Mal Michael
Encyclopedia
Malcolm Roberto "Mal" Michael (born 24 June 1977 in Port Moresby
, Papua New Guinea
) is a former Australian rules football
er. He is notable for his successful professional Australian Football League
(AFL) career. Following a career spanned 238 games and three clubs in two Australian states he is best known as a triple premiership full-back with the Brisbane Lions
. Michael is recognised as being one of the best Queensland produced Australian rules footballers of all time, being named on the AFL Queensland
Team of the 20th Century.
He is possibly the only Australian rules footballer who is better known in a country other than Australia, maintaining a high profile in Papua New Guinea
, and he is credited by many to have inspired the boom in playing numbers of Australian rules football in Papua New Guinea
. In April 2009, The Guardian
described him as one of Papua New Guinea's "living national icons", along with politician Michael Somare
and philosopher Bernard Narokobi
.
-born civil engineer and former Ormond Amateurs (VAFA) player. Peter was instrumental in developing AFL in PNG and founded the Bomana demons FC near Sogeri in Port Moresby. Michael moved to Brisbane with his parents at the age of 3 and later played junior football in Brisbane
with the Kenmore Bears. He attended Kenmore South State School before finishing off his schooling at St Peters Lutheran College
, Brisbane
, Australia
As a teenager, Michael was recruited by Queensland Australian Football League
club Morningside
. While at that club he was invited to train with the Brisbane Bears
Australian Football League
(AFL) club, with a view to potentially drafting
him—an exciting prospect for him as he was a Bears supporter at the time. However, the Bears did not draft him, with Melbourne
-based rival club Collingwood
drafting him to their rookie list
in 1996.
. He finished eighth in the club champion
voting and earned a Norwich Rising Star Award
nomination, but over ensuing seasons he was tried at both fullback and full-forward and struggled for consistency.
In 1999, he had the unfortunate honour of being the full-back playing on Sydney Swans
champion full-forward Tony Lockett
in the match that Lockett broke the record to become the greatest goalkicker in the game's history. Michael managed 61 games with the magpies, injuries grounding his rise in each of his five season at Victoria Park. Unfortunately, the Collingwood faithful never saw the best of him.
At the end of 2000 he was traded to the Brisbane Lions
along with a draft pick for Jarrod Molloy
.
and Chris Johnson
under the guidance of fearsome coach Leigh Matthews
.
He played fullback in each of the Lions' three successive premierships in 2001, 2002 and 2003, achieving his first premiership in his first year with the club.
Surprisingly during these years, despite being unanimously regarded as the most consistent fullback in the competition, he was unlucky to miss All-Australian selection. It is widely believed that this is due to the majority of his work being one percenter
s not generally credited by umpires or the stat sheets as much as actual possessions. Michael played 140 out of a posiible 145 games for the Lions during his six years with the club, as well as all pre-season competition games and two International rules series games against Ireland in 2004.
In 2005, Michael was involved in a much publicized incident with Nick Riewoldt
when he and Chris Scott both "tested" the St Kilda player's broken collarbone. The incident caused significant controversy.
behind in an unorthodox and notable fashion. He is not the first player to deliberately rush a behind with a kick between the goal posts, however his emphatic kick from over 20 metres out was quite remarkable. This attracted wide scrutiny in the media and was oft-replayed.
The next week, a leak in the media speculated that Michael was "burnt out" and disillusioned at the club, and was considering retirement. However, coach Leigh Matthews
later spoke out saying he had convinced Michael to stay on until the end of the season.
Michael claimed that the club was not giving him enough time for his community and charity initiatives in Papua New Guinea before. He claimed he had failing to negotiate a reduced training schedule so he could pursue his personal interests, something however which his coach Leigh Matthews later denied.
Michael announced his retirement on 5 October 2006 at only 29 years of age.
After his retirement it was speculated that he wanted return to Melbourne to base himself there while playing football semi-professionally for a local club.
and had reached an agreement whereby he will be selected by them in the pre-season draft for the 2007 season. The decision infuriated the Lions, who believed that Michael had exploited a loophole in the draft to change clubs and they questioned the sincerity of his retirement.
, who was delisted by the Bombers at the end of season 2006. Following his debut, the Brisbane Lions, who were not given any sort of compensation for the loss of Michael, continued to express feelings of betrayal to the media and frustration with the AFL's loose drafting rules.
In the 2007 and 2008 seasons, he has since featured in the backline alongside veteran Dustin Fletcher
and emerging youngster Paddy Ryder, however after the appointment of new coach Matthew Knights
who made his youth policy clear, Michael spend lengthy periods playing with the Bendigo Bombers
reserves side alongside fellow veterans Damien Peverill
and Jason Johnson
. He did not return to the seniors until much later in the season.
At the end of 2009, Michael coached a combined Under 23 Pacific Islands team to victory against an Under 23 North Queensland representative side.
