We are excited to announce the first inductee into this year's Roll of Excellence, Brad Hardie.
Brad first started Little Athletics in 1973 at Fremantle Little Athletics Centre. He went on to compete at the State Track and Field Championships in 1974 taking out gold and becoming the record holder in the U11 long jump and taking out gold in the high jump as well. Brad also competed in the 1976 State Track and Field Championships winning gold in the U13 60m hurdles and high jump.
A former Australian Rules footballer who represented Footscray, Brisbane Bears, and Collingwood in the Australian Football League (AFL) and South Fremantle in the Western Australian Football League (WAFL).
Brad appeared in a television advertisement promoting Little Athletics in Western Australia in 1981, 1982 and 1983. At the time he was playing League football for South Fremantle.
“I have always looked back fondly on my time in Little Athletics and often attribute the skills I learnt from being involved and participating in, went a long way to assisting my achievements in AFL football; to learn to run properly technique wise, the ability to generate speed off the mark, co-ordination and balance derived by field events. In general, just the want to compete, combined with a fierce desire to succeed assisted me no end and I would highly recommend it to all aspiring athletes in any sport. Further to that, the discipline coaching etc gave me positive thoughts on how to work hard and conduct my life.” Brad Hardie.
| 1979 – 1984 & 1993 | Played 140 League games for South Fremantle Football Club in the West Australian Football League. |
| 1985 – 1986 | Played 47 League games for Footscray Football Club in the Victorian Football League. |
| 1987 – 1991 | Played 101 League games for Brisbane Football Club in the Victorian Football League / Australian Football League. |
| 1992 | Played 2 League Games for Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League. |
| 1982 – 1991 | Played 8 State games for West Australia. |
| 1980 | Premiership player for South Fremantle Football Club in the West Australian Football League. |
| 1982 | Fairest & Best Player for the South Fremantle Football Club League team in the West Australian Football League. |
| 1984 | Captain for the South Fremantle Football Club League Team in the West Australian Football League |
| 1984 | Tassie Medal playing for Western Australia as the Fairest & Best Player in the Australian Football Championships. |
| 1984 | Simpson Medal as the best player playing for Western Australia against Victoria. |
| 1985 | Brownlow Medal for the Fairest & Best Player in the Victorian Football League. |
| 1986 | Fairest & Best Player for Footscray Football Club League team in the Victorian Football League. |
| 1986 | Tassie Medal playing for Western Australia as the Fairest & Best player in the Australian Football Championships. |
| 1986 | Simpson Medal as the best player playing for Western Australia against Victoria |
| 1984 & 1986 | Selected in the All Australian team from the Victorian Football League. |
| 1987 | Played in the Brisbane Football Club inaugural team. |
| 1995 | Awarded Life Membership with South Fremantle Football Club. |
| 1998 | Inducted into the Western Australian Institute of Sport Hall of Champions |
| 2004 | Inducted into the West Australian Football League Hall of Fame. |
| 2011 | Inducted into South Fremantle Football Club Hall of Fame. |
| 2019 | Inducted into the Australian Football League Hall of Fame |
Brad Hardie is a former Australian Rules footballer who represented Footscray, Brisbane Bears, and Collingwood in the Australian Football League (AFL) and South Fremantle in the Western Australian Football League (WAFL).
Brad was born in East Fremantle, Western Australia. At the age of 15, he suffered burns to 65 percent of his body in a backyard accident. He spent 5 months in Fremantle Hospital, undergoing multiple skin grafts, and was told he would never play sport again and to concentrate on other pursuits. Brad was initially devastated but was determined to play football and a year later when Brad was only 16 years of age, he made his WA Football League debut for South Fremantle against Swan Districts at Fremantle Oval. Throughout his playing career, Brad wore long sleeves to protect his burn scars.
Read more about Brad's incredible story
Since the end of his playing career Brad has been sought out for numerous media roles and currently writes for a national sports magazine and is also an integral member of Radio 6PR’s AFL commentary team and co-hosts various sports programs on the station. Brad is based in Melbourne to provide commentary for the West Coast Eagles and Fremantle Dockers interstate games for Radio 6PR Perth and Radio 3AW Melbourne.
Brad is a much sought-after speaker whose presentations titled ‘Adapting to Circumstances’ and ‘Goal setting – not shooting for the stars’ are both motivational and entertaining. He regularly addresses major corporate and sporting functions. Brad has an excellent sense of humour and always leaves audiences laughing.
The 2019 Coles Little Athletics Australia Roll of Excellence will be held on the 19th October 2019 at Aloft Hotel Perth, Rooftop Ballroom with host Melinda Gainsford Taylor.
The function and dinner will induct new members into the Coles Little Athletics Australia Roll of Excellence under the following categories -
| 1. Track and Field | Former Little Athletes who have represented Australia in athletics |
| 2. Sportsperson | Former Little Athletes who have competed at the highest level in Sport |
| 3. Achievers | Former Little Athletes who have achieved in a non-sport related discipline |
| 4. Volunteers | Any person (outside those eligible above) and/or families who have made an outstanding contribution to Little Athletics in Australia. |
| 5. Official of the Year | Regularly participates at Association/State Competitions, contributes positively to the overall moral of the official’s fraternity |
Ticket details coming soon!
Coles Little Athletics Australia acknowledges and pays respect to all traditional custodians of the lands of which we work, run, jump and throw throughout Australia. We pay respect to elders both past, present and emerging.
We are committed to a positive future for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and to honor their ongoing cultural and spiritual connections to this country and recognize the role and value of culture.
