Craig Starcevich
Encyclopedia
Craig Starcevich is a former Australian rules football
er in the VFL/AFL and currently a fitness trainer.
He was recruited from East Perth
whom he played 37 games for after he won the 1986 F. D. Book Medal for being judged their best and fairest
player. On the back of this, he was recruited to Collingwood in the VFL.
Starcevich made his VFL debut in 1987 with the Collingwood Football Club
. The key position
player came off the bench in Collingwood's 1990 premiership side and was a solid contributor during the 1990 AFL Grand Final
. He played 124 games, kicking 162 goals for Collingwood before moving to the Brisbane Bears
in 1994. He went on to play 20 games for 16 goals for the Bears before retiring at the end of 1995.
Following his retirement from AFL football, Starcevich has become one of the most prominent fitness trainers in the AFL, providing his services to the Brisbane Lions
and being part of premiership success with his conditioning work. In 2006 he was recruited as part of the St Kilda Football Club's head of training services in an attempt to turn around the club's large injury list in the 2005 season
. During the 2006 pre-season Starcevich adopted a controversial policy whereby players were banned from wearing thongs, citing the fact that they could increase the risk of injuries to feet. He left the Saints before the 2007 season citing "family reasons".
In March 2007, Starcevich joined A-league
team Queensland Roar as strength and conditioning coach.
Starcevich is of Croatia
n descent.
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 VFL/AFL and currently a fitness trainer.
He was recruited from East Perth
East Perth Football Club
The East Perth Football Club, nicknamed the Royals, is an Australian rules football club that is a member of the West Australian Football League...
whom he played 37 games for after he won the 1986 F. D. Book Medal for being judged their best and fairest
Best and Fairest
Best and Fairest is the term commonly used in Australian sport to describe the player adjudged to have had the best performance in a game or over a season for a given sporting club or competition while not receiving a suspension for misconduct or breaching the rules during that season.In the...
player. On the back of this, he was recruited to Collingwood in the VFL.
Starcevich made his VFL debut in 1987 with the Collingwood Football Club
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
. The key position
Key position
In the sport of Australian rules football, a "key position" refers to positions on the ground that are considered vital to the structure of a team.Key position players make up what is known as the "spine" of a team...
player came off the bench in Collingwood's 1990 premiership side and was a solid contributor during the 1990 AFL Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
. He played 124 games, kicking 162 goals for Collingwood before moving to the Brisbane Bears
Brisbane Bears
The Brisbane Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Bears was an Australian rules football club and the first Queensland-based club in the Victorian Football League . The club played its first match in 1987, but struggled on and off the field until it made the finals for the first time in 1995...
in 1994. He went on to play 20 games for 16 goals for the Bears before retiring at the end of 1995.
Following his retirement from AFL football, Starcevich has become one of the most prominent fitness trainers in the AFL, providing his services to the Brisbane Lions
Brisbane Lions
The Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996...
and being part of premiership success with his conditioning work. In 2006 he was recruited as part of the St Kilda Football Club's head of training services in an attempt to turn around the club's large injury list in the 2005 season
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:...
. During the 2006 pre-season Starcevich adopted a controversial policy whereby players were banned from wearing thongs, citing the fact that they could increase the risk of injuries to feet. He left the Saints before the 2007 season citing "family reasons".
In March 2007, Starcevich joined A-league
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
team Queensland Roar as strength and conditioning coach.
Starcevich is of Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n descent.