He signed with the Heywood Football Club to play in the Western Border Football League
2010 season.
In 2010 Michael was appointed caretaker coach of the Papua New Guinea National Senior Team, before representing the team as a player in the pre-season campaign against AFL Cairns clubs.
football, acting as an ambassador for the game when he visits his homeland. He is possibly the only football player who is better known in a country other than Australia. He has appeared on a series of biscuit commercials in PNG as "the secret of Mal's success". In 2004, he hosted a popular football segment on a weekly PNG television show.
In early 2006, he established the Mal Michael Foundation, aimed at raising money to help give young Papua New Guineans the opportunity to play Aussie rules.
In 2007 Michael made a strategic deal with mining company Hannans Reward (ASX
:HNR) aimed at appealing the company to the Papua New Guinea market.
Michael's consultancy company M&M Synergy Ltd, deals in the natural resource sector in Papua New Guinea. They represent land owner incorporated companies to help them develop their assets. M&M Synergy Ltd specialise in joint venture projects and capital raising for timber
, mining
and petroleum
projects.
Port Moresby
Port Moresby , or Pot Mosbi in Tok Pisin, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea . It is located on the shores of the Gulf of Papua, on the southeastern coast of the island of New Guinea, which made it a prime objective for conquest by the Imperial Japanese forces during 1942–43...
, Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
) is a former Australian rules football
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. He is notable for his successful professional 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...
(AFL) career. Following a career spanned 238 games and three clubs in two Australian states he is best known as a triple premiership full-back with 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...
. Michael is recognised as being one of the best Queensland produced Australian rules footballers of all time, being named on the AFL Queensland
AFL Queensland
AFL Queensland is the governing body of Australian rules football in Queensland. It was formed in 2000 after the previous governing body for the sport in Queensland, the Queensland Australian Football League , went into voluntary liquidation...
Team of the 20th Century.
He is possibly the only Australian rules footballer who is better known in a country other than Australia, maintaining a high profile in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
, and he is credited by many to have inspired the boom in playing numbers of Australian rules football in Papua New Guinea
Australian rules football in Papua New Guinea
Australian rules football in Papua New Guinea is a rapidly developing team sport which was initially introduced by Australian servicemen. The sport has a long and somewhat shaky history, but has recently achieved big strides in the Papua New Guinea community and is now the second most popular sport...
. In April 2009, The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
described him as one of Papua New Guinea's "living national icons", along with politician Michael Somare
Michael Somare
Sir Michael Thomas Somare, GCL, GCMG, CH, CF, KStJ, MP was Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea from 2002 to 2011; he had previously been Prime Minister from independence in 1975 until 1980 and again from 1982 until 1985. Somare's first two terms were as a member of the Pangu Party, but he then...
and philosopher Bernard Narokobi
Bernard Narokobi
Bernard Narokobi was a Papua New Guinean politician and philosopher. He was serving as the Papua New Guinean High Commissioner to New Zealand prior to his death. Between 1987 and 1997 he represented his Wewak Open Electorate as a Member in the Papua New Guinea's National Parliament...
.
Early life
Michael was born in Papua New Guinea. His mother Alice is from Delena, Central Province a village near Port Moresby. and his father Peter is a MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
-born civil engineer and former Ormond Amateurs (VAFA) player. Peter was instrumental in developing AFL in PNG and founded the Bomana demons FC near Sogeri in Port Moresby. Michael moved to Brisbane with his parents at the age of 3 and later played junior football in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
with the Kenmore Bears. He attended Kenmore South State School before finishing off his schooling at St Peters Lutheran College
St Peters Lutheran College
St Peters Lutheran College is an independent, co-educational, Lutheran, day and boarding school, situated on a campus in Indooroopilly, an inner suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia....
, Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
As a teenager, Michael was recruited by Queensland Australian Football League
AFL Queensland
AFL Queensland is the governing body of Australian rules football in Queensland. It was formed in 2000 after the previous governing body for the sport in Queensland, the Queensland Australian Football League , went into voluntary liquidation...
club Morningside
Morningside Australian Football Club
Morningside Australian Football Club, also known as Morningside AFC or the Panthers, is an Australian Rules football club based at Jack Esplen Oval in the suburb of Hawthorne in Brisbane...
. While at that club he was invited to train with 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...
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...
(AFL) club, with a view to potentially drafting
AFL Draft
The AFL Draft is the annual draft of new unsigned players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.-History:...
him—an exciting prospect for him as he was a Bears supporter at the time. However, the Bears did not draft him, with Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
-based rival club Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
drafting him to their rookie list
AFL Draft
The AFL Draft is the annual draft of new unsigned players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.-History:...
in 1996.
Collingwood Football Club
Michael debuted in 1997 as the first player in the AFL to be elevated to the seniors from the rookie listAFL Draft
The AFL Draft is the annual draft of new unsigned players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.-History:...
