Bruce Abernethy
Encyclopedia
Bruce Abernethy is a former Australian rules football
er in the SANFL, VFL/AFL and current media personality.
in the South Australian National Football League
as a 16 year old in 1978 and quickly made his mark as a running player of the highest calibre. Abernethy played in a premiership in each of his first three years, 1979, 1980 and 1981.
Abernethy made his VFL
debut in 1982 with North Melbourne
and played 43 games in two seasons before being traded to Collingwood
where he spent most of his career. After 58 games with the Pies, and bringing up his 100th VFL game, he returned to Port Adelaide in 1987 instead of continuing on with a VFL career. His club Best and Fairest win in 1987 and his key role in his second trifecta of Magpies premierships from 1988 to 1990, including a Jack Oatey Medal winning performance in the 1988 Grand Final, ensured that recruiting scouts continued to entice him to return to the VFL. He re-joined the league in 1991 with the Adelaide Crows in their inaugural season. He finished his career with a seventh premiership with Port Adelaide in 1992.
Health problems led to his early retirement after 190 games and 115 goals with Port Adelaide, 43 games and 21 goals with North Melbourne, 58 games and 16 goals with Collingwood and 11 games and two goals with Adelaide.
's AFL
coverage in Adelaide
. Bruce became main sports presenter at 7 in the early 1990s and presents the sport report on Seven News on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, and on weekends to maximise his coverage of weekend AFL. Bruce also acted as a presenter during Seven's coverage of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.
He was inducted into the South Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2007.
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 in the SANFL, VFL/AFL and current media personality.
Football career
Nicknamed "ABBA", Abernethy debuted for Port Adelaide Football ClubPort 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...
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....
as a 16 year old in 1978 and quickly made his mark as a running player of the highest calibre. Abernethy played in a premiership in each of his first three years, 1979, 1980 and 1981.
Abernethy made his 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...
debut in 1982 with North Melbourne
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
and played 43 games in two seasons before being traded to Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
where he spent most of his career. After 58 games with the Pies, and bringing up his 100th VFL game, he returned to Port Adelaide in 1987 instead of continuing on with a VFL career. His club Best and Fairest win in 1987 and his key role in his second trifecta of Magpies premierships from 1988 to 1990, including a Jack Oatey Medal winning performance in the 1988 Grand Final, ensured that recruiting scouts continued to entice him to return to the VFL. He re-joined the league in 1991 with the Adelaide Crows in their inaugural season. He finished his career with a seventh premiership with Port Adelaide in 1992.
Health problems led to his early retirement after 190 games and 115 goals with Port Adelaide, 43 games and 21 goals with North Melbourne, 58 games and 16 goals with Collingwood and 11 games and two goals with Adelaide.
Post-football career
After his football career, Abernethy became a boundary rider for the Seven NetworkSeven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
's AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
coverage in Adelaide
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...
. Bruce became main sports presenter at 7 in the early 1990s and presents the sport report on Seven News on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, and on weekends to maximise his coverage of weekend AFL. Bruce also acted as a presenter during Seven's coverage of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.
He was inducted into the South Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2007.