Stephen Kerley
Melbourne
AFL career
43 games3 goals
- Debut
- R22 1971 v HAW28 Aug 1971
- Most recent
- R22 1974 v ESS31 Aug 1974
Stats
1974 | MEL | 10 | 6.3 | 0.5 | 6.8 | 2.5 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
1973 | MEL | 18 | 13.0 | 1.2 | 14.2 | 5.4 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
1972 | MEL | 14 | 11.4 | 1.1 | 12.5 | 5.1 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
1971 | MEL | 1 | 5.0 | 0.0 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 |
Bio
Recruited from Melbourne's own Under 19s program, Stephen Kerley was a high-leaping and close-checking defender who broke into the senior side late in the 1971 season. He became a regular fixture in the Demons' backline over the next three years, often tasked with curbing dangerous opposition forwards, but he is perhaps best remembered for the career that followed his departure from the VFL. After 43 games in the red and blue, Kerley crossed the border to join Norwood in the SANFL for the 1975 season, where he immediately cemented himself as a premier centre half-back. His timing was impeccable, as he played a pivotal defensive role in the Redlegs' famous 1975 premiership triumph over Glenelg in his debut year. Kerley went on to win a second flag in 1978 and earned state selection for South Australia, ultimately forging a legacy as a dashing defensive anchor in the SANFL after his solid apprenticeship at the MCG.
Profile
- Born
- 25 Jan 1953
- Died
- 29 Sept 2026 (aged 73y 247d)
- Deathplace
- Warrnambool, VIC
- Height
- 184 cm
- Weight
- 81 kg
Teams
Bio
1 revisionRecruited from Melbourne's own Under 19s program, Stephen Kerley was a high-leaping and close-checking defender who broke into the senior side late in the 1971 season. He became a regular fixture in the Demons' backline over the next three years, often tasked with curbing dangerous opposition forwards, but he is perhaps best remembered for the career that followed his departure from the VFL. After 43 games in the red and blue, Kerley crossed the border to join Norwood in the SANFL for the 1975 season, where he immediately cemented himself as a premier centre half-back. His timing was impeccable, as he played a pivotal defensive role in the Redlegs' famous 1975 premiership triumph over Glenelg in his debut year. Kerley went on to win a second flag in 1978 and earned state selection for South Australia, ultimately forging a legacy as a dashing defensive anchor in the SANFL after his solid apprenticeship at the MCG.