Kevin Sheedy (Australian footballer)

Infobox afl player | firstname = Kevin
lastname = Sheedy

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birthdate = Birth date and age|1947|12|24|df=y
birthplace = Melbourne
originalteam = Prahran (VFA)
heightweight = 180cm / 80.5kg
nickname = Sheeds
dead = alive
deathdate =
deathplace =
debutdate = Round 3, 29 April 1967
debutteam = Richmond
debutopponent = Fitzroy
debutstadium = MCG
playingteams = Richmond (1967-1979)

251 games, 91 goals
coach = coach
coachingteams = Essendon (1981-2007)

635 games - 386 wins, 242 losses, 7 draws
statsend = 2007
careerhighlights =

*Richmond Premiership Player 1969, 1973, 1974
*Richmond Best & Fairest 1976
*Richmond Captain 1978
*Interstate Games:- 8
*Richmond - Team of The Century
*Richmond - Hall of Fame - inducted 2002
*Essendon Premiership coach 1984, 1985, 1993, 2000
*Australia international rules football team coach 2005, 2006

Kevin John Sheedy AM (born 24 December 1947) was the coach of AFL club Essendon, and a former player for Richmond. He holds the AFL record for the most games combined as a player and coach. [ [http://www.afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=47935 Essendon ends Sheedy reign] ]

Sheedy was the quintessential self-made player. Not blessed with great skills, he was able to carve out a brilliant career with dedication, perseverance and thoughtfulness. At his peak, he was a supreme big-game performer who epitomised the "kill or be killed" attitude of the Richmond club. He also attracted criticism for his theatrical attempts to win free kicks, his provocative gestures to opposition players and his occasional use of force. Later in his career, he realised an ambition he had held since his schooldays of becoming a full-time professional football player.

After his retirement, he commenced a coaching career with Essendon that has endured through several eras of the game. Sheedy is an innovator whose ideas shaped the modern style of Australian football coaching, taking it away from the "hot gospelling", hard training style and into the realms of a science. He has been at the forefront of many changes to the game in the last 25 years, and, despite his idiosyncratic speaking style is always sought for an opinion on any matter concerned with football.

On 25 July 2007, it was announced that his contract would not be renewed at the end of the season, ending 27 years as Essendon senior coach. [ [http://sportal.com.au/default.aspx/AFL-news-display/sheedy-becomes-next-casualty-31908 Sheedy becomes next casualty] ]

In Sheedy's last home game as coach against Richmond in Round 21 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, a near sell out crowd of 88,468 people turned out to farewell the great man Sheedy and James Hird. Although Essendon were defeated by a few goals, Sheedy received a standing ovation as he left the field for the last time. [ [http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22312464-2862,00.html Kevin Sheedy, James Hird farewell the MCG] ]

Sheedy's passion for coaching continued and he vowed to pursue a coaching career at another club [ [http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/hird-spent-but-life-left-in-sheedy-yet/2007/08/27/1188066956184.html Hird 'spent' but life left in Sheedy yet] ] but in the interim accepted an ambassadorial position with the AFL. [ [http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/08/07/1998622.htm Sheedy accepts ambassador role] ] He is currently running and writing articles on Supercoach in the Herald Sun

Early Days

Sheedy played junior football with the local Try Boys society team whilst attending De La Salle College Malvern, where future teammate Kevin Bartlett also spent a brief time. In 1963, he joined VFA club Prahran, and spent a year with the thirds. The next year, at the tender age of 16, he played senior football with the Two Blues and was soon a regular with the team. His home was in Melbourne's zone, so he took up an invitation to try out with the Demons, playing a few practice matches. But Sheedy didn't feel comfortable there and returned to Prahran, playing in the club's premiership team in 1966. By now, Richmond had shown some interest in the young centreman and received permission from Melbourne to speak with him. Sheedy jumped at the chance to join the up and coming Tigers, but a problem emerged when he shifted to Punt Road. The VFA refused to endorse his clearance due to a disagreement with the VFL. If he moved to the VFL without the relevant clearance and failed as a player, Sheedy would earn a five year suspension from every other competition in Australia. It was a big risk for a young player and many people at Prahran weren't convinced he was ready for the VFL. Not for the last time in his life, Sheedy took the gamble.

