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Stephen Kernahan

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Australian rules footballer, born 1963

Australian rules footballer
Stephen Kernahan
Personal information
Full name Stephen Scott Kernahan
Nickname(s) Sticks, Corey
Date of birth (1963-09-01) 1 September 1963 (age 61)
Place of birth Adelaide, South Australia
Original team(s) Glenelg (SANFL)
Height 196 cm (6 ft 5 in)
Weight 102 kg (225 lb)
Position(s) Centre half-forward, Ruckman
Playing career
Years Club Games (Goals)
1981–1985 Glenelg 116 (266)
1986–1997 Carlton 251 (738)
Total 367 (1004)
Representative team honours
Years Team Games (Goals)
1983–1996 South Australia 16 (66)
Playing statistics correct to the end of 1997.
Career highlights

VFL/AFL

SANFL

Representative

Overall

Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Stephen Scott Kernahan (born 1 September 1963) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL) and for the Glenelg Football Club in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). He also played 16 State of Origin games for South Australia and gained selection as an All-Australian five times (1983, 1986, 1988, 1992 and 1994). He later served for six years as president of the Carlton Football Club.

Nicknamed Sticks, Kernahan was the captain of Carlton's Team of the Century and holds the club goalkicking record of 738 and, until eclipsed by Joel Selwood in 2022, held the AFL record for the most games as a club captain.

Early life

Stephen Kernahan is the son of South Australian football legend and Glenelg club champion and administrator Harry Kernahan, and the older brother of former Glenelg and Carlton player David Kernahan. Kernahan attended Paringa Park Primary School in North Brighton and Brighton High School. At a junior level, he represented South Australia in cricket and surf life-saving in addition to football. He became a licensed stockbroker and worked at the stock exchanges in Adelaide and then Melbourne throughout his football career.

His affiliation with Glenelg began very young; he developed a lifelong friendship with Chris McDermott when they played together in the under-10s team.

Playing career

Glenelg

He began his senior career with Glenelg in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) at age 17 in 1981, and played 116 games, kicking 266 goals (also playing 20 games and kicking 24 goals in night series/pre-season competition), and also won three straight best and fairest awards.

Under the coaching of 1961 Magarey Medallist John Halbert, Kernahan was a member of Glenelg's losing Grand Final teams to Port Adelaide in 1981 and Norwood in 1982.

In 1983, he topped the voting in the Magarey Medal with a then-record 44 votes, made all the more remarkable as Glenelg only won 9 of 22 games for the season (after losing their first 8 games), half the number won by premiers West Adelaide. Unfortunately, he was ineligible due to being reported for an incident with Norwood's Garry McIntosh in Round 4 and was suspended for Round 5. Due to the rules of the SANFL, any player who receives a suspension during a season is ineligible to win the Medal and the award was won by North Adelaide's Tony Antrobus who polled 35 votes. Kernahan was also twice leading goal kicker for The Bays, in 1983 and 1984 and in 1985 he was awarded the Jack Oatey Medal as best on the ground in the club's premiership win over North Adelaide.

In his days with Glenelg, Kernahan was mostly used as a ruckman/forward due to his 6'5" (196 cm) height and his strong marking and leading ability. He played mostly at full-forward and was the Tigers' second ruckman behind Bays legend Peter Carey. This would lead him to be Glenelg's leading goalkicker in both 1983 and 1984. His height and his slight build led to the nickname "Sticks".

Kernahan was signed by Carlton in the Victorian Football League (VFL) in 1981, but he didn't move to the club until 1986 due to his ambition to play in a premiership with his best mates at Glenelg. The anticipation of Kernahan's arrival was heightened when he played State of Origin games for South Australia and his outstanding play, usually at full-forward, saw those in Victoria take notice. In 1983, Kernahan was a member of the South Australian side which defeated Victoria in Adelaide for the first time in 18 years. He kicked 10 goals in a losing side against Victoria at Football Park in Adelaide in 1984, winning the Fos Williams Medal as South Australia's player of the match. He was a mainstay of the South Australian state of origin teams throughout his careers at Glenelg and Carlton, playing a total of sixteen games for the Croweaters, winning a second Fos Williams Medal in 1988, and captaining the team in 1996.

Carlton

After winning the 1985 premiership with Glenelg, Kernahan finally moved to Melbourne to join Carlton in 1986, the same year as two other quality South Australian players, Craig Bradley from Port Adelaide and Peter Motley from Sturt, joined the Blues, and the three were immediately influential for the Blues. Playing primarily at centre half-forward—and sometimes at full-forward—throughout his career, Kernahan kicked 62 goals in his first season at Carlton, to be the club's leading goalkicker for the first of a club record eleven consecutive occasions.

