Chris McDermott

Biography

AFC Debut Number: 1

AFC Debut Game:  Round 1 v Hawthorn, 1991  (11 Kicks   3 Marks  10 Handballs  21 Disposals  0 Goals)

AFC Career Guernsey Number: 10

After a decade of success in South Australian football with Glenelg and as SA’s State-of-Origin captain, Chris McDermott was the perfect fit as Adelaide’s inaugural AFL captain.

The Brighton High product grew up supporting Woodville but made his SANFL debut with Glenelg in 1981. Despite interstate interest by Fitzroy, Carlton and the Brisbane Bears, McDermott remained loyal to the Tigers in the 1980s. He played in losing grand finals in his first two seasons before he quickly developed a reputation as one of the competition’s toughest and most courageous midfielders. He was one of the best players in Glenelg’s 1985 and 1986 premierships, won three consecutive best-and-fairest awards from 1986-88 and was an All Australian in 1986 and 1987.

In 2005 McDermott was selected as captain of the AFC Team of the Decade 1991-2000.

A natural leader, McDermott was named Glenelg’s captain in 1988, the year after he suffered a serious knee injury in an exhibition game in Canada. Adelaide’s creation at the end of 1990 offered him the opportunity to play at the highest level without leaving the State and he debuted for the Club at the age of 27, after 274 games for Glenelg and SA.

McDermott mixed it with the best in the AFL and in 1992 was rewarded with the Club Champion trophy and All Australia selection. He captained the Crows for four season and was the first player at the Club to reach 100 games. Knee injuries hampered his final AFL season, and ultimately he signed with North Adelaide in the SANFL as a playing coach in 1997. He coached the Roosters until 2000. In 2002 he was an inaugural inductee to the SA Football Hall of Fame.  He was inducted into the Adelaide Football Club Hall of Fame in 2021.

In 2021 he was selected on the bench of Adelaide’s “Best 22 of 30 Years”. McDermott was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2024.

Post-football, McDermott chaired the Little Heroes Foundation SA and  worked in football media.