Another hurdle to jump was Billy Barrot. Barrot, a star player loved by the Tiger fans, played in Sheedy's favoured position of centre. Fortunately for Sheedy, Barrot was somewhat temperamental and prone to miss some matches. When he was injured in the third game of the year, Sheedy was selected in his place for his debut. But Sheedy struggled and after six games in the seniors found himself back in the reserves for the remainder of the year. [ [http://stats.afl.com.au/public/statistics/player_roundbyround/1967/14/player_roundbyround_14_1967.shtml?club_idIndex=12&season_idIndex=40 AFL player statistics] ] His season was ended by a serious knee injury that further put his future into doubt. From the sidelines, he watched Richmond win the premiership against Geelong.

The Back Pocket Plumber

Returned to fitness, Sheedy faced an enormous challenge in 1968. Fortunately coach Tom Hafey saw something in Sheedy's willingness to listen, his determination and fierce desire for the ball. Placed in a back pocket, Sheedy firstly nailed a regular spot and then began to emerge as key player in the team's defence. He won a Victorian guernsey in 1969 and was a stand out in the Tigers' three finals games, which culminated in a second flag in three years. He finished runner-up best and fairest to claim a remarkable turn around in just two years.

By now, Sheedy's on-field persona marked him as a "villain" to be watched. He enjoyed niggling his opponents, physically and verbally and seemed to be at the centre of every melee on the ground. Occasionally, his teammates blanched at some of his more theatrical attempts to win free kicks or fifteen-metre penalties and he had the ability to drive opposing supporters into a frenzy. Since his injury, Sheedy had lived on the edge knowing that if he failed at Richmond it would be the end of the line because of the impending five-year suspension. But he seemed to have an innate ability to read how far he could push the envelope and indeed he was never reported during his career, a fact that would surprise most who saw him play.

He was now acknowledged the best in his position in the VFL and a key personality at Punt Road. A turning point came in the 1972 season, when Sheedy played in Richmond's losing Grand Final team. In an earlier final, Sheedy had ruffled Carlton's captain coach John Nicholls, suggesting that he was finished as a player and that Richmond had the wood on the Blues. Nicholls and his men, stung by media criticism and the attitude of the Richmond players, played a whirlwind first half in the Grand Final, booting eighteen goals to lead by 45 points. Sheedy, caught embarrassingly out of position a number of times, was switched to the unfamiliar position of ruck rover for the last half. Although the Tigers lost, Sheedy was a revelation in his new role.

Now permanently playing on the ball, he set up Richmond's Grand Final win in 1973 with three goals in the first quarter. In 1974, he was best afield in the Grand Final with 30 disposals highlighted by an uncanny piece of play in the second quarter. Sheedy marked next to the goalpost, went back to apparently take his kick from the impossible angle surrounded by opposition players, then casually ran in and handballed over the head of the man on the mark to lone teammate in the goalsquare who booted the easiest goal of his life. It was this mixture of flamboyance and cunning that attracted the media to him, and Sheedy was voted player of the year by journalists.

Sheedy made good copy; during the season Richmond had appointed him as full-time promotions officer, effectively making him the first professional footballer in the VFL. In time, all of the clubs would copy this appointment and by the 1980s, most clubs had a half dozen or so players employed as promotions officers. It was a bridge between the casual Saturday afternoon era and the age of true professionalism in the 1990s.

After finishing third in 1975, Richmond began a slide down the ladder. Sheedy's standard remained high - in 1976 he won the best and fairest for the only time and received life membership of the club. But he was shocked when his mentor and idol Tom Hafey left the club due to a lack of support at committee level. In 1978, he was made captain but his game was now struggling and he resigned after just one year. After just four games the following season, Sheedy read the writing on the wall when he was started all of the matches on the bench. He announced his retirement and immediately became an assistant to coach Tony Jewell. Throughout the 1980 season, it was clear he was preparing for a senior coaching role. He examined every facet of the club as the team went on to take the premiership.

Coaching career

Sheedy's greatest impact on the game has been during his time as coach of the Essendon Bombers. Sheedy held down the role continuously between 1981 and 2007, during which time some other sides have had over a dozen different coaches. Essendon won four premierships during Sheedy's time as coach in 1984, 1985, 1993 and 2000, as well as finishing runner-up three more times in 1983, 1990 and 2001.

Until round 16, 2007, Sheedy had coached the club in 629 games, a record for Essendon, and the second most by any coach in the history of the game. [http://afl.allthestats.com/coaches/coachrecs.php] Coupled with the 251 games as a player, it is the most combined games as a player and coach in the history of the AFL, as some of Jock McHale's games were as a captain-coach.

