Rhett Biglands

Biography

AFC Debut Number: 113              AFC Debut Game:  Round 5 v Brisbane, 2000

AFC Career Guernsey Number: 35

Rhett Biglands sat with the Adelaide cheer squad as a 13-year-old in the Crows’ first AFL game, and nine years later he took to the field for that same team.

Biglands played through the grades for Woodville-West Torrens in the SANFL and was selected by Port Adelaide for its inaugural AFL list in 1997. Injuries stalled his progress and Port discarded the 200cm ruckman after just one year. Biglands revived his career by performing in the SANFL, including a fine 1999 season with the Eagles and was selected in the SANFL State side.

Adelaide drafted him at the end of that year and he made his AFL debut in Round Five of the following season, working with the experienced Shaun Rehn. Over the next several seasons he worked in tandem with the likes of Matthew Clarke and Ben Hudson while also taking charge of Adelaide’s ruck stocks.

His career ended prematurely, however, in the 2006 preliminary final when he suffered a serious knee injury. Biglands needed a reconstruction and spent 2007 in rehab, preparing for a full pre-season. Sadly he suffered another setback early in 2008 and required a second reconstruction. He retired at the end of the season after 134 games for the Club.