Gary Hardeman is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Melbourne

Melbourne Football Club

The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....

 in the Victorian Football League

Australian Football League

The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...

 (VFL) between the late 1960s and early 1980s.

Hardeman played as a half back and made his debut for Melbourne in the 1967 season. He remained with the club until 1977, during this time finishing second in the 1974 Brownlow Medal

Brownlow Medal

The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...

 count and earning All Australian

All-Australian Team

The All-Australian Team is an all star team of Australian rules footballers, selected by a panel at the end of each season. It represents a complete team, including interchange players and a coach, of the best performed during the season....

 selection for his performance in the 1972 Perth Carnival

1972 Perth Carnival

The 1972 Perth Carnival was the 18th edition of the Australian National Football Carnival, an Australian rules football interstate competition....

. After leaving the club at the end of 1977 he joined Sturt

Sturt Football Club

Sturt Football Club is an Australian rules football club in the South Australian National Football League. The club is best known for its period of dominance from 1966–76 under legendary coach Jack Oatey, during which it revolutionised the style of play by emphasising teamwork and accurate ball...

 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....

(SANFL) but returned to Melbourne in 1981 to play for one final season.

In 2000 he was selected at centre half back in Melbourne's official 'Team of the Century'.