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Panthers Past - Mark Naley

Panthers Past - Mark Naley

17 August 2018

To celebrate SANFL #RetroRound we are taking a look back at the highlights from some of the most influential Panthers from the 1980s.

Heroes of yesteryear do not come much more celebrated at South Adelaide than the great Mark Naley.

Mark joined South Adelaide from Sacred Heart College and quickly rose through the Club's junior and senior ranks.

A member of the 1979 Reserves Premiership team, Naley made his debut for the League side a year later and remained a mainstay in the team through to 1986. In 1987 Mark left the Panthers to play with Carlton in the VFL., where he was a regular member of the Blues side all season, finishing the year with a Premiership and 12 Brownlow Medal votes to his name (good enought for equal 10th).

After the 1990 season with Carlton, Mark decided to return to South Adelaide, where he would win the 1991 Magarey Medal (after finishing as runner-up on two previous occasions).

Mark also enjoyed a successful State career. He was selected to the South Australian State Team for the first time in 1981 and made 16 State of Origin appearances between 1981-89 and 1991-92 , winning the Tassie Medal in the 1987 National Carnival and the Fos Williams Medal as South Australia's best player in 1991. He was awarded All-Australian selection in 1986 and 1987.

Mark retired in 1993 after 236 appearances (231 goals) for the Panthers, 67 for Carlton (74) and 16 for South Australia.

He is also a Life Member, Hall of Fame Inductee of South Adelaide Football Club and Member of our "Greatest Team Ever", as well as an inaugural inductee of the South Australian Football Hall of Fame.

Panthers Past - Mark Naley


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