. He finished eighth in the club champion
Copeland Trophy
The E.W. Copeland Trophy is an Australian rules football award given by the Collingwood Football Club to the player adjudged Best and Fairest for Collingwood during the year....
voting and earned a Norwich Rising Star Award
Rising Star Award
Rising Star Award may refer to:*AFL Rising Star award*Rising Star Award, BAFTA...
nomination, but over ensuing seasons he was tried at both fullback and full-forward and struggled for consistency.
In 1999, he had the unfortunate honour of being the full-back playing on 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...
champion full-forward Tony Lockett
Tony Lockett
Anthony Howard "Tony" Lockett is a former Australian rules football player. Lockett is the highest goal scorer in the history of the VFL/AFL with 1,360 goals in a career of 281 games, that commenced in 1983 with the St Kilda Football Club, and finished in 2002 with the Sydney Swans...
in the match that Lockett broke the record to become the greatest goalkicker in the game's history. Michael managed 61 games with the magpies, injuries grounding his rise in each of his five season at Victoria Park. Unfortunately, the Collingwood faithful never saw the best of him.
At the end of 2000 he was traded 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...
along with a draft pick for Jarrod Molloy
Jarrod Molloy
Jarrod Molloy was an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.A key position player, Molloy was trialled in both attack and defence as his career wore on, with most success enjoyed near the goalmouth....
.
Brisbane Lions Football Club
Michael debuted for the Brisbane Lions in 2001. At the Lions he bulked up substantially and became one of the AFL's strongest players, and was a fearsome fullback. Michael fitted in well with the other Lions hard men, such as Chris ScottChris M. Scott
Christopher Michael "Chris" Scott is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League best known as being a dual premiership player with the Brisbane Lions and is a current premiership AFL coach of the Geelong Football Club.-AFL career:Scott was picked by the Brisbane Bears...
and Chris Johnson
Chris L. Johnson
Christopher Lloyd Johnson is a former professional Australian rules footballer.His career highlights as an Australian Football League player include three premierships with Brisbane, All-Australian selection, captain of the Australian International Rules team and inclusion in the Indigenous Team...
under the guidance of fearsome coach Leigh Matthews
Leigh Matthews
Leigh Raymond "Lethal Leigh" Matthews AM is a former player and coach of Australian rules football. He played for Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League from 1969 to 1985, coached Collingwood from 1986–1995, and coached the Brisbane Lions from 1999 to 2008...
.
He played fullback in each of the Lions' three successive premierships in 2001, 2002 and 2003, achieving his first premiership in his first year with the club.
Surprisingly during these years, despite being unanimously regarded as the most consistent fullback in the competition, he was unlucky to miss All-Australian selection. It is widely believed that this is due to the majority of his work being one percenter
One percenter (Australian football)
A one percenter is a statistic kept in Australian football, and relates to a variety of actions which benefit the team, but are infrequent or defensive.-History:...
s not generally credited by umpires or the stat sheets as much as actual possessions. Michael played 140 out of a posiible 145 games for the Lions during his six years with the club, as well as all pre-season competition games and two International rules series games against Ireland in 2004.
In 2005, Michael was involved in a much publicized incident with Nick Riewoldt
Nick Riewoldt
Nick Riewoldt is an Australian rules footballer who is the current captain of the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League . He was the first draft selection in the 2000 AFL Draft.-Early life:...
when he and Chris Scott both "tested" the St Kilda player's broken collarbone. The incident caused significant controversy.
2006 season - Disillusionment and retirement
In the Round 14, 2006 game against Melbourne, Michael conceded a rushedRushed behind
In Australian rules football, a rushed behind occurs when the ball passes through the goalposts and was last touched by a defending player. It is similar to an own goal in other sports....
behind in an unorthodox and notable fashion. He is not the first player to deliberately rush a behind with a kick between the goal posts, however his emphatic kick from over 20 metres out was quite remarkable. This attracted wide scrutiny in the media and was oft-replayed.
The next week, a leak in the media speculated that Michael was "burnt out" and disillusioned at the club, and was considering retirement. However, coach Leigh Matthews
Leigh Matthews
Leigh Raymond "Lethal Leigh" Matthews AM is a former player and coach of Australian rules football. He played for Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League from 1969 to 1985, coached Collingwood from 1986–1995, and coached the Brisbane Lions from 1999 to 2008...
later spoke out saying he had convinced Michael to stay on until the end of the season.
Michael claimed that the club was not giving him enough time for his community and charity initiatives in Papua New Guinea before. He claimed he had failing to negotiate a reduced training schedule so he could pursue his personal interests, something however which his coach Leigh Matthews later denied.
Michael announced his retirement on 5 October 2006 at only 29 years of age.
