Gerard Healy
Encyclopedia
Gerard Healy is a former Australian rules football
er and commentator.
Healy attended St Bede's College
in Mentone
, where he was the Senior Football Captain.
in 1979, Healy played mostly in a forward pocket
role in attack before switching to an on-baller/midfielder role and establishing himself as one of the premier ball winners in the competition. He won Melbourne's Best and Fairest
award in 1984 in his last season with the Demons.
in 1985, after playing 121 games, moving to the Sydney Swans
at the beginning of the 1986 season. He immediately made an impact at the Swans
, winning Best and Fairest
s in his first three years with the team – 1986, 1987, 1988. He also took home the Brownlow Medal
in 1988 as the VFL
's Fairest and Best player, and was also named the VFL Players Association MVP
in the same year. He retired from Sydney
in 1991, due to a serious wrist injury. He was renowned as one of Sydney
's greats, being named in their Team of the Century
. Collingwood
picked up Healy in the 1991 Pre-Season Draft
, but Healy never played a game as he was retired.
In 2000 Healy was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame
.
On 18 July 2009, he was also inducted into the Sydney Swans Hall of Fame.
commentator, first with the Seven Network
on their AFL coverage.
On radio, he has also been a long-time special comments man on 3AW
in their AFL
coverage, as well as hosting Sports Today
. He gave a heartfelt farewell message on the show to his co-host David Hookes
after his passing in 2004. Hookes was later replaced on the show by Dwayne Russell
.
His audio commentary also has also been sampled for computer games such as AFL 2007 along with Dennis Cometti
.
Healy worked as a special commentator (or game analyst) for Fox Footy
from 2002 until its closure in 2006 as well as hosting "On the Couch
". He continued his commentary role for AFL matches with Fox Sports
from 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 and commentator.
Healy attended St Bede's College
St Bede's College (Mentone)
St Bede's College is a Roman Catholic, secondary school for boys, located in Mentone, Victoria, Australia.Founded in 1938, it is administered by the De La Salle Brothers and named after St. Bede the Venerable, a Benedictine monk and priest who spent his life teaching and writing in the...
in Mentone
Mentone, Victoria
Mentone is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 21 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Kingston...
, where he was the Senior Football Captain.
Melbourne Demons
Beginning his career with the Melbourne Football ClubMelbourne 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 1979, Healy played mostly in a forward pocket
Forward pocket
In Australian rules football, the forward pocket refers to a position on the field deep in offense.Forward pocket players, situated in the forward line, need to have good avoidance and goal sneak skills and usually, quality forward-pockets are noted for their agility and ability to score difficult...
role in attack before switching to an on-baller/midfielder role and establishing himself as one of the premier ball winners in the competition. He won Melbourne's 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...
award in 1984 in his last season with the Demons.
Sydney Swans
He left the DemonsMelbourne 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 1985, after playing 121 games, moving to the Sydney Swans
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...
at the beginning of the 1986 season. He immediately made an impact at the Swans
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...
, winning 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...
s in his first three years with the team – 1986, 1987, 1988. He also took home the 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...
in 1988 as the 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...
's Fairest and Best player, and was also named the VFL Players Association MVP
Leigh Matthews Trophy
The Leigh Matthews Trophy is an annual award given by the AFL Players Association to the Most Valuable Player in the Australian Football League. It is named in honour of Leigh Matthews, who won the first MVP award in 1982, when the league was still known as the Victorian Football League...
in the same year. He retired from 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...
in 1991, due to a serious wrist injury. He was renowned as one of 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...
's greats, being named in their Team of the Century
Team of the Century
Team of the Century and Team of the Decade are terms used in team sport to name a hypothetical best team over a given time period.For the century team, it can be either 100 years, or for a century...
. Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
picked up Healy in the 1991 Pre-Season Draft
1991 AFL Draft
- History :When the competition was known as the Victorian Football League , the league introduced the first incarnation of a draft system in 1981, where teams had two selections each of interstate players determined by reverse finishing position order...
, but Healy never played a game as he was retired.
In 2000 Healy was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame
Australian Football Hall of Fame
The Australian Football Hall of Fame was established in 1996, the Centenary year of the Australian Football League, to help recognise the contributions made to the sport of Australian rules football by players, umpires, media personalities, coaches and administrators. It was initially established...
.
On 18 July 2009, he was also inducted into the Sydney Swans Hall of Fame.
Commentating career
After retiring, Healy became an Australian rules footballAustralian 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...
commentator, first with the Seven Network
Seven 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...
on their AFL coverage.
On radio, he has also been a long-time special comments man on 3AW
3AW
3AW is a talkback radio station in Melbourne, Australia on 693 kHz AM. It began transmission on 22 February 1932 as Melbourne's fifth commercial radio station.-History:...
in their 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, as well as hosting Sports Today
Sports Today
Sports Today is a long-running radio show on Melbourne, Australia radio station 3AW.It currently airs on Monday to Thursday between 6 pm – 8 pm and is hosted by Gerard Healy and Dwayne Russell....
. He gave a heartfelt farewell message on the show to his co-host David Hookes
David Hookes
David William Hookes was an Australian cricketer, broadcaster and coach of the Victorian cricket team. An aggressive left-handed batsman, Hookes usually batted in the middle order...
after his passing in 2004. Hookes was later replaced on the show by Dwayne Russell
Dwayne Russell
Dwayne John Russell is a former Australian rules footballer and currently a commentator of the sport. He played for the Port Adelaide Football Club in the SANFL, before crossing over to VFL club Geelong in 1987...
.
His audio commentary also has also been sampled for computer games such as AFL 2007 along with Dennis Cometti
Dennis Cometti
Dennis Cometti is a former Australian rules football player and coach for West Perth in the West Australian Football League and Footscray in the Victorian Football League but is best known as a commentator. In a career spanning almost 40 years, his dry humour and smooth voice have become his...
.
Healy worked as a special commentator (or game analyst) for Fox Footy
Fox Footy
Fox Footy is an upcoming Australian Rules football subscription television channel dedicated to screening Australian rules football matches and related programming. It will be owned by Premier Media Group, operated out of their Melbourne based studios and available on Foxtel, Austar and Optus...
from 2002 until its closure in 2006 as well as hosting "On the Couch
On the Couch
On the Couch is an Australian television program focusing on the current issues in the Australian Football League. From its debut in 2002 through to 2006, it was shown on the now defunct Fox Footy Channel. Since then it has been broadcast on Fox Sports....
". He continued his commentary role for AFL matches with Fox Sports
Fox Sports (Australia)
Fox Sports is an Australia group of sports channels. They are owned by the Premier Media Group, which is in turn owned by News Corporation, and Consolidated Media Holdings. Its main competitors are ESPN, which has little local content and the free-to-air digital channel One HD...
from 2007.