For the theologian of the same name, see Michael Prior (theologian)

Michael Prior (theologian)

Michael Prior , was a priest of the Vincentian Congregation, professor of biblical theology at Saint Mary's College, University of Surrey, and a liberation theologian...

Michael Prior (born 6 September 1973) 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 who played for the 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...

's Essendon Football Club

Essendon Football Club

The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...

 and 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...

.

Drafted 3rd overall in the 1992 AFL Draft

1992 AFL Draft

The 1992 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...

, he made the unusual choice at the time to remain with his original club, East Perth, for the 1993 season as he felt that playing regular league football in the WAFL would be better for his development. Kevin Sheedy disagreed with this theory but allowed him to do so.

He played 81 games for the Bombers between 1994

1994 AFL season

-Ladder:All teams played 22 games during the home and away season, for a total of 165. An additional 9 games were played during the finals series. It was the first season that the AFL implemented a top 8 team finals series...

 and 2000. After the 2000 season, he was dropped by the Bombers and then picked up by West Coast. He spent two seasons with the Eagles and played just 9 games for them due to a devastating knee injury suffered in Round 7 2001, he recovered and continued his tally of games with East Perth in the WAFL when not required and was a member of their 2002 premiership side.

After retiring from AFL football he continued to play with East Perth until the end of the 2003 season. In total he played 69 games for the Royals.

He was colourfully referred to by 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:...

 commentator Rex Hunt

Rex Hunt

Rex James Hunt is an Australian television and radio personality, and a former Australian rules football player. He is an Australian rules football commentator, currently on the 1116 SEN radio station with son in law Lee Raynor conducting a program called Off The Hook. He is better known around...

 as "prior conviction".

At the end of 2007 he ended his stint as coach of East Perth Colts and is now a skills coach at Fremantle.

External links