Few can lay claim to carving their names in the record books quite like Mark Bickley can, as an inaugural player at the Adelaide Crows and back to back AFL Premiership Captain.
Bickley grew up in Port Pirie, a couple of hours drive outside of Adelaide. Playing for his local club, Solomontown, Bickley became the youngest ever winner of the senior best and fairest player in the Spencer Gulf Football League.
As a 20-year-old he then took a call to join South Adelaide in the SANFL competition. After two years at South Adelaide, Bickley was invited to train with the newly formed Adelaide Football Club ahead of their debut season in 1991.
At first, he missed out on a spot on their first list, but his determination to succeed saw him continue to train on at the club and eventually be rewarded with a contract of his own.
Starting his career as a small defender Bickley debuted in 1991, and over the following seasons broke into the Crows midfield.
Consistently finishing in the top 5 in Best and Fairest counts, Bickley took over as club captain ahead of the 1997 season. He led his side to their first premiership that same year after a famous Grand Final victory over St Kilda, and followed this up in 1998, leading the Crows to back-to-back premierships after defeating North Melbourne.
Bickley’s finished his career with 272 games and four years as captain.
Post football, Bickley shifted his attention to Media, working with Channel 9 in both Adelaide and Melbourne presenting the weekend sports news and as a panellist on the Sunday Footy Show.
In 2006 Bickley was invited to join the selection panel for the prestigious All-Australian team, a position he held for three years.
In 2008 he returned to the Crows to work as an assistant coach, a position he held for a few years before making a return to the media. Bickley has taken on coaching Immanuel College First XVIII in 2021, while he continues commentating football games, hosting the Crows Show on TV, or you can read his regular columns in The Advertiser.
