Kevin Sheedy

Kevin Sheedy is a former Australian rules football coach and player who is considered to be one of the greatest figures in the history of the sport. Born in 1947 in Melbourne, Australia, he began his football career in the Victorian Football League (VFL) with the Richmond Football Club in 1967, where he quickly established himself as a formidable player and an integral part of the team.

Throughout his illustrious career, Sheedy played a total of 678 games for Richmond, which is a club record, and is ranked fourth on the all-time list of VFL/AFL games played. He won four premierships with Richmond, and was a three-time best and fairest winner for the club. In 1981, Sheedy joined the Essendon Football Club as a player and later became the club’s coach in 1981, a position he held for 27 years, until 2007.

As coach of Essendon, Sheedy achieved remarkable success, winning four premierships in 1993, 2000, 2001 and 2002. He also won the AFL Coach of the Year Award in 1993 and was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2008. Sheedy retired from coaching in 2013, having played and coached in a combined total of 929 games, which is a VFL/AFL record.

Off the field, Sheedy was known for his unique coaching methods, which involved using visual aids, music and other unconventional techniques to motivate his players. He was also a tireless advocate for the sport, and played a key role in promoting Australian rules football both within Australia and internationally.

Today, Sheedy remains a legendary figure in Australian rules football, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches and players in the history of the sport. His tireless commitment to the game and his innovative coaching methods have left an indelible mark on Australian rules football, and he will always be remembered as one of the sport’s most beloved and respected figures.