Drew Banfield
Encyclopedia
Drew Banfield is a former AFL
football player.
Selected as the number 1 pick in the 1992 AFL Draft
, Banfield was recruited to the West Coast Eagles
, where he became one of their best clubmen and hardest-working defenders and utility players.
He won the Eagles' Club Champion Award
in 1996, as well as playing in the Eagles' 1994 premiership side
. He was not the flashiest of players, but his hard-working attributes and constant presence in the team for over a decade qualifies him as a more than worthy number one draft pick. In 2006 the West Coast Eagles were celebrating their 20th anniversary, and a best team from the club's history was chosen. Consideration was based on playing 100 games for the West Coast Eagles, career longevity, finishes in the Club Champion Award, impact and other individual accolades. Drew Banfield was named on the interchange bench in this side and will go down as one of the Eagles' greats.
In 2006, Banfield was struggling for selection and fought his way into the side in Round 9, but remained on the fringes of selection throughout the season. He missed out on the semi-final against the Bulldogs
but was recalled for the preliminary final against Adelaide, and retained for the Grand Final
against Sydney
due to his experience. It was his second AFL premiership, twelve years after his first. On Friday the 6th of October 2006, Banfield announced his retirement from AFL football at the West Coast Eagles Club Champion awards, having played 265 games.
Drew is married to Amber Lee-Steere and has one son, named Bailey. Drew went to Scotch College Perth,and still plays games against the Scotch 1st XI, as part of a Scotch tradition which occurs each year.
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
football player.
Selected as the number 1 pick in the 1992 AFL Draft
1992 AFL Draft
The 1992 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...
, Banfield was recruited to the West Coast Eagles
West Coast Eagles
The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
, where he became one of their best clubmen and hardest-working defenders and utility players.
He won the Eagles' Club Champion Award
Club Champion Award
The Club Champion Award is the award given to the West Coast Eagles player determined to have been the "Best and Fairest" throughout an AFL season....
in 1996, as well as playing in the Eagles' 1994 premiership side
1994 AFL Grand Final
The 1994 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Geelong Football Club and West Coast Eagles, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 1 October 1994. It was the 98th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League,...
. He was not the flashiest of players, but his hard-working attributes and constant presence in the team for over a decade qualifies him as a more than worthy number one draft pick. In 2006 the West Coast Eagles were celebrating their 20th anniversary, and a best team from the club's history was chosen. Consideration was based on playing 100 games for the West Coast Eagles, career longevity, finishes in the Club Champion Award, impact and other individual accolades. Drew Banfield was named on the interchange bench in this side and will go down as one of the Eagles' greats.
In 2006, Banfield was struggling for selection and fought his way into the side in Round 9, but remained on the fringes of selection throughout the season. He missed out on the semi-final against the 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...
but was recalled for the preliminary final against Adelaide, and retained for the Grand Final
2006 AFL Grand Final
The 2006 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Sydney Swans and West Coast Eagles, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 30 September 2006. It was the 110th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League, staged to...
against Sydney
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
due to his experience. It was his second AFL premiership, twelve years after his first. On Friday the 6th of October 2006, Banfield announced his retirement from AFL football at the West Coast Eagles Club Champion awards, having played 265 games.
Drew is married to Amber Lee-Steere and has one son, named Bailey. Drew went to Scotch College Perth,and still plays games against the Scotch 1st XI, as part of a Scotch tradition which occurs each year.