Brent Reilly

Biography

AFC Debut Number: 130               AFC Debut Game:  Round 15 v St Kilda, 2002

AFC Career Guernsey Numbers: 33   2002-8 93 games   3  2009-14 110 games

Brent Reilly finished as a one-club, 200-game player after Adelaide selected him with pick No. 12 at the 2001 National Draft from Calder Cannons. The Victorian midfielder debuted in 2002 and by 2005 was a starting player each week under Neil Craig. His career saw him utilised in various possessions, over the years he moved into a tagging role and also defence.

With a new lease on life as a defender, Reilly was selected in the 40-man All Australian squad in 2012, the same year he was inducted as an AFC Life Member. As one of the Club’s veterans it was a blow when a shoulder reconstruction impacted his 2013 and 2014 seasons, although he was still able to reach his 200-game milestone in Round 13.

In 2015 his career took a sharp turn as a freak pre-season training accident saw him hit by an accidental knee to the head. It caused a skull fracture and several other side-effects which required long-term rehab. Aged 31, Reilly retired as one of the Club’s most consistent players. He eventually moved to amateur club Henley Sharks as their coach before returning to the Crows in 2017 as a development coach.