Gerard Neesham
Encyclopedia
Gerard Neesham is a former Australian rules football
er in the WAFL
and VFL as well as coach in the WAFL and AFL
. Today he is chief executive of the Clontarf Foundation
.
, Neesham played for East Fremantle
in 79 games, Swan Districts
in 97 games, and Claremont
in 42 games. He also represented Western Australia
3 times.
He won the best and fairest
at Swan Districts in 1979 and 1980 which led to him being noticed around the country as a quality player. This led to him having a brief stint in the VFL with the Sydney Swans
, where he played 9 games for 1 goal in 1982.
He played in 2 premierships for Swan Districts, including the last two of the Swans hattrick of premierships in 1983-1984, and made it 3 in a row when he won a flag with East Freo in 1985.
in the WAFL. He won premierships in 1987 and 1989 as player-coach, and again in 1991 and 1993 as coach.
In 1995 he was appointed inaugural coach of the Fremantle Football Club
in the Australian Football League
. While he had introduced an attacking and exciting style of game that exhibited flair, he had limited success as a coach, winning only 32 of his 88 games. Fellow AFL coach David Parkin
described Neesham's gameplan, that encouraged possession and was influenced by Neesham's water polo
background, as before his time.
Neesham is a member of the West Australian Football Hall of Fame
.
and was asked to coach the school's football team. He saw the opportunity to use football as encouragement for the students to remain at school and improve their lives. In 2000 he set up the Clontarf Foundation
, which encourages school and football participation amongst indigenous youth in Western Australia
. He is the chief executive officer and now runs 22 Academies across Western Australia and the Northern Territory, with a total enrollment of over 1300 students.
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 WAFL
West Australian Football League
The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League...
and VFL as well as coach in the WAFL and 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...
. Today he is chief executive of the Clontarf Foundation
Clontarf Foundation
The Clontarf Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation that exists to improve the education, discipline, self esteem, life skills and employment prospects of young Aboriginal men and by doing so, equip them to participate more meaningfully in society...
.
Playing career
In the WAFLWest Australian Football League
The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League...
, Neesham played for East Fremantle
East Fremantle Football Club
The East Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Sharks, is an Australian rules football club playing in the West Australian Football League . The team's home ground is East Fremantle Oval...
in 79 games, Swan Districts
Swan Districts Football Club
The Swan Districts Football Club, nicknamed the Swans, is an Australian rules football club playing in the West Australian Football League . The club is based at Bassendean Oval, in Bassendean, an eastern suburb of Perth, Western Australia...
in 97 games, and Claremont
Claremont Football Club
The Claremont Football Club, nicknamed the Tigers, is an Australian rules football club in the West Australian Football League . Its official colours are navy blue and gold....
in 42 games. He also represented Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
3 times.
He won the 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...
at Swan Districts in 1979 and 1980 which led to him being noticed around the country as a quality player. This led to him having a brief stint in the VFL with 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...
, where he played 9 games for 1 goal in 1982.
He played in 2 premierships for Swan Districts, including the last two of the Swans hattrick of premierships in 1983-1984, and made it 3 in a row when he won a flag with East Freo in 1985.
Coaching career
Neesham coached 259 games in total, 171 of which were for the Claremont Football ClubClaremont Football Club
The Claremont Football Club, nicknamed the Tigers, is an Australian rules football club in the West Australian Football League . Its official colours are navy blue and gold....
in the WAFL. He won premierships in 1987 and 1989 as player-coach, and again in 1991 and 1993 as coach.
In 1995 he was appointed inaugural coach of the Fremantle Football Club
Fremantle Football Club
The Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed The Dockers, is an Australian rules football team which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in the port city of Fremantle at the mouth of the Swan River in Western Australia...
in the Australian 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...
. While he had introduced an attacking and exciting style of game that exhibited flair, he had limited success as a coach, winning only 32 of his 88 games. Fellow AFL coach David Parkin
David Parkin
David Parkin is a former Australian rules footballer and four-time premiership coach.- Pre-football career :He attended Melbourne High School and during his time there, was the school vice-captain and captain of football....
described Neesham's gameplan, that encouraged possession and was influenced by Neesham's water polo
Water polo
Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
background, as before his time.
Neesham is a member of the West Australian Football Hall of Fame
West Australian Football Hall of Fame
The West Australian Football Hall of Fame was created in 2002 to recognise and enshrine those who have made a significant contribution to Australian rules football in Western Australia...
.
Clontarf Foundation
After leaving the AFL system he returned to teaching at Clontarf Aboriginal CollegeClontarf Aboriginal College
Clontarf Aboriginal College is the current name of a former orphanage for boys operated by the Christian Brothers organisation in the Perth suburb of Waterford in Western Australia. Opening in 1901, the facility has been used for a number of purposes since, most notably as an orphanage but also as...
and was asked to coach the school's football team. He saw the opportunity to use football as encouragement for the students to remain at school and improve their lives. In 2000 he set up the Clontarf Foundation
Clontarf Foundation
The Clontarf Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation that exists to improve the education, discipline, self esteem, life skills and employment prospects of young Aboriginal men and by doing so, equip them to participate more meaningfully in society...
, which encourages school and football participation amongst indigenous youth in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. He is the chief executive officer and now runs 22 Academies across Western Australia and the Northern Territory, with a total enrollment of over 1300 students.