Troy Broadbridge
{{short description|Australian rules footballer (1980–2004)}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Troy Broadbridge
| image = Troy Broadbridge.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| fullname = Troy Broadbridge
| birth_date = {{birth date|1980|10|5|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| death_date = {{death date and age|2004|12|26|1980|10|5|df=yes}}
| death_place = Phi Phi Islands, Thailand
| originalteam = Port Adelaide (SANFL)
| height = 191 cm
| weight = 90 kg
| position =
| statsend = 2004
| years1 = 2001–2004
| club1 = {{AFL Mel}}
| games_goals1 = 40 (2)
| careerhighlights =
}}
Troy Broadbridge (5 October 1980 – 26 December 2004) was an Australian rules footballer with the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
AFL career
=Melbourne career (2001–2004)=
Broadbridge began his career as a defender with South Australian National Football League (SANFL) club Port Adelaide, the team his father Wayne played for, and was drafted by the Melbourne Football Club at the beginning of the 2001 AFL season. He won the club's Most Improved Player award in 2001, and became a regular in the side, playing a total of 40 games over his three seasons.
Broadbridge's first and last AFL games were both against {{AFL Ess}} – he made his debut in Round 8, 2001, in the teams' first meeting since the 2000 Grand Final, while his last league game was also against Essendon, in the 2004 elimination final. On both occasions, Melbourne lost.{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/asia-tsunami/critics-see-red-over-tribute-to-broadbridge/2005/03/09/1110316092566.html|title=Critics see red over tribute to Broadbridge|work=The Age|first=Karen|last=Lyon|date=10 March 2005|accessdate=5 May 2015}} His final game of football at any level was in the 2004 premiership team of Melbourne's {{VFL-affiliate}}, Sandringham.{{cite news|newspaper=Herald Sun|date=19 September 2005|author=Rebecca Williams|page=60|title=Zebras double up|publication-place=Melbourne, VIC}}
Marriage and death
Broadbridge married Trisha Silvers on 18 December 2004. On 26 December, while spending their honeymoon in the Phi Phi Islands, Thailand, he drowned after being swept out to sea by the tsunami that followed the Indian Ocean earthquake, but Silvers survived. His father located his body in a Thai morgue on 3 January 2005.{{Cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2005-01-03/afl-players-body-found-in-thailand/612350|title=AFL player's body found in Thailand|date=2005-01-03|website=ABC News|language=en-AU|access-date=2016-05-08}}
Legacy
Trisha wrote a book about the events, Beyond The Wave, and was named as the 2006 Young Australian of the Year for her volunteer work for various charities, including building a school on Phi Phi named in Troy Broadbridge's honour.[http://www.theage.com.au/news/general/a-future-beyond-the-tsunami/2005/10/28/1130400361153.html?page=2 A Future Beyond the Tsunami] The Age, 29 October 2005
In Melbourne's first match of the 2005 season, played against Essendon, the Demons all wore black armbands with number 20 sported on them in memory of Broadbridge. The Demons won that game and dedicated the win to him and his widow, Trisha. Broadbridge's number 20 guernsey was retired for the following two seasons (2005–2006), and it was revived in 2007 by new player Colin Garland.
Since 2007, the Troy Broadbridge Memorial Trophy has been awarded to any Melbourne-listed player that accumulates the most votes for the club's VFL affiliate.[http://demonwiki.org/tiki-index.php?page=Other+awards Other awards : Demonwiki - The history of the Melbourne Football Club]
Melbourne captain Max Gawn paid tribute to Broadbridge, among other deceased club identities, in a post-match interview upon the club winning the 2021 AFL Grand Final.{{cite web|url=https://7news.com.au/sport/afl/footy-fans-go-wild-over-max-gawns-heartfelt-post-game-tribute-c-4071894|title=Footy fans go wild over Max Gawn's heartfelt post-game tribute|publisher=Seven News|first=Joey|last=Riordan|date=26 September 2021|accessdate=10 October 2021}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{AFL Tables|ref=T/Troy_Broadbridge.html}}
- [http://demonwiki.org/Troy+Broadbridge DemonWiki profile]
{{1999 AFL rookie draft}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Broadbridge, Troy}}
Category:Australian rules footballers from South Australia
Category:Melbourne Football Club players
Category:Port Adelaide Magpies players
Category:Sandringham Football Club players
Category:Place of birth missing
Category:Victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami