The Panel

                                                              Grant Hansen

Grant Hansen grew up in Melbourne’s western suburbs as an avid Footscray supporter with the dream of one day playing for his beloved Doggies. An impressive junior footballer at St Albans he spent a couple of years with the Footscray under 19’s and then did a pre season training with Essendon. But the Bombers were not the club he loved and he returned to the suburbs playing with a handful of teams with great success. His other love was rock’n roll and he ultimately hung up the boots to pursue a career in music that saw him tour and play with bands across Australia and internationally.

His work in music saw him take up a number of roles in the media including that of radio announcer and in 1997 set up the Marngrook Footy Show. Soon after Grant began working in the broadcast of AFL games and was to become Australia’s first Indigenous football caller nationally on radio. 

                                                               Alan Thorpe

Affectionately known as the journeyman, Alan Thorpe grew up in Melbourne’s northern suburbs playing junior football with Preston RSL and the Fitzroy Stars. A child prodigy he was soon playing with senior and junior football sides at the same time.

In 1992 Alan made his AFL debut with the Sydney Swans before moving onto the Western Bulldogs for the next 2 seasons. In 1995 he was drafted by Carlton and soon impressed with a dazzling 6 goals in a pre season night game. Unfortunately ongoing knee problems restricted him in what was to be his last year playing AFL football.

Alan later went on to play and coach at the Rumbalara football club leading them to back to back grand final appearances. He also played with a number of other clubs both in Melbourne and country Victoria, too many to name here. 

                                                             Glbert McAdam

In 1989 Gilbert McAdam made a name for himself in Australian football by becoming the first, and to this day only, Indigenous player to win the Magarey medal in South Australia’s SANFL competition. McAdam was playing for Central District but was soon heading to Moorabbin to play for the Saints. 

Originally from Alice Springs he went on to carve out a highly successful AFL career with 53 games for StKilda between 1991 and 1993 and then a further 58 games with the Brisbane Bears from 1994 until 1996. McAdam also played football in the Northern Territory for the Waratahs and Claremont in Western Australia. 

                                                               Ronnie Burns

Born in the Tiwi Islands the spectacular left foot goalsneak was drafted by Geelong after impressing AFL scouts with performances in the WAFL playing for West Perth and made his AFL debut in 1996. He kicked 31 goals in his first season with the Cats before leading their goalkicking in 1997 with 50 goals, 1998 with 35 goals, 1999 with 34 goals, 2000 with 39 goals and 2001 with 33 goals.

In 2003 he went to play with Adelaide and spent 2 seasons there kicking a further 23 goals. Ronnie also played with a number of country and suburban clubs that included a coaching stint with Berwick in Victoria.

                                                              Leila Gurruwiwi

Originally from Elcho Island and Gove, North East Arnhem Land Leila has lived in Victoria for most of her life. Leila has worked on the Marngrook Footy Show as a reporter and news reader since the show began in 2007 and is also a regular presenter on the Marngrook radio program. She has a great understanding and love for the game and is a keen Western Bulldogs supporter. 

                                                              Shelley Ware

Shelley is originally from South Australia and follows the Carlton football club.  One of the original cast members of Channel 7’s “Live and Kicking” she was also a presenter on the Marngrook radio show for a number of years before taking a break to raise a family.

Shelley returns to the marngrook Footy Show in 2010 as a reporter and presenter of the news and tiddas tips.   

                                                              Derek Kickett

One of football’s most popular characters, Derek Kickett made his AFL debut with North Melbourne in 1989 and played 12 games before the cash strapped club traded him to Essendon. The Dons soon found out that Kickett was a rare gem with performances that displayed his unbelievable skills and old fashioned rough and tumble footy.

Kickett played with Essendon until the end of the 1993 season before moving on to play with the Sydney Swans for another 3 mesmerising years of AFL football.

Considered a modern pioneer of the game, Kickett began his football career with Claremont in Western Australia and also played with Central District in South Australia. 

                                                                 Kevin Caton

Kevin Caton is known to his mates on the marngrook panel as “the wanderer”. Born in Melbourne his senior football career started in Darwin with the Buffaloes. His next stop was in Western Australia with the Swan Districts football club where he played 4 seasons from 1984 until 1987. His performances attracted the attention of the newly formed West Coast Eagles where he played one game in 1988. Itchy feet saw Kevin move to Melbourne the next year to take up an offer with Fitzroy and in 1990 he moved north to play with the Brisbane Bears. He was soon lured back to Western Australia to play for his beloved Swan Districts and went on to lead their goalkicking for the next 2 seasons as well as being the leading goalkicker in the competition in 1992.    

The boy from Abbotsford grew up barracking for Collingwood but changed allegiances to Essendon as an act of revenge after his father refused to take him to the footy one Saturday afternoon.  “The wanderer” was on his way.

                                                              Chris Johnson

The triple premiership player with the Brisbane Lions grew up in Melbourne’s northern suburb of Broadmeadows playing for the local Jacana football team. In 1994 Johnson played his first game for Fitzroy. At the end of the 1996 season he was one of 8 Fitzroy players chosen to join the newly formed Brisbane Lions and spent  a couple of seasons finding his feet before settling down in defence.

Johnson retired at the end of the 2007 season after playing 264 games. Apart from his 3 premierships he was also All Australian in 2002 and 2004 and was second best and fairest in 2005. 

                                                              Glenn James

Glenn James was the first Indigenous umpire to officiate in a VFL/ AFL game when he made his debut as a field umpire in 1977. One of the game’s most popular and respected umpires, James had the ability to mix it with the players without undermining his authority on the field.

Glenn James umpired 166 VFL/ AFL games including 10 finals and the 1982 and 1984 Grand Finals. 

                                                               Matthew Ahmat

Matthew Ahmat made his AFL debut with the Brisbane Bears in 1991 where he played 6 games before moving to the Sydney Swans for another 2 AFL games in 1994. He continued playing in Darwin after his AFL career. Ahmat joins the Marngrook Footy Show this year as a new reporter and panellist.

                                                         Nathan Lovett-Murray

Nathan Lovett-Murray took the hard road to AFL football having to prove himself at the Collingwood reserves, Williamstown and the Bendigo Bombers before he was drafted by Essendon at the relatively mature age of 22. Going into his 10th season of AFL football Lovett-Murray is now considered one of the leaders at the Bombers having become a consistent performer.

A player with exceptional skills, Lovett-Murray also has the ability to play in the midfield, attack or defence and was used as a ruckman in 2009 finals series. 

                                                            Richard Tambling

Richard Tambling was Richmond’s first round selection in the 2004 draft having been recruited from Southern Districts in the Northern Territory.

Tambling has the potential to become a leader at Tigerland after showing his true potential with a brilliant season in 2009 coming 4th in the club’s best and fairest count.