Michael Parsons (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Michael "Mike" Parsons was a former Australian rules football
er who played for the Sydney Swans
in the Victorian/Australian Football League
(VFL/AFL) and North Adelaide in the South Australian National Football League
(SANFL).
Nicknamed "Bristles", Parsons was initially a National Basketball League
player. During the early 1980s he spent time with both Launceston Casino City and the West Adelaide Bearcats
. The latter would later merge into the Adelaide 36ers
club. Most notably, he played at Launceston in the 1981 NBL Season
, where they were league Champions.
Parsons, a ruckman, is best remembered in football circles for his Jack Oatey Medal winning performance in North Adelaide's 1987 SANFL Grand Final win. He was then recruited to Sydney with the tenth pick in the 1987 VFL Draft
but struggled to make an impact in his three years, although he gathered three Brownlow Medal
votes for his 23 disposal effort in a match against the West Coast Eagles
midway through his first season. Parsons returned to North Adelaide in 1991 and finished the year as a member of another premiership team.
In 2008, Parsons suffered a stroke and was revealed to be suffering from a brain tumour. He died in hospital on 24 April 2009.
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 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...
in the Victorian/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...
(VFL/AFL) and North Adelaide 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).
Nicknamed "Bristles", Parsons was initially a National Basketball League
National Basketball League (Australia)
The National Basketball League, also known as the iiNet NBL Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in Australasia....
player. During the early 1980s he spent time with both Launceston Casino City and the West Adelaide Bearcats
West Adelaide Bearcats
The West Adelaide Bearcats are a semi-professional basketball team competing in the Australian Basketball Association.-NBL:The West Adelaide Bearcats was a foundation club in the NBL which merged with the Adelaide 36ers in 1985. Founded in 1946, it won the NBL championship 80–74 against the Geelong...
. The latter would later merge into the Adelaide 36ers
Adelaide 36ers
The Adelaide 36ers are Adelaide's men's professional basketball team, established as the Adelaide City Eagles when they joined the National Basketball League in 1982. The Adelaide 36ers tally of four championships is equal with the Melbourne Tigers and second behind the Perth Wildcats as the most...
club. Most notably, he played at Launceston in the 1981 NBL Season
1981 NBL Season
Here are the results and statistics from the National Basketball League season of 1981.-End of Season Ladder:This is the ladder at the end of season, before the finals. In all, 132 games were played, 22 for each team.-Finals:...
, where they were league Champions.
Parsons, a ruckman, is best remembered in football circles for his Jack Oatey Medal winning performance in North Adelaide's 1987 SANFL Grand Final win. He was then recruited to Sydney with the tenth pick in the 1987 VFL Draft
1987 VFL Draft
The 1987 VFL Draft was the second draft to provide recruitment opportunities to clubs participating in Australian rules football's elite Victorian Football League. Held after the end of the 1987 season, it consisted only of the National Draft itself....
but struggled to make an impact in his three years, although he gathered three 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...
votes for his 23 disposal effort in a match against the West Coast Eagles
West Coast Eagles
The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
midway through his first season. Parsons returned to North Adelaide in 1991 and finished the year as a member of another premiership team.
In 2008, Parsons suffered a stroke and was revealed to be suffering from a brain tumour. He died in hospital on 24 April 2009.
Source
- Holmesby, Russell and Main, Jim. The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers (7th edition). Melbourne: Bas Publishing (2007)