Chris Connolly
| Chris Connolly | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Chris Connolly (left) with Michael Broadbridge
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| Personal information | |||
| Date of birth | 23 March 1963 | ||
| Original team(s) | Shepparton United (GVFL) | ||
| Height | 175 cm (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Weight | 76 kg (168 lb) | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1982–1990 | Melbourne | 84 (38) | |
| Coaching career | |||
| Years | Club | Games (W–L–D) | |
| 2001 | Hawthorn | 1 (1–0–0) | |
| 2002–2007 | Fremantle | 129 (67–62–0) | |
| Total | 130 (68–62–0) | ||
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1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1989.
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| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Chris Connolly (born 25 March 1963) is a former Australian rules football player, coach and administrator, most notable for his six years as senior coach of the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League.
During his playing career with the Melbourne Football Club, Connolly played 84 games and kicked 38 goals as a midfielder. He played from 1982 to 1987, and in 1989, with his career being interrupted and ultimately cut short by knee injuries.
1978 - captain of Goulburn Valley schoolboys side, winners of Under 15 Victorian State Championships
1979-1980 - Victorian Under 17 Teal Cup representative, Victorian vice captain, 1980
1980 - senior premiership with Shepparton United
1981 - Melbourne Football Club Under 19 premiership
1982 - Melbourne Football Club Under 19 captain and Club Champion
1982-1990 - Melbourne Football Club senior player
1983, 1985, 1986 - fourth in Club Championship
1987 and 1990 - knee reconstruction
1990 - retired
1991 - made a Life Member of the Melbourne Football Club
In 1991, Connolly was appointed as assistant coach at the Melbourne Football Club. He then went on to become the coach of the Under 18 Eastern Ranges team in 1992. In 1995, Connolly coached the Victoria Metro team.
In late 1995, Connolly joined the Hawthorn Football Club as reserves coach for the 1996 season. In 1998, he was elevated to the senior assistant coaching role. In 2001, Connolly coached one senior game at Hawthorn (Round 17 vs Carlton), in the absence due to illness of regular senior coach, Peter Schwab. Hawthorn won this game, with Ben Dixon kicking the winning goal after the siren.
Connolly took over the coaching reins at the Dockers for the 2002 season, following their wooden spoon season of 2001. In this first season, the struggle continued somewhat, with the team finishing thirteenth. However, Connolly then led Fremantle to its inaugural finals series in 2003, which resulted in a loss to Essendon at Subiaco Oval in the first elimination final.
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