Peter Carey (Australian rules footballer)
Peter Gareth Carey (born 27 January 1954) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Glenelg Football Club in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). Nicknamed "Super" and regarded as surprisingly agile for a player of his considerable size and a strong overhead mark, Carey began his career playing mainly as a forward, forming a memorable partnership with full-forward Fred Phillis, before moving into the ruck for the remainder of his career. He is the current games record holder in the SANFL, being credited with 448 senior level appearances from 1971  to 1988, and to date is the only SANFL player to have reached the 400-game milestone. He also represented South Australia 19 times in interstate football, giving him a total of 467 senior level appearances, which stood as a national record until passed by fellow South Australian Craig Bradley, who finished with 501. A member of both the South Australian and Australian Football Hall of Fame, Carey was an integral part of the Glenelg team during one of its most successful (but frustrating) eras, playing in ten SANFL Grand finals for three premierships. He is currently serving as Glenelg 's club president, having taken over the role from fellow club legend Nick Chigwidden in October 2019. Playing career. Carey made his senior debut for Glenelg while still attending Seacombe High School, against at Elizabeth Oval in Round 12 of the 1971 SANFL season. He 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. Carey was again among his side's best players during Glenelg's 1982 gruelling finals series, which eventually saw the Tigers fall at the last hurdle for the second consecutive season. His efforts were all the more admirable considering he had to play three of the finals under the duress of a groin injury which hampered his mobility and forced him to either kick mainly with his non-preferred left foot or handpass to nearby teammates. In the Elimination final against , he was rated among Glenelg's best, taking strong marks around  the ground and rucking well, as well as regularly rotating between ruck and full-forward duties with Stephen Kernahan. He suffered the groin injury during the magnificent First Semi-final victory over and struggled through the rest of the game. The extent of Carey's injury became clear the following week in the first quarter of the Preliminary final against , when an awkward 35-metre set shot hit the behind post. Despite this, he still managed to exert such an influence on the rest of the game, especially when Port came back hard in the second half, to be rated  best on ground in the one-point victory. Carey underwent intensive treatment during the week, but was still not fully fit when he ran out for his sixth SANFL Grand final. In the defeat to , Carey laboured manfully and was again named among Glenelg's best, even while still restricted by the groin injury. The one time he did try and kick a goal with his right foot, from a set shot late in the third quarter, the ball hit the post. At the time Glenelg trailed by 19 points, and that would be as close as they came for  the rest of the match. Carey eventually did kick a goal in the last quarter, but by that time the game was over as a contest. Life after Retirement. Carey was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the 1989 Australia Day Honours for "service to Australian football". In 2001, Carey was named among the 25 inaugural members of Glenelg's club Hall of Fame. He also gained recognition as one of the 'Greats of Glenelg'. In 2002, Carey was an inaugural member of the South Australian Football Hall of Fame. In 2008, Carey was appointed a Commissioner  on the South Australian Football Commission at the SANFL's AGM, replacing one of his former coaches John Halbert. In 2009, Carey's feats achieved national recognition when was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.