SA footy legend, Hall of Fame member Neil Kerley dies in tragic car accident

The AFL world is in mourning after the tragic death of a South Australian and Hall of Fame legend in a car crash.

The South Australian football community is mourning the death of legend and Australian Football Hall of Famer Neil Kerley.

Kerley, a two-time SANFL premiership coach and two-time premiership captain-coach, died when his vehicle crashed while towing a trailer on Wednesday afternoon.

He was 88.

Kerley, born Donald Neil Kerley, played 265 games in the SANFL as a ruck/utility and coached 628 games.

The majority of his matches as a player was at West Adelaide where he was a four-time best and fairest.

In some of his matches for South Adelaide and Glenelg, he was captain-coach in the 1960s.

Football coach Neil Kerley celebrating West Adelaide’s premiership in 1983. Picture: Supplied

Kerley, nicknamed Knuckles, King and Kerls, made 32 appearances for South Australia – including six times as captain, and finished his career as an Australian Football Hall of Fame member and South Australian Football Hall of Famer.

Kerley’s playing career spanned 17 years while his time as a coach went on for decades.

This sucks. An absolute giant of SA footy. https://t.co/nSBCJQJS13

— Ned Balme (@NedBalmeLives) June 29, 2022

Very sad news - SA football legend Neil Kerley has died in a car accident at Walker Flat. @9NewsAdel

— Ben Avery (@benavery9) June 29, 2022

So sad to hear of the passing of football legend Neil Kerley in a car accident near his Riverland home 😔

Condolences to his family & many friends 🙏🏻#RIPKnucklespic.twitter.com/VKjglE1xl5

— John Casey (@JohnCasey2880) June 29, 2022

NEIL KERLEY - The King. Very few gave so much - in so many places - to South Australian and Australian football. The throne will never see another Neil Kerley. pic.twitter.com/InCiE6srZe

— michelangelo rucci 🇪🇪 (@michelangeloruc) June 29, 2022

He’s the only SANFL coach to win premierships at multiple clubs over three decades. He was also a selector for the All Australian team.

Kerley was appointed football manager for the newly formed Adelaide Crows in 1991. Star Adelaide recruit Mark Ricciuto laughed as he remembered the day Kerley wanted him to play for the Crows.

Neil Kerley (centre) with fellow SA footy greats Graham Cornes and Gavin Wanganeen in 2018. Picture: Brenton Edwards

“Neil Kerley came up to Waikerie,” Ricciuto recalled the story on Triple M.

“I‘d just turned 16 and my best mate ran into the change rooms and said ‘Neil Kerley’s here to watch ya!’

“Curls rocks up, he’s got an esky full of beers, said to Dad: ‘Where’s the lad playing today?’

“I was playing forward pocket and Kerls said, ‘I didn’t drive all this way to watch him play forward pocket, put him in the middle’.

“So I played forward pocket and they got stuck into the beers, and after I kicked my 10th Kerls said to Dad, ‘Bring him to down to Adelaide next year, I think he’ll be alright’.”

Originally published as SA footy legend, Hall of Fame member Neil Kerley dies in tragic car accident