Mark Bickley

Biography

AFC Debut Number: 28               AFC Debut Game:  Round 4 v Essendon, 1991

AFC Career Guernsey Number: 26

Mark Bickley was one of the last players chosen in Adelaide’s inaugural 52-man squad, and six seasons later he earned his place in Club history as captain in the 1997 and 1998 premierships.

From Port Pirie, where he played for Solomontown, Bickley trialed with North Adelaide in 1998 but was not signed, and so he retuned home for a premiership win, alongside an Association best and fairest. He later returned moved to South Adelaide where he played 53 games in 1989 and 1990. Small but strong (178cm and 82kg), Bickley played much of his early career at half-back before evolving into a midfielder.

He was one of the Club’s most consistent performers and although he did not win a best and fairest, he was runner-up in 1993, third in 1992 and in the top ten in 11 of his 13 seasons. Even in his final season he remained a force, finishing fourth in 2003. After four seasons, two premierships and 102 games as captain, Bickley passed on the baton to Mark Ricciuto but continued to play and contribute until beyond his 34th birthday. In 2005 he was named in the AFC Team of the Decade 1991-2000. In 2007 he was inducted into the SA Football Hall of Fame and then the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2009. In 2021 he was inducted into the Adelaide Football Club Hall of Fame.

Bickley became heavily involved in the media, working in radio and television. However, at the end of 2008 he accepted an offer to return to the Crows as an assistant coach under Neil Craig and later Brenton Sanderson. In 2014 he resumed his media role.

In 2021 he was selected as back pocket and captain of the Adelaide’s “The Best 22 in 30 Years”