Neil “Knuckles” Kerley to leave his hideout to back West Adelaide in SANFL final
HE’S coached five teams and won four premierships, but footy legend Neil “Knuckles” Kerley says his heart is with only one club in today’s SANFL grand final.
THE trailerload of tree stumps parked on the front lawn is the only giveaway that you’ve arrived at Neil Kerley’s little piece of the River Murray.
“I threw that load on there the other day,” says Kerley, pointing one of his famously gnarled fingers at the trailer.
“I’ll split them this week.
“Splitting stumps is just one of those things I like to do. It’s good exercise.”
For 16 seasons Neil Kerley made a name for himself splitting packs, during a career in which he became the undisputed “king” of SA football.
He would continue coaching for two more decades, enhancing his reputation with his messiah-like ability to take struggling clubs and turn them around.
But today, SA football’s king cringes at the thought of ascending the Adelaide Hills and venturing down into the city he once owned.
“Sitting around at traffic lights, I can’t stand it,” he growls.
Kerley’s modest but neat weatherboard house at Walker Flat is bordered by enormous river red gums on one side and the water itself on the other.
It provides him and wife Barb with everything they’ve ever wanted.
“It’s just relaxing and that’s why I love it,” Kerley says as he sits on his back deck, which almost disappears into the Murray.
It’s the middle of the week, so the weekend revellers are away at work and, aside from the ferry just up the river near the river cliff faces, the only noise comes from a new spring flock of ducklings and the occasional corella.
“People ask me if I get bored up here and I just laugh,” says Kerley, who permanently retreated back to the river in 2004.
“There’s plenty to do. I’m up early, just before six.
“I might go fishing, or play golf, or a shoot a bunny …
“The river’s is my blood. You could live off it if you wanted.”
But Kerley will drag himself away from the river and into the city today for the same reason he did 59 years ago – the West Adelaide Football Club.
“I’ll be there (Adelaide Oval) hoping they can pull it off,” he says of the grand final between the Bloods and Woodville-West Torrens at Adelaide Oval.
Kerley captain-coached three clubs and coached two others during his 40-year involvement with the SANFL. It’s hard to draw him on exactly who he supports, save to say he has a soft spot for Glenelg.
He’s even got an affiliation with the Bloods’ opponent today, having coached West Torrens from 1977-80, helping restore some respect to a club that later merged with Woodville.
But the Bloods are where Kerley’s feared reputation was forged and they hold a special place in his heart.
Kerley could easily have become a Redleg had the Bloods not done a better job of courting him when he first arrived in Adelaide for National Service in 1952.
It would begin a tumultuous yet distinguished journey with the club.
He dipped his toe in the SANFL in ’52 but wouldn’t join West permanently until 1956 – and quickly became one of the best and most ferocious players in the league.
By 1961 he was captain-coach and led the Bloods to a famous grand final win in 36C heat over Norwood.
“We were instructed not to drink water,” he says. “I lost a stone in weight (3.6kg).”
But a year later Kerley was sacked despite coming desperately close to another flag, triggering a mass exodus and setting the club back two decades.
“I’ve still got the letter (of termination). I had to read it five times,” he says.
“Five state players left the club. We had a side that was going to play finals football and win premierships for a very long time, but because of that stupid decision it fell apart.”
When the Bloods did recover to win another flag in 1983, Kerley, remarkably, was back at the helm.
“I’m a bit like an elephant – I’ve got a long memory. It took a bit of convincing to get me back,” he says.
Kerley rates the ’83 Bloods side as the best he ever coached. It was also their last to win a flag.
“We just adopted this forward handball movement and powerful running,” he says.
One of the stars was a young ruckman named Mark Mickan, who would also be a hard-luck story after injuring his knee late in the year.
Mickan will aim to become the first coach since Kerley to lead the Bloods to the ultimate today.
If he succeeds, he may just toast the win with a beer with Kerley on his deck.
“I’m still good friends with Mark, and I sent him a text this week wishing him luck,” Kerley says. “I hope he can do it.”