In only his second season at the club, Kernahan was made club captain. He became widely regarded for his leadership as captain, with former club chief executive Ian Collins describing him as "on and off the field, the greatest leader has ever had". He held the captaincy for eleven years until his retirement, and his 226 games as captain is a VFL/AFL record for any club. In the final round of the 1987 season, he famously kicked a goal after the final siren to defeat North Melbourne and clinch the minor premiership and the bye in the first week of the finals, and Carlton went on from that position to win the Grand Final against Hawthorn and its 15th premiership. Kernahan won his first of three club best and fairest awards that season. Prior to the 1991 season, Kernahan was offered a large sum of money to join the newly established Adelaide Crows, which would be coached by his former premiership coach Graham Cornes, but Kernahan remained loyal to Carlton.

In Round 2, 1993, against Essendon, Kernahan had another shot after the siren to win the game. As the scores were level, he only needed a behind or better to win the game. After taking a strong pack mark, Kernahan heard the siren go, steadied himself, and took two steps inside the 50-metre arc from about a 20-degree angle on the right forward flank. Unfortunately for Kernahan, he shanked the kick to the right, infamously kicking the ball out of bounds on the full, resulting in a drawn game. Kernahan said of the moment a decade on, "I was a good kick when I was young. I could kick goals, no problem," Kernahan said. "But by '93, I was a worse kick than in the '80s. I'd had groins, my kicking had gone off. Kerhahan made amends for his miss the round after, kicking a late-game winner against Hawthorn.

Kernahan won another two club best and fairest awards in 1989 and 1992, and he continued to win the club goalkicking annually, with his highest total of 83 goals coming in 1992. He was selected in the All-Australian team in 1992 and 1994. He led Carlton to the 1993 Grand Final against Essendon, which the club lost badly despite Kernahan's seven goals. Two years later, Kernahan led the club to the 1995 premiership, kicking five goals in the Grand Final against Geelong.

Kernahan retired at the end of the 1997 season. In that year, he passed Harry Vallence to become the leading career goalkicker in Carlton Football Club history; he finished his VFL/AFL career with 738 goals, which remains a Carlton record as of 2023.

Overall, Kernahan played a total of 367 premiership games for Glenelg and Carlton, and kicked 1004 goals, which is the 13th most in elite Australian rules football.

Kernahan also played 16 State of Origin matches for South Australia, kicking 66 goals, and a total of 39 pre-season/night series matches, 20 for Glenelg and 19 for Carlton (these are counted as senior by the SANFL but not by the VFL/AFL), kicking 63 goals. If these are included, Kernahan played 422 career senior games and kicked a career senior total of 1,133 goals, which is the eighth most in elite Australian rules football.

Kernahan also played three International Rules matches for Australia in 1984 and scored one goal, which are counted as senior by the VFL/AFL, who list Kernahan's total as 406 career senior games and 1,095 career goals, excluding his pre-season/night series matches for Carlton: if these are included here, this gives Kernahan an overall total of 425 career senior games and 1,134 goals.

Honours

He was selected as an All-Australian five times: three times when the team was selected based on interstate carnival performances (1985, 1986 and 1988) and twice when the team was selected based on AFL performances (1992 and 1994). He is a Carlton and AFL life member, and he has been inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame and the South Australian Football Hall of Fame.

Kernahan is regarded as one of the greatest players in Carlton Football Club history. He was centre half-forward and captain of the club's Team of the Century, he was made a Legend of the Carlton Football Club Hall of Fame in 1997, and as part of the club's sesquicentennial celebrations in 2014 he was named the second-greatest player in the club's history, behind only John Nicholls.

Sports administration career

Carlton Football Club president

After retiring as a player, Kernahan joined the Carlton Football Club's board of directors, and in 2006 became a vice-president of the club. Following Graham Smorgon's failure to be re-elected at the 2007 Board Elections, Kernahan was made interim president, acquiring the services of and relinquishing the position to Richard Pratt within days. On 20 June 2008, he again took the role of president, this time permanently, after Pratt stood aside to fight charges of giving false and misleading evidence to an Australian Competition & Consumer Commission. Kernahan served as president for six years before stepping aside in June 2014. Kernahan then handed over his position as president of the club to Mark LoGiudice.

Publishing career

Kernahan also had a post-football career in publishing in Melbourne.


