Bernie Quinlan

Bernie Quinlan
Personal information
Full name Bernie Quinlan
Nickname(s) Superboot
Date of birth (1951-07-21) 21 July 1951
Original team(s) Traralgon
Height/Weight 193 cm / 97 kg
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1969–1977
1978–1986
Total		 Footscray
Fitzroy		 177 (241)
189 (576)
366 (817)
Representative team honours
Years Team Games (Goals)
Victoria 4 (6)
Coaching career3
Years Club Games (W–L–D)
1995 Fitzroy 19 (2–17–0)
1 Playing statistics correct to end of 1986 season.
3 Coaching statistics correct as of 1995.
Career highlights

Bernie Quinlan (born 21 July 1951) is a former Australian rules footballer who represented Footscray and Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League (VFL) during the 1970s and 1980s.

Renowned for his prodigious long kicking, which earned him the nickname "Superboot", Quinlan played his best football late in his career, earning most of his individual accolades after he had turned 30.

Playing career

Quinlan was recruited from Traralgon, which was in Footscray's zone, and arrived at Footscray halfway through the 1969 VFL season.[1] Teammate Barry Round also made his debut in the same year, and coincidentally they would tie for the Brownlow Medal 12 years later in 1981, both by that time playing at different clubs.

Quinlan played 177 games for the club, playing mostly at centre half-forward (also occasionally playing as a centre half-back). The 1970s were a tough time financially for the Bulldogs, and many quality players were cleared to other clubs. Quinlan was cleared to Fitzroy in 1978 for 70,000 dollars.[2] In December 1979, the Lions and the football public were shocked when it was announced by club president Frank Bibby that Quinlan had told the committee he wanted to devote more time to his farm. With a year remaining on his contract, Fitzroy were desperate to retain his services and made Quinlan a substantial financial offer to stay.[3] Quinlan relented and returned for the 1980 VFL season.

Fitzroy had an ordinary season in 1980. He played 189 games for the Lions, marking himself as one of their all-time greats (and also the only player to have played 150 games or more for two clubs[4]), before retiring in 1986. He won the Brownlow Medal in 1981, tying with his former Bulldog team mate Barry Round (who had left the Bulldogs too by this stage). He also twice kicked more than 100 goals in a season: 1983 and 1984. Quinlan led a formidable forward line in the mid-1980s with the likes of Michael Conlan, Garry Wilson, David McMahon and Gary Sidebottom. Together with Paul Roos and Gary Pert in the back line, they propelled Fitzroy to their most successful years in the post-war era.

He was a prodigious kicker of the football which earned him the nickname "superboot". He regularly featured in the World of Sport kicking competitions (a sports program which was popular in Melbourne for three decades).

Playing statistics

[5]
Legend
 G  Goals  B  Behinds  K  Kicks  H  Handballs  D  Disposals  M  Marks  T  Tackles
Led the league for the season only
Led the league after finals only
Led the league after season and finals
Season Team # Games G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
Totals Averages (per game)
1969 Footscray 2 9 18 16 99 7 106 46 N/A 2.0 1.8 11.0 0.8 11.8 5.1 N/A
1970 Footscray 2 21 12 25 292 26 318 109 N/A 0.6 1.2 13.9 1.2 15.1 5.2 N/A
1971 Footscray 2 21 48 47 343 61 404 168 N/A 2.3 2.2 16.3 2.9 19.2 8.0 N/A
1972 Footscray 2 21 37 41 304 79 383 112 N/A 1.8 2.0 14.5 3.8 18.2 5.3 N/A
1973 Footscray 2 20 20 23 301 83 384 115 N/A 1.0 1.2 15.1 4.2 19.2 5.8 N/A
1974 Footscray 2 18 9 7 272 44 316 80 N/A 0.5 0.4 15.1 2.4 17.6 4.7 N/A
1975 Footscray 2 22 36 17 285 46 331 100 N/A 1.6 0.8 13.6 2.2 15.8 4.8 N/A
1976 Footscray 2 23 34 39 311 83 394 109 N/A 1.5 1.7 13.5 3.6 17.1 4.7 N/A
1977 Footscray 2 22 27 38 311 92 403 126 N/A 1.2 1.8 14.1 4.2 18.3 5.7 N/A
1978 Fitzroy 5 14 18 15 198 62 260 77 N/A 1.3 1.1 14.1 4.4 18.6 5.5 N/A
1979 Fitzroy 5 22 48 39 313 106 419 116 N/A 2.2 1.8 14.2 4.8 19.0 5.3 N/A
1980 Fitzroy 5 22 27 29 325 110 435 123 N/A 1.2 1.3 14.8 5.0 19.8 5.6 N/A
1981 Fitzroy 5 24 73 32 332 116 448 152 N/A 3.0 1.3 13.8 4.8 18.7 6.3 N/A
1982 Fitzroy 5 21 53 35 289 96 385 108 N/A 2.5 1.7 13.8 4.6 18.3 5.1 N/A
1983 Fitzroy 5 24 116 70 268 62 330 155 N/A 4.8 2.9 11.2 2.6 13.8 6.5 N/A
1984 Fitzroy 5 23 105 44 228 48 276 121 N/A 4.6 1.9 9.9 2.1 12.0 5.3 N/A
1985 Fitzroy 5 22 84 58 229 45 274 127 N/A 3.8 2.6 10.4 2.0 12.5 5.8 N/A
1986 Fitzroy 5 17 52 37 149 34 183 73 N/A 3.1 2.2 8.8 2.0 10.8 4.3 N/A
Career 366 817 612 4849 1200 6049 2017 N/A 2.2 1.7 13.3 3.3 16.6 5.5 N/A

Post Playing career

Quinlan first joined the ABC football commentary team when they had the broadcasting rights in 1987, and then switched to the Seven Network when they regained the rights in 1988. He commentated with Seven up until the mid-1990s.

The Brisbane Lions mascot Bernie "Gabba" Vegas is partially named as a tribute to Quinlan.

He has worked as a weights coach with VFL team Port Melbourne.[6]

References

  1. ↑ Johnson, Lyall (19 September 2004). "THE TWO OF US - BARRY ROUND / BERNIE QUINLAN". The Sunday Age.
  2. ↑ Carter, Ron (22 September 1981). "Quinlan, Round tie with 22". The Age.
  3. ↑ "Quinlan quits". The Age. 13 December 1979.
  4. ↑ If the Brisbane Bears and Brisbane Lions are considered separate entities, Marcus Ashcroft becomes the second to play 150 games for two clubs
  5. ↑ Bernie Quinlan's player profile at AFL Tables
  6. ↑ Butler, Steve (15 June 2007). "Lloyd can finish with grand total: Quinlan". The Age.

External links


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