Kevin Sheedy | |||
---|---|---|---|
![]() Sheedy in March 2013 | |||
Personal information | |||
Full name | Kevin John Sheedy | ||
Nickname(s) | Sheeds | ||
Date of birth | 24 December 1947 | ||
Place of birth | Melbourne, Australia | ||
Original team(s) | Prahran (VFA) | ||
Height | 180 cm (5 ft 11 in) | ||
Weight | 81 kg (179 lb) | ||
Position(s) | Defender | ||
Playing career1 | |||
Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
1967–1979 | Richmond | 251 (91) | |
Representative team honours | |||
Years | Team | Games (Goals) | |
Victoria | 8 (1) | ||
International team honours | |||
2005–2006 | Australia (coach) | 4 | |
Coaching career3 | |||
Years | Club | Games (W–L–D) | |
1981–2007 | Essendon | 634 (386–242–6) | |
2012–2013 | Greater Western Sydney | 44 (3–41–0) | |
1985–1986 | Victoria | 4 (2–2–0) | |
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1979. 3 Coaching statistics correct as of 2013. | |||
Career highlights | |||
Player
Representative
Coaching
Australian Football Hall of Fame
| |||
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com |
Kevin John Sheedy AO (born 24 December 1947) is a former Australian rules football coach and player in the Australian Football League. He played and coached in a combined total of 929 games over 47 years from 1967 until 2013, which is a VFL/AFL record. Sheedy was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2008 and on 29 May 2018 was elevated to legend status.[1][2]
On the field, Sheedy played for Richmond in the Victorian Football League during the 1960s and 1970s, captaining the side in 1978 and winning three premierships. He then coached Essendon in the VFL/AFL for nearly three decades from 1981 until 2007, winning four premierships and earning acclaim for his unusual and creative approaches to promoting the club and the game. Sheedy conceived the first Anzac Day game in 1995 involving Collingwood and the club he coached at the time, Essendon.[3] In 2009, Sheedy joined the newly formed Greater Western Sydney as its inaugural AFL coach, and he coached there from 2012 until 2013.