Brett Kirk

Brett Kirk
Personal information
Date of birth (1976-10-25) 25 October 1976
Original team(s) North Albury (NSW)
Debut Round 19, 1999, Sydney Swans
vs. Kangaroos, at SCG
Height 184 cm (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Weight 81 kg (179 lb)[1]
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1999–2010 Sydney Swans 241 (96)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2010.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com
Brett Kirk in action for the Sydney Swans

Brett Kirk (born 25 October 1976) is a former Australian rules football player of the Sydney Swans and was the AFL's International Ambassador.[2] Kirk is currently serving as an assistant coach with the Sydney Swans Football Club.[3]

AFL career

Kirk grew up in Albury, New South Wales. He was recruited to the Sydney Swans as a mature-aged rookie and was twice dropped from the team, but he found his way back on to the list. Kirk was regarded as "one of the toughest and most respected midfielders in the competition".[1][2]

Kirk played 241 games for the Swans since making his debut in 1999, including the final 200 without missing a match. He was nominated All-Australian in 2004.[1] Kirk won the best and fairest twice, in 2005, the year the club won the AFL premiership, and again in 2007. He was co-captain of the Swans from 2005-2010.[2]

He surpassed Jared Crouch's Swans record of 194 consecutive AFL matches in the game against Geelong in round 18, 2010. He had a total of 1278 tackles in his career, which is the fourth most of any AFL player (2014).[4] Kirk played his final and 200th consecutive game (having not missed a match since Round 14, 2002) when he faced the Western Bulldogs in the second round of the AFL finals on Saturday 11 September 2010. It is the fifth longest such streak, and is one of two by Sydney Swans players (the other being Adam Goodes) in the top 5.[5]

He retired at the end of 2010.[2]

Role with Channel Seven

After retirement, Kirk was invited to join Channel 7's coverage of AFL as field commentator.

Coaching and ambassador role

In 2011, he spent six months travelling the world and spreading the word about football as the AFL's International Ambassador.

Kirk joined the Fremantle Football Club as an assistant coach at the end of the 2012 season.[6] Prior to that, he worked at the Gold Coast Football Club in a role designed to help implement a winning culture at the club.[7]

Statistics

[8]
Legend
 G  Goals  B  Behinds  K  Kicks  H  Handballs  D  Disposals  M  Marks  T  Tackles
Season Team No. Games G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
Totals Averages (per game)
1999 Sydney 3155265198418111.00.413.03.816.83.62.2
2000 Sydney 3171345337813180.10.46.44.711.11.92.6
2001 Sydney 311914813010123156390.70.46.85.312.22.92.1
2002 Sydney 3118629613723339780.30.15.37.612.92.24.3
2003 Sydney 312495168209377441400.40.27.08.715.71.85.8
2004 Sydney 31241011236237473541270.40.59.89.919.72.35.3
2005 Sydney 312666299271570681360.20.211.510.421.92.65.2
2006 Sydney 3125813285211496991420.30.511.48.419.84.05.7
2007 Sydney 312385223293516801490.30.29.712.722.43.56.5
2008 Sydney 3124912257282539711510.40.510.711.822.53.06.3
2009 Sydney 312284173295468441700.40.27.913.421.32.07.7
2010 Sydney 3124124161236397681170.50.26.79.816.52.84.9
Career 241 96 75 2138 2324 4462 654 1278 0.4 0.3 8.9 9.6 18.5 2.7 5.3

Personal life

In 2008, Kirk was given the honour of meeting with the Dalai Lama during his Australian tour in which he presented the Dalai Lama with a signed Swans jersey.[9] Kirk is known as a practicing Buddhist and has a tattoo of a Buddhist symbol on his back.[10] When the young Swan Dan Hannebery seemed anxious, Kirk recommended that he do some meditation and read The Power of Now and A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle.[11]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Hinds, Richard, The Swans, player by player, The Sydney Morning Herald, 23 September 2005
  2. 1 2 3 4 Kogoy, Peter, Brett Kirk joins Fremantle Dockers as assistant coach, The Australian, 29 August 2012
  3. ↑ "Coaching Staff". fremantlefc.com.au. Fremantle Football Club. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  4. ↑ "Player Totals". AFL Tables. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  5. ↑ AFL Tables - Miscellaneous Player Records
  6. ↑ Fremantle Football Club - Coaching Staff
  7. ↑ Bluestone Edge and Kirk join GC SUNS, goldcoastfc.com.au, 6 December 2011
  8. ↑ Brett Kirk's player profile at AFL Tables
  9. ↑ 30,000 get wet to hear Dalai Lama, Brisbane Times, 2007
  10. ↑ Captain Kirk leads next generation
  11. ↑ Samantha Lane, Hannebery Has New Focus
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