Grantley Fielke
| Grantley Fielke | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Grantley Craig Fielke | ||
| Nickname(s) | Fielks | ||
| Date of birth | 18 March 1962 | ||
| Place of birth | Loxton, South Australia | ||
| Original team(s) | West Adelaide (SANFL) | ||
| Draft | No. 19, 1982 interstate draft | ||
| Height / weight | 178 cm / 90 kg | ||
| Position(s) | Wing, Centre | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1977–86, 1988–90, 1992–97 | West Adelaide (SANFL) | 364 (255) | |
| 1987 | Collingwood (VFL) | 16 (15) | |
| 1991–92 | Adelaide (AFL) | 24 (6) | |
| Total | 404 (276) | ||
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1997.
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| Career highlights | |||
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| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Grantley Craig Fielke (born 18 March 1962 in Loxton, South Australia) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for West Adelaide Football Club in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL), and the Collingwood Football Club and Adelaide Football Club in the Victorian/Australian Football League (VFL/AFL).
Fielke was recruited by the West Adelaide Football Club from their South Australian country zone of the Riverland in 1977 at the age of 15. After taking time to adjust to life in Adelaide (he had never been to the city before), Fielke made his league debut for West Adelaide on 7 April 1979, and keeping his place in the league team for the rest of the season. The Bloods though had a season to forget winning just 7 of 23 games and finished in last place. In his debut season for West Adelaide, Fielke won the Sam Suckling Memorial Medal as the club's best first year player.
Fielke's speed and ball handling ability saw him become a valued member of West Adelaide's senior team. From his debut in 1979 until the end of the 1986 SANFL season, Fielke played 186 games and kicked 150 goals.
The arrival of Neil Kerley as coach in 1981 saw The Bloods go from being one of the worst to one of the best teams in the SANFL, although at times their famous inconsistency showed through. Fielke's game blossomed under Kerley's hard coaching, although he suffered a setback in 1983 when he twice broke his arm. Fielke battled back and regained his place in the side shortly before the finals, for which West had easily qualified as the minor premier, winning 18 of their 22 regular season games. Fielke then became a member of West Adelaide's first premiership win since 1961 when he came off the reserves bench in their 21.16 (142) to 16.12 (108) win over Surt in the Grand Final in front of 47,129 fans at Football Park.
West Adelaide obtained the services of former Port Adelaide premiership coach John Cahill in 1985 and Fielke continued to blossom. That season he experienced the individual highlight of his career when he won the Magarey Medal, polling a record 54 votes to defeat pre-count favourite Peter Motley of Sturt who finished with 51 votes. During the 1985 season Fielke led the league in disposals (kicks and handballs), and used the ball very effectively against tough opposition in helping West Adelaide to the preliminary final and a 3rd-place finish. Despite winning the Magarey Medal, Fielke failed to win The Bloods Best & Fairest award which was won by ruckman Mark Mickan.
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