Brian Wilson (Australian rules footballer)
{{short description|Australian rules footballer, born 1961}}
{{other people|Brian Wilson}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Brian Wilson
| image =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1961|9|30|df=y}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| originalteam = Braybrook
| height = 180 cm
| weight = 82.5 kg
| position =
| years1 = 1978–1979
| club1 = Footscray
| games_goals1 = {{0|00}}9 {{0|00}}(5)
| years2 = 1980–1981
| club2 = North Melbourne
| games_goals2 = {{0}}39 {{0}}(17)
| years3 = 1982–1990
| club3 = Melbourne
| games_goals3 = 154 (208)
| years4 = 1991
| club4 = St Kilda
| games_goals4 = {{0|00}}7 {{0}}(16)
| games_goalstotal = 209 (246)
| careerhighlights = *Brownlow Medal Winner: 1982
- Melbourne leading Goalkicker: 1985
- Victorian State Representative: 1982, 1983, 1988
}}
Brian Wilson (born 30 September 1961) is a former Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Early in his career, he played in the centre and later became a forward pocket. At Melbourne he developed into an aggressive player, winning possessions in packs and showed great handballing skills.
Believed to be the only player to have won a Brownlow Medal at his third club. At 20 years of age, he was also the youngest winner since Bob Skilton in 1959.
Playing career
From the suburb of Braybrook in Melbourne, Wilson began his VFL career with the Footscray Football Club in 1978, playing four matches,{{cite web |title=AFL Tables - Brian Wilson |url=https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/B/Brian_Wilson0.html |website=afltables.com |access-date=3 April 2024}} after being recruited from the Braybrook Football Club.{{cite news |last1=Timms |first1=Daryl |title=Braybrook's famous five |work=Herald-Sun |publisher=Nationwide News Pty Ltd |date=1 May 2008 |location=Melbourne, Victoria |page=97}}
Following the 1979 VFL season, Wilson transferred to {{AFL NM}}, playing two seasons with the Kangaroos before moving to {{AFL Mel}} ahead of the 1982 VFL season.
Wilson would play nine seasons with Melbourne, playing for the club in the 1988 VFL grand final loss against {{AFL Haw}}.
He would transfer to {{AFL StK}} ahead of the 1991 AFL season, before retiring at just 29 years of age at the end of the season, opting to pursue business interests.{{cite news |last1=Piesse |first1=Ken |title=The business of being Brian |work=Sunday Herald-Sun |publisher=Nationwide News Pty Ltd |date=13 June 2004 |location=Melbourne, Victoria |page=49}}
He would also be involved in the Heidelberg Football Club where he had served as a coach and president.{{cite news |last1=Wilson |first1=Caroline |title=THE DARK HORSE; THE BROWNLOW MEDAL |work=The Age |publisher=Fairfax Media Publications Pty Limited |date=27 August 2000 |location=Melbourne, Victoria |page=14}}
=Brownlow Medal=
Wilson was a surprise winner of the 1982 Brownlow Medal as the VFL's best and fairest player for the 1982 VFL season,{{cite news |last1=Niall |first1=Jake |title=Medal win a surprise, but we've been there before |work=The Age |publisher=Fairfax Media Publications Pty Limited |date=27 September 2023 |location=Melbourne, Victoria |page=44 |quote=Melbourne's Brian Wilson was another who came from the clouds in 1982 and whose career resume isn't at the level of most winners}} winning the award at just 20 years old, days before his 21st birthday. He polled 23 votes, five clear of {{AFL NM}}'s Ross Glendinning and six votes ahead of {{AFL Haw}} duo Leigh Matthews and Terry Wallace.{{cite news |last1=McFarlane |first1=Glenn |title=Dees reunite Wilson with long-lost Brownlow Medal |work=Herald-Sun |publisher=Nationwide News Pty Ltd |date=19 March 2023 |location=Melbourne, Victoria |page=98}}
In the seasons following his medal win, Wilson struggled with the attention of being a Brownlow medallist, but was able to regain his form in the late 1980s.{{cite news |last1=Anderson |first1=Jon |title=The day Charlie changed my life |work=Herald-Sun |publisher=Nationwide News Pty Ltd |date=21 September 2009 |pages=48-49}}
Wilson revealed in 2018 that he had lost the medal, but that it was returned to him via the Melbourne Football Club in 2023.
Personal life
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20060426181315/http://melbournefc.com.au/default.asp?pg=history Biography at the Melbourne Football Club website]
- {{AFL Tables}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{AFL Brownlow Medallists}}
{{Melbourne leading goalkickers}}
{{1982 VFL Team of the Year}}
{{1983 Victoria State of Origin players}}
{{1990 AFL national draft}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, Brian}}
Category:Western Bulldogs players
Category:Melbourne Football Club players
Category:North Melbourne Football Club players
Category:St Kilda Football Club players
Category:Brownlow Medal winners
Category:Australian rules footballers from Victoria (state)