 22 | 290 | 201 | 89 | 94 | 21 | 3 | 4 |
| 2001 2001 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2001.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-National Cup:Port Adelaide defeated Brisbane Lions 17.9 to 3.8 in the Final.... |
Geelong | 37 | 22 | 238 | 154 | 84 | 81 | 20 | 3 | 1 |
| 2000 | Geelong | 37 | 23 | 244 | 175 | 69 | 75 | 24 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | Geelong | 37 | 9 | 78 | 59 | 19 | 27 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 | Port Adelaide | 27 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Totals | 198 | 2465 | 1503 | 962 | 880 | 225 | 12 | 6 | ||
Honours and achievements
| Brownlow Medal Brownlow Medal The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game... votes |
|
| Season | Votes |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 0 |
| 1999 | 0 |
| 2000 | 0 |
| 2001 | 0 |
| 2002 | 0 |
| 2003 | 2 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 0 |
| 2006 2006 Brownlow Medal The 2006 Brownlow Medal was awarded to Adam Goodes from the Sydney Swans for being the best and fairest player during the 2006 Australian Football League home and away season. It is the most prestigious individual award in Australian rules football and was held at the Crown Palladium in... |
0 |
| 2007 2007 Brownlow Medal Round 2 Round 3 Round 4Round 5-Rounds 6–10:Round 6Round 7Round 8Round 9 Round 10-Rounds 11–15:Round 11Round 12 Round 13Round 14 Round 15-Rounds 16–20:... |
2 |
| 2008 2008 Brownlow Medal The 2008 Brownlow Medal was awarded to Adam Cooney of the Western Bulldogs, who was adjudged to have been the best and fairest player during the 2008 Australian Football League home and away season. It is the most prestigious individual award in Australian rules football and was held at the Crown... |
7 |
| 2009 2009 Brownlow Medal -Voting Procedure:The three field umpires confer after each match and award 3 votes, 2 votes and 1 vote to the players they regard as the best, second best and third best in the match respectively.-Ineligible players:As the award is for the Best and Fairest player in the league, players found guilty... |
0 |
| Total | 12 |
Team
- AFL Premiership (Geelong): 2007, 2009 (Captain)
- AFL McClelland Trophy (Geelong): 2007, 2008
- SANFL Reserves Premiership (Norwood): 1998
Individual
- All-Australian: 2008 (Vice-Captain)
- AFLPA Best Captain AwardAFLPA AwardsThe AFL Players' Association Awards are a group of awards given annually to players in the Australian Football League, voted for by all AFL players.-Leigh Matthews Trophy:...
: 2008 - Captain of Geelong F.C.: 2007–2009
- Geelong F.C. Best Clubman Award: 2002, 2006, 2008
- Geelong F.C. Coach's Award: 2001
- Geelong F.C. Most Determined and Most Dedicated Player Award: 2000
- Geelong F.C. Community Champion Award: 2008
- South Australian State of Origin representative honours: 2007, 2008 (Captain)
- Legendary Performers Award: 2009
See also
- List of Geelong Football Club individual awards and records
- List of Geelong Football Club captains
- List of Australian Football League premiership captains and coaches