He has never been a passive coach, and is well known for trying what commentators have often described as bizarre tactics. Sheedy has always believed in trying his players in as many different positions as possible, and also in giving discarded players from other clubs a second chance. These moves haven't always paid off, but sometimes they have been crucial. Sheedy made several moves in the last quarter of the 1984 grand final, when Essendon looked out of the game, and the side scored a come-from-behind victory. On the recruiting front, prior to the 2000 season, Sheedy lured ruckman John Barnes back to Essendon (a side that had traded him many years earlier) after he was let go by Geelong. Barnes proved to be a valuable player in the premiership side that year.

On Round 9 of the 2006 AFL season, Sheedy coached his 600th VFL/AFL game. However, the milestone was not one to be remembered, as Essendon went down by 60 points to Port Adelaide (a fate that also befell Jock McHale, who lost his 600th game as coach of Collingwood). The loss marked a low point in Sheedy's career, with the Bombers missing the finals in 2006 and in finishing 15th, their lowest finish under Sheedy.

Following the mid year departures of other AFL senior coaches Neale Daniher, Chris Connolly and Denis Pagan, speculation mounted that Essendon would move to remove Sheedy in order to hire one of these experienced coaches or alternatively compete with the other coachless clubs for the leading candidates. [Timms, D; [http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,22130991-21543,00.html Sheedy's fate in 'three weeks'] ] On 25 July 2007, it was announced that his contract would not be renewed in 2008. Sheedy agreed to stay for the rest of the season [ [http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22131535-5005961,00.html Kevin Sheedy sacked by Essendon] Retrieved on 25 July 2007.] and had a farewell match against West Coast in Round 22 2007 at the Subiaco Oval where Essendon lost by eight points.

Public persona

Sheedy is also noted for his quirky antics, outspoken nature and wry sense of humour. For example, strong rumours suggest that before a game against West Coast Eagles at Essendon's former home ground, Windy Hill, he tied the windsock down on the School End outer terrace so the opposition would not know which way the wind was blowing. He is also fond of talking about how Martians cost his side the game in post-match press conferences, an oblique reference to the umpires, as AFL rules forbid coaches from criticising umpiring decisions. Such stories perpetuate the eccentric Sheedy myth and enigma to trial anything for success.

Another of his most memorable stunts came in 1993. In his excitement at winning a close match, with ruckman and forward Paul Salmon kicking a goal after the final siren against the West Coast Eagles, he waved his jacket in the air as he came rushing from the coaches box. To this day, the supporters of the winning club wave their jackets in the air after the game when the two teams play.

Another example of his ability to build up and promote matches was in 1998 when he labelled Kangaroos executives Greg Miller and Mark Dawson "marshmallows", referring to how soft they were. This caused a tension between the two camps and came back to bite Sheedy, with the Kangaroos defeating the Essendon Football Club in a finals match that season. After the match, Kangaroos supporters were provided with marshmallows, which they threw at Sheedy. Unfazed by this, Sheedy then promoted the rematch in 1999 as the "marshmallow" game.

Sheedy has long been an ambassador for the game throughout Australia, taking it upon himself to promote both the game in general and the Essendon club in particular. He has also done a great deal of work with Aboriginal communities in the northern parts of Australia, encouraging young Aboriginal people to take up the game, and being a vocal supporter of anti-racial vilification laws in the game. He has also encouraged foreign players to train with his side such as a former American footballer, a skillfully athletic Ethiopian immigrant and more recently two gallant Japanese try-outs.

In the build up to the 2005 International Rules Series, as coach of the Australian side, Sheedy promoted the game by light-heartedly mentioning that supporters could attend the International rules game and be in for a high-scoring clash, or watch the Melbourne Victory game which was on at the same time, and see a scoreline of "0-0, or 1-0, or 1-1".

Sheedy has racked up numerous appearances on television and radio, including appearing on FOX FM's Friday morning football tipping with Tracy Bartram and Matt Tilley in 2003 and 2004. He is also currently the spokesman for Aquamax Australian water heating systems.

Sheedy visited the United States in 2007 on a tour of North America as AFL ambassador, attending the USAFL National Championships and was well received from stateside fans. [ [http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,22593552-23211,00.html Sheedy proves a hit in US] from news.com.au] He is currently running and writing articles on Supercoach in the Herald Sun

Sheedy is married to Geraldine, and they have four children.

Notes

References

* Hogan P: "The Tigers Of Old", Richmond FC, Melbourne 1996

External links

* [http://www.richmondfc.com.au/TheClub/History/HallofFame/tabid/7638/Default.aspx Richmond Football Club - Hall of Fame]
*
* [http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/news/Features/The-Sheedy-legacy/2005/05/10/1115584961847.html Kevin Sheedy - 25 years of coaching]
* [http://www.theroar.com.au/2007/07/26/the-end-of-an-afl-icon/ The end of an AFL icon]