- Stephen Michael
Stephen Michael (born 15 March 1956) in
Kojonup, Western Australia is a formerAustralian rules football er.An
Australian Aborigine , he played in the WAFL from 1975-1985 with theSouth Fremantle Football Club , playing 243 games and kicking 231 goals. He played in South's 1980 premiership side and was captain in 1983. He holds the WAFL record for the most consecutive league games with 217.He was a strong, high leaping ruckman who won the
Sandover Medal in 1980 and 1981. His 37 votes in 1981 was a record tally under the 3-2-1 voting system in place at the time. He represented Western Australia in State orState of Origin football on 17 occasions, captaining the side 3 times. In 1983 he won theSimpson Medal for the best player in the WA vs SA game and theTassie Medal as the best player in Australia inState of Origin football. He was also named captain in the 1983All-Australian Team . He won the South Fremantle's fairest and best in 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981 and 1983.In 1995 he was named as an inaugural member of the
Fremantle Football Hall of Legends . In 1999, he was inducted into theAustralian Football Hall of Fame . In 2005 he was named at Centre Half Forward in the Australian FootballIndigenous Team of the Century .Throughout his career, Michael resisted numerous advances by
VFL clubs to move east and is often listed as one of the best players to never play in theVFL .His son,
Clem Michael , also playedAustralian rules football forSouth Fremantle Football Club (including the 1997 premiership side) andFremantle Football Club . Unlike his resilient father's long career, Clem's career was cut short by a knee injury.
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