Rhett Biglands
Encyclopedia
Rhett Biglands is a former Australian rules football
er in the Australian Football League
.
He was then drafted by Port Power and placed on their inaugural list in 1997. After 2 groin reconstructions in the one year he returned to the SANFL.
In the 1999 season he was equal 3rd in the Magarey Medal, played for South Australia against Victoria on the MCG and made The Advertiser SANFL team of the Year.
Selected by the Crows with their first pick and debuting in the AFL in 2000 as a full back playing on Alistair Lynch, Biglands then made his name as a ruckman
with the Adelaide Crows
. He was one of the Crows’ best ruckmen for many years in a successful finals era for the club. He played in the 2003 pre season premiership side and amassed 134 games including 59 games and 11 Finals appearances.
But he suffered a serious knee injury in the first quarter of the 2006 preliminary final vs the West Coast Eagles
at AAMI Stadium
. Biglands and several other players dived for the ball in a desperate scramble in front of the interchange bench. As Biglands dived forward, his teammate Nathan Van Berlo
dived heavily into his left leg snapping Biglands' left leg about 30 degrees causing him to clutch the knee and tearing the ACL
inside his knee; he limped off and attempted to come back, but was to no avail. After missing the 2007 season due to reconstructive surgery of the knee, he sustained instability in the knee during a summer training session as the reconstructed ligament gave away. He had a second reconstruction on the knee in late February 2008.
On 18 August 2008, Rhett officially retired from AFL due to the prolonged recovery from the knee injury. He was given a lap of honour of AAMI Stadium, before the 2008 round 22 game against the Western Bulldogs.
Rhett then went on to work as a breakfast radio announcer with SAFM in Adelaide and is currently an AFL radio commentator with Triple M.
He works full time at the Adelaide Crows in the Commercial Operations department and is a youth ambassador for "The Conservation Volunteers of Australia" and "Can Do for Kids".
He is still involved with Woodville West Torrens in the SANFL as an assistant coach.
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 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...
.
Career
He made his debut as an 18 year old in the SANFL with Woodville West Torrens kicking 5 goals in his first match.He was then drafted by Port Power and placed on their inaugural list in 1997. After 2 groin reconstructions in the one year he returned to the SANFL.
In the 1999 season he was equal 3rd in the Magarey Medal, played for South Australia against Victoria on the MCG and made The Advertiser SANFL team of the Year.
Selected by the Crows with their first pick and debuting in the AFL in 2000 as a full back playing on Alistair Lynch, Biglands then made his name as a ruckman
Ruckman (Australian rules football position)
In Australian rules football, a ruckman is typically a tall and athletic player who contests at centre bounces and stoppages . The ruckman is one of the most important players on the field...
with the Adelaide Crows
Adelaide 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 ....
. He was one of the Crows’ best ruckmen for many years in a successful finals era for the club. He played in the 2003 pre season premiership side and amassed 134 games including 59 games and 11 Finals appearances.
But he suffered a serious knee injury in the first quarter of the 2006 preliminary final vs 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...
at AAMI Stadium
AAMI Stadium
Football Park is an Australian rules football stadium located in West Lakes, a western suburb of Adelaide, South Australia...
. Biglands and several other players dived for the ball in a desperate scramble in front of the interchange bench. As Biglands dived forward, his teammate Nathan Van Berlo
Nathan van Berlo
Nathan van Berlo is an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League . He is the captain of the Adelaide Football Club....
dived heavily into his left leg snapping Biglands' left leg about 30 degrees causing him to clutch the knee and tearing the ACL
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
inside his knee; he limped off and attempted to come back, but was to no avail. After missing the 2007 season due to reconstructive surgery of the knee, he sustained instability in the knee during a summer training session as the reconstructed ligament gave away. He had a second reconstruction on the knee in late February 2008.
On 18 August 2008, Rhett officially retired from AFL due to the prolonged recovery from the knee injury. He was given a lap of honour of AAMI Stadium, before the 2008 round 22 game against the Western Bulldogs.
Rhett then went on to work as a breakfast radio announcer with SAFM in Adelaide and is currently an AFL radio commentator with Triple M.
He works full time at the Adelaide Crows in the Commercial Operations department and is a youth ambassador for "The Conservation Volunteers of Australia" and "Can Do for Kids".
He is still involved with Woodville West Torrens in the SANFL as an assistant coach.