Peter Carey (Australian rules footballer)

Peter Carey (born 27 January 1954) is a former Australian rules football player who played his entire league career for the Glenelg Football Club in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). He holds the league record for most games played, with 448 appearances.

Carey also represented South Australia on 19 occasions, giving him a total of 467 games at senior level which was a record until Craig Bradley pushed the mark to 501. He was signed by Melbourne during the 1972/1973 off season, but the Demons were never able to prise him away from South Australia.

Carey played initially as a centre half forward and topped Glenelg’s goalkicking in 1973 with 70 goals including an amazing eleven in a score of 33.20 (218) against grand final opponent North Adelaide and six in the Grand Final win over the Roosters. He was to kick 521 goals in his career, including eight in the club’s amazing score of 49.23 (317) against Central District two years later. By this time, Carey had moved into the ruck, where he was to play the remainder of his career and help give the Tigers’ small men first use of the ball with his tremendous body strength. He won Glenelg’s Best and Fairest award in 1975, 1979 and 1981 and was club captain from 1983 until 1988, including back to back premierships in 1985 and 1986.

In 1981 he won the first ever Fos Williams Medal and for his performances with South Australia he also earned All Australian selection in both 1979 and 1980.

He was named, in 2002, as the inaugural member of Glenelg's Hall of Fame and inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2009.

Carey is currently second only to Craig Bradley as having played the most senior games in state league AFL history, having played 448 Senior club games in 17 seasons.