Richard Hadley
Encyclopedia
Richard Hadley is an Australian rules football
er who played in the Australian Football League
(AFL).
Hadley was recruited from the East Fremantle Football Club
junior system in the Western Australian Football League (WAFL) to the Brisbane Lions
in the 2000 AFL Draft
. He made his AFL debut in 2001. While suffering from osteitis pubis
, he spent the 2001, 2002 and 2003 seasons as a prolific ball-winner player in the Lions' reserves team. After a long wait, he was finally recalled to the Lions lineup in the 2003 finals series, and in just his fourth senior game of AFL football, he was part of Brisbane's premiership side
.
In 2004, Hadley's fourth season on the Lions' list, he took out the Rookie of the Year award (he was still eligible due to the fact he had only played four games previously and was 20 years of age at the start of the year, just below the under-21 threshold). Bigger things were expected of Hadley during the 2005 season, but he injured his anterior cruciate ligament
and missed the entire season.
While his schedule to a return was on track, he again injured his ACL during a NAB Challenge game against Collingwood at Carrara
on 18 March 2006. He then missed the entire 2006 season.
Hadley was traded to Carlton
at the end of the 2007 season for Carlton's fourth round selection in the 2007 AFL Draft
(#52 overall). He continued to be troubled by injuries, playing six games in 2008, eleven in 2009 and eight in 2010. He also played several games for Carlton's , the Northern Bullants
.
Hadley announced his retirement from AFL football after the 2010 season, at the age of 27. After spending ten seasons on an AFL playing list, injures had restricted him to 66 AFL games. He returned to East Fremantle, where he had played as a junior, to play WAFL football in 2011.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er who played in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(AFL).
Hadley was recruited from the East Fremantle Football Club
East Fremantle Football Club
The East Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Sharks, is an Australian rules football club playing in the West Australian Football League . The team's home ground is East Fremantle Oval...
junior system in the Western Australian Football League (WAFL) to the Brisbane Lions
Brisbane Lions
The Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996...
in the 2000 AFL Draft
2000 AFL Draft
The 2000 AFL Draft was the annual draft of talented Australian rules football players by teams that participate in the Australian Football League. It consisted of a pre-season draft, a national draft, a trade period and a rookie elevation....
. He made his AFL debut in 2001. While suffering from osteitis pubis
Osteitis pubis
Since 1924, osteitis pubis has been known as a noninfectious inflammation of the pubis symphysis causing varying degrees of lower abdominal and pelvic pain. Osteitis pubis was first described in patients who had undergone suprapubic surgery and remains a well-known complication of invasive...
, he spent the 2001, 2002 and 2003 seasons as a prolific ball-winner player in the Lions' reserves team. After a long wait, he was finally recalled to the Lions lineup in the 2003 finals series, and in just his fourth senior game of AFL football, he was part of Brisbane's premiership side
2003 AFL Grand Final
The 2003 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Brisbane Lions and the Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 27 September 2003...
.
In 2004, Hadley's fourth season on the Lions' list, he took out the Rookie of the Year award (he was still eligible due to the fact he had only played four games previously and was 20 years of age at the start of the year, just below the under-21 threshold). Bigger things were expected of Hadley during the 2005 season, but he injured his anterior cruciate ligament
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
and missed the entire season.
While his schedule to a return was on track, he again injured his ACL during a NAB Challenge game against Collingwood at Carrara
Carrara
Carrara is a city and comune in the province of Massa-Carrara , notable for the white or blue-grey marble quarried there. It is on the Carrione River, some west-northwest of Florence....
on 18 March 2006. He then missed the entire 2006 season.
Hadley was traded to Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
at the end of the 2007 season for Carlton's fourth round selection in the 2007 AFL Draft
2007 AFL Draft
The 2007 AFL Draft consisted of four opportunities for player acquisitions during the 2007/08 Australian Football League off-season. These were trade week, the National Draft, the Pre-Season Draft and the Rookie Draft.- Trades :...
(#52 overall). He continued to be troubled by injuries, playing six games in 2008, eleven in 2009 and eight in 2010. He also played several games for Carlton's , the Northern Bullants
Northern Bullants
Northern Blues Football Club is a long-established Australian rules football club based in Preston and currently playing in the Victorian Football League representing the central and outer areas of Melbourne...
.
Hadley announced his retirement from AFL football after the 2010 season, at the age of 27. After spending ten seasons on an AFL playing list, injures had restricted him to 66 AFL games. He returned to East Fremantle, where he had played as a junior, to play WAFL football in 2011.