Mark Bradly
Encyclopedia
Mark Bradly is a former Australian rules football
er who played for the Melbourne Football Club
in the Australian Football League
(AFL) and for North Ballarat
in the Victorian Football League
(VFL).
in the Western Australian Football League (WAFL) in 1995 and also represented Western Australia at the 1995 AFL National Under 18 Championships
(at the time called the Commonwealth Bank Cup). He was subsequently drafted with the 55th selection in the 1995 AFL Draft
by Melbourne as a long term ruck prospect.
. Having only four disposals in his first game, he was dropped back to the reserves for the next week. Bradly was called back up to the seniors for round 13 and, although he had a poor game playing on St Kilda veteran Stewart Loewe
, he managed to string three senior games together before again being dropped, even though he kicked two goals in his final match. Bradly did, however, finish sixth in Melbourne's reserves best and fairest
. Melbourne's premier ruckman for over a decade, Jim Stynes
, retired at the end of 1998 and it was expected that Bradly would have many more oppotunites in 1999. However, Bradly failed to play a senior match for the Demons in 1999 after injuring his knee, which sidelined for the season.
Bradly was delisted at the end of the 1999 season, but was redrafted shortly after as a rookie list player in the 2000 Rookie Draft
. However, Bradly suffered a second consecutive season-ending knee injury and he was unable to play a game for Melbourne in 2000. After playing only four matches in five years at the club, Bradly was delisted permanently at the end of the 2000 season.
. Bradly again played for the Roosters in 2003 and, in a game against Frankston
, he kicked three goals.
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 who played for the Melbourne Football Club
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 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) and for North Ballarat
North Ballarat Football Club
North Ballarat Football Club, nicknamed The Roosters, is an Australian rules football club based at Northern Oval in Ballarat. The club is locally known as the Roosters and plays in the Victorian Football League are current competition premiers and one of only four clubs based outside of Melbourne...
in the Victorian Football League
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
(VFL).
Early career
Bradly played three senior matches for East FremantleEast 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 the Western Australian Football League (WAFL) in 1995 and also represented Western Australia at the 1995 AFL National Under 18 Championships
AFL National Under 18 Championships
The NAB AFL Under 18 Championships are the annual national Australian rules football championships for players aged 18 years or younger. The competition is seen as one of the main pathways towards being drafted into a team in the fully professional Australian Football League...
(at the time called the Commonwealth Bank Cup). He was subsequently drafted with the 55th selection in the 1995 AFL Draft
1995 AFL Draft
The 1995 AFL Draft was held at the conclusion of the 1995 Australian Football League season.The AFL Draft is the annual draft of new unsigned players by Australian rules football clubs that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.Clubs receive picks based...
by Melbourne as a long term ruck prospect.
AFL career
Bradly spent his first two seasons as an AFL player, 1996 and 1997, playing for Melbourne's reserves. In his first season, Bradly was named as an emergency, however, he did not play a senior match. He was named in Melbourne's team for a match against North Melbourne in 1997, but he failed to actually make his debut. He finally made his debut in round 10 of the 1998 season, against the Adelaide CrowsAdelaide Crows
The Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed The Crows, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Adelaide, South Australia, playing in the Australian Football League ....
. Having only four disposals in his first game, he was dropped back to the reserves for the next week. Bradly was called back up to the seniors for round 13 and, although he had a poor game playing on St Kilda veteran Stewart Loewe
Stewart Loewe
Stewart Loewe is a former Australian rules football champion of the St Kilda Football Club.Nicknamed "Buckets" for his big hands and the way he was able to mark the ball with ease, Loewe debuted in 1986 for the St Kilda Football Club after being recruited from Mount Eliza...
, he managed to string three senior games together before again being dropped, even though he kicked two goals in his final match. Bradly did, however, finish sixth in Melbourne's reserves 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...
. Melbourne's premier ruckman for over a decade, Jim Stynes
Jim Stynes
James "Jim" Stynes OAM is an Irish former professional Australian rules footballer who is currently a businessman, philanthropist, writer, youth worker, qualified teacher and chairman of Melbourne Football Club since 2008....
, retired at the end of 1998 and it was expected that Bradly would have many more oppotunites in 1999. However, Bradly failed to play a senior match for the Demons in 1999 after injuring his knee, which sidelined for the season.
Bradly was delisted at the end of the 1999 season, but was redrafted shortly after as a rookie list player in the 2000 Rookie Draft
1999 AFL Draft
The 1999 AFL Draft consisted of a pre-season draft, a national draft, a trade period and a rookie elevation. The 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.In 1999 there...
. However, Bradly suffered a second consecutive season-ending knee injury and he was unable to play a game for Melbourne in 2000. After playing only four matches in five years at the club, Bradly was delisted permanently at the end of the 2000 season.
VFL career
After being delisted by Melbourne, Bradly signed with VFL club, North Ballarat, in 2001, where he again suffered from injury problems. Bradly played as a ruckman and as a forward for the Rosters and he was North Ballarat's leading goalkicker in 2002. He kicked 28 goals for the season, including a haul of six against WerribeeWerribee Football Club
The Werribee Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club, based in Werribee, was formed in 1965 and currently plays in the Victorian Football League. Werribee was defeated by the Sandringham Football Club in the 2005 VFL Grand Final.-History:The Werribee Football Club...
. Bradly again played for the Roosters in 2003 and, in a game against Frankston
Frankston Football Club
Frankston Football Club, nicknamed The Dolphins, is an Australian rules football club based in Frankston, Victoria and currently playing in the Victorian Football League. The club was formed in 1887. The Dolphins have no alignments to any AFL clubs.-Peninsula Football Association:Frankston was a...
, he kicked three goals.