After his retirement it was speculated that he wanted return to Melbourne to base himself there while playing football semi-professionally for a local club.
Comeback
However, on 24 November 2006, Michael shocked the football community by reconsidering his retirement. To the anger of the Brisbane Lions, he announced that he had been signed by the Essendon Football ClubEssendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
and had reached an agreement whereby he will be selected by them in the pre-season draft for the 2007 season. The decision infuriated the Lions, who believed that Michael had exploited a loophole in the draft to change clubs and they questioned the sincerity of his retirement.
Essendon Football Club
Michael debuted with Essendon wearing the number 22 guernsey which was vacated by Tristan CartledgeTristan Cartledge
Tristan Cartledge is an Australian Rules Football player, who plays for the Richmond Football Club. He began his career at Essendon in 2002 after being drafted in the 2002 National Draft at selection 28....
, who was delisted by the Bombers at the end of season 2006. Following his debut, the Brisbane Lions, who were not given any sort of compensation for the loss of Michael, continued to express feelings of betrayal to the media and frustration with the AFL's loose drafting rules.
In the 2007 and 2008 seasons, he has since featured in the backline alongside veteran Dustin Fletcher
Dustin Fletcher
Dustin Fletcher is an Australian rules footballer with the Essendon Football Club. He is renowned as one of the finest defenders in the AFL, and has played at full-back for his team for many years. He is the son of former Bombers captain Ken Fletcher...
and emerging youngster Paddy Ryder, however after the appointment of new coach Matthew Knights
Matthew Knights
Matthew Knights is a former Australian rules football player, having played in the midfield for the Richmond Football Club from 1988 to 2002. He went on to a coaching career, most notably as head coach of the Essendon Football Club from 2008 to 2010...
who made his youth policy clear, Michael spend lengthy periods playing with the Bendigo Bombers
Bendigo Bombers
The Bendigo Bombers Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia playing in the Victorian Football League .-Brief history:...
reserves side alongside fellow veterans Damien Peverill
Damien Peverill
Damien Peverill is an Australian rules footballer who played 144 senior games with Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League between 2001 and 2008...
and Jason Johnson
Jason Johnson (Australian rules footballer)
Jason Johnson is retired Australian rules footballer who spent his entire professional career with Essendon of the Australian Football League ....
. He did not return to the seniors until much later in the season.
Second retirement
On 15 August 2008 Michael announced his second retirement from AFL football but would play until season's end. In the Round 22 match, Essendon vs St Kilda, Micheal was chaired off the ground by the players at the end of the match.Post AFL
Following his AFL career, Michael made a switch to semi-professional country football, playing with Nilma Darnum Bombers in the Ellinbank and District Football League a club with a 14-year finals drought in 2009 to win the premiership sideAt the end of 2009, Michael coached a combined Under 23 Pacific Islands team to victory against an Under 23 North Queensland representative side.
He signed with the Heywood Football Club to play in the Western Border Football League
Western Border Football League
The Western Border Football League is an Australian rules football competition based in the Lower South East region of South Australia, and south-western border region of Victoria. It is an affiliated member of the South Australian National Football League and the Victorian Football League...
2010 season.
In 2010 Michael was appointed caretaker coach of the Papua New Guinea National Senior Team, before representing the team as a player in the pre-season campaign against AFL Cairns clubs.
Papua New Guinean celebrity
Michael was the first Papua New Guinean to play senior AFLAustralian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
football, acting as an ambassador for the game when he visits his homeland. He is possibly the only football player who is better known in a country other than Australia. He has appeared on a series of biscuit commercials in PNG as "the secret of Mal's success". In 2004, he hosted a popular football segment on a weekly PNG television show.
In early 2006, he established the Mal Michael Foundation, aimed at raising money to help give young Papua New Guineans the opportunity to play Aussie rules.
In 2007 Michael made a strategic deal with mining company Hannans Reward (ASX
Australian Stock Exchange
The Australian Securities Exchange was created by the merger of the Australian Stock Exchange and the Sydney Futures Exchange in July 2006. It is the primary stock exchange group in Australia....
:HNR) aimed at appealing the company to the Papua New Guinea market.
Michael's consultancy company M&M Synergy Ltd, deals in the natural resource sector in Papua New Guinea. They represent land owner incorporated companies to help them develop their assets. M&M Synergy Ltd specialise in joint venture projects and capital raising for timber
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
, mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
and petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
projects.
Career highlights
- Brisbane LionsBrisbane LionsThe 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...
premiership side 2001, 2002, 2003 - AFL QueenslandAFL QueenslandAFL Queensland is the governing body of Australian rules football in Queensland. It was formed in 2000 after the previous governing body for the sport in Queensland, the Queensland Australian Football League , went into voluntary liquidation...
Team of the Century 2003 - International Rules series 2004 Goalkeeper
- Brisbane Lions Team of the (first) Decade 2006