Buckley, former Richmond player Joel Bowden and Port Adelaide premiership mid-fielder Peter Burgoyne were inducted as legends, receiving the Hall of Fame’s highest honour at a gala function held in Darwin this evening.
Joining names such as Long, Kantilla, Dempsey, White, Rioli and Kantilla in the NT pantheon, Buckley told collingwoodfc.com.au that he was immensely proud of the recognition.
“The game has such a rich history in the Territory. It’s where I played much of my junior and early senior football and something of my time playing there was with me throughout my playing career and will always be with me,” Buckley said.
“Territorians have given a lot to the game and continue to do so. To have played some small part in what the football community here has contributed is something I’m very proud of.”
Buckley’s induction as a AFL NT legend adds further lustre to one of the most distinguished careers the game has known.
The following précis of his career was heard tonight:
“As a player at Collingwood, Australia’s biggest and most famous sporting club, Nathan Buckley redefined the meaning of passion and commitment during a 280 game career that saw him receive a multitude of awards and earn recognition as one of the games greats.
“The tiny kid who moved to Darwin at the age of three went on to become one of the greatest players of any era and started his football career with the Nightcliff Tigers in the NTFL Junior competition before transferring to Southern Districts Football Club in 1989-90. Buckley played a number of premier league games for Southern Districts in the NTFL and in season 1990-91 he won the club best and fairest and leading goal kicker awards in the same season.
“His sublime talent earned him representative honours. He played in the NT’s Primary Schoolboys Representative teams in 1983 & 1984. Like most gifted, gritty, hardworking Territory footballers Buckley also represented the NT a number of times at senior level, against Hawthorn in 1991, Geelong in 1992 and Melbourne in 1993.
Buckley represented the NT against Tasmania in 1993 and captained the Allies twice in 1997 and 1999. In 1997 he won the Alex Jesaulenko medal as the Allies best player against Western Australia.
“Buckley joined SANFL club Port Adelaide in 1991 and played 37 games for the club, kicking 44 goals. His famed debut season for Port in 1992 saw his sheer hard work, dedication and determination pay off as he became a premiership player, won the Jack Oatey medal for best on ground in the Grand Final, the Magarey medal as the SANFL’s best and fairest and the Port Adelaide Magpies club best and fairest.
“In 1993 Buckley was drafted by Brisbane and played 20 games for the club, winning the AFL’s rising star award before moving to his beloved Magpies in 1994. In all Nathan Buckley played 260 games for the Magpies and each game was played with 100% commitment to the black and white cause. Throughout his famous career Buckley won Collingwood’s best and fairest, the prestigious Copeland trophy a record six times, in 1994,1996, 1998, 1999 2000 and 2003. He was club captain from 1999 until 2007 proving himself to be a natural leader of men, always leading from the front and by example.
“He won the Brownlow medal in 2003 sharing the win with fellow greats Adam Goodes and Mark Ricciuto and played in Collingwood’s 2002 & 2003 Grand Final teams, winning the Norm Smith medal in the 2002 game despite being on the losing side. Nathan Buckley was named an AFL All Australian seven times, in 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2003, a year that also saw him named the AFL Coaches Association Player of the Year.
“In 1997 Buckley was named in Collingwood’s Team of the Century and in 2011 was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame. Retiring in 2007 he rejoined Collingwood as an assistant coach in 2010, a year that saw the Pies win the flag and in 2012 he became the first Territory footballer to become a senior coach in the AFL. Showing the same determination and commitment as a coach that he displayed as a player he coached the Pies to a preliminary final in his first season.”
AFLNT Hall of Fame committee chairman, Bryan Moroney, said: “We are privileged to welcome Nathan Buckley, a supreme Territory talent, blessed not only with god given skill but also a burning desire to be the best, into the AFLNT Hall of Fame.”