Statistics

Legend
  G   Goals   K   Kicks   D   Disposals    T   Tackles
  B   Behinds    H   Handballs    M   Marks H/O Hit-outs
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game) Votes
G B K H D M T H/O G B K H D M T H/O
1986 Carlton 4 25 62 27 233 95 328 157 — 60 2.5 1.1 9.3 3.8 13.1 6.3 — 2.4 1
1987† Carlton 4 24 73 50 275 89 364 177 41 33 3.0 2.1 11.5 3.7 15.2 7.4 1.7 1.4 14
1988 Carlton 4 23 54 36 288 71 359 161 28 30 2.3 1.6 12.5 3.1 15.6 7.0 1.2 1.3 3
1989 Carlton 4 22 59 40 298 64 362 180 28 39 2.7 1.8 13.5 2.9 16.5 8.2 1.3 1.8 9
1990 Carlton 4 22 69 42 254 58 312 165 36 42 3.1 1.9 11.5 2.6 14.2 7.5 1.6 1.9 4
1991 Carlton 4 20 46 36 234 57 291 149 36 36 2.3 1.8 11.7 2.9 14.6 7.5 1.8 1.8 6
1992 Carlton 4 22 83 50 278 74 352 165 20 76 3.8 2.3 12.6 3.4 16.0 7.5 0.9 3.5 8
1993 Carlton 4 18 68 42 216 57 273 140 23 30 3.8 2.3 12.0 3.2 15.2 7.8 1.3 1.7 8
1994 Carlton 4 23 82 51 237 96 333 160 24 49 3.6 2.2 10.3 4.2 14.5 7.0 1.0 2.1 5
1995† Carlton 4 17 63 40 172 42 214 121 18 16 3.7 2.4 10.1 2.5 12.6 7.1 1.1 0.9 8
1996 Carlton 4 19 56 34 172 36 208 108 13 15 2.9 1.8 9.0 1.9 10.9 5.7 0.7 0.8 1
1997 Carlton 4 16 23 23 146 36 182 76 17 20 1.4 1.4 9.1 2.3 11.4 4.8 1.1 1.3 0
Career 251 738 471 2803 775 3578 1759 284 446 2.9 1.9 11.2 3.1 14.3 7.0 1.3 1.8 67


References

  1. These totals refer to premiership matches (home-and-away and finals matches) only.
  2. Robinson, Mark (29 April 2009). "The day Dick Pratt said he'd be Carlton president". Herald Sun. News Corporation. Retrieved 24 December 2009.
  3. Phillips, Stephen, 'Captain Kernahan',1997 Stephen Kernahan career retrospective
  4. 2005 interview with Robert Walls
  5. "Fullpointsfooty.net".
  6. ^ Tony de Bolfo (1997), "King Kerna's reign ends", Inside Carlton - 1997 Yearbook, p. 17
  7. "Stephen S Kernahan". South Australian National Football League. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  8. "Stephen Kernahan". Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  9. "STEPHEN KERNAHAN". Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  10. "Board". Carlton Football Club. Retrieved 12 November 2011.
  11. On This Day - Sticks After the Siren, retrieved 2 July 2023
  12. "Stephen Kernahan". Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  13. Each AFL Teams Last Miss After the Siren, retrieved 2 July 2023
  14. "Win some, lose some". The Age. 31 May 2002. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  15. "Stephen Kernahan". Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  16. extraverse (18 October 2016). AFL – The '90s: The Decade That Delivered. Retrieved 2 October 2024 – via YouTube.
  17. "Stephen Kernahan". Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  18. "AFL Tables - All Time Player List - Carlton". afltables.com. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  19. "Stephen Kernahan". Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  20. "Stephen Kernahan". Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  21. "Stephen Kernahan". Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  22. "Stephen Kernahan". Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  23. Coutts, Ian, ed. (2012), Inside Carlton, Carlton North, Victoria: Carlton Football Club, p. 79
  24. Glenn McFarlane (14 June 2014). "John Nicholls named the greatest Blue in 150-year history ahead of Stephen Kernahan, Bruce Doull, Alex Jesaulenko & Stephen Silvagni". Herald Sun. Melbourne, VIC. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  25. "Kernahan: a guy who sticks to his guns". 6 July 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  26. "Kernahan: a guy who sticks to his guns". 6 July 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  27. Pratt stands aside as Carlton chief Sydney Morning Herald, 20 June 2008
  28. "Kernahan: a guy who sticks to his guns". 6 July 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  29. Jon Pierik (26 April 2014). "New Blues president Mark LoGiudice wants a grand era of success". The Age. Melbourne, VIC. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  30. "Stephen Kernahan". AFL Tables. Retrieved 27 October 2019.

External links

Glenelg Football Club 1985 SANFL premiers
Glenelg 21.15 (141) defeated North Adelaide 12.12 (84), at Football Park
Coach: Cornes
Carlton Football Club 1987 VFL premiers
Carlton 15.14 (104) defeated Hawthorn 9.17 (71), at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Coach: Walls
Carlton Football Club 1995 AFL premiers
Carlton 21.15 (141) defeated Geelong 11.14 (80), at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Coach: Parkin
Captains of the Carlton Football Club
VFL/AFL
AFL Women's
AFL Players Association best captain
Carlton Football Club: Team of the Century
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Jack Oatey Medal winners
The Jack Oatey Medal has been awarded since 1981 to the "best" player in the South Australian National Football League Grand Final.
Fos Williams Medal winners
State of Origin
State Interleague
City v Country
The Fos Williams Medal has been awarded since 1981 to the "best" player from South Australia during Inter-State or Inter-Competition matches.
John Nicholls Medal · Carlton Football Club best and fairest winners
Carlton Football Club · leading goalkickers
VFL/AFL
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All-Australian captains
Carnival era (pre-1991)
AFL era (1991–present)
1985 All-Australian team
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South Australia
  • Malcolm Blight (Woodville)
  • Craig Bradley (Port Adelaide)
  • Stephen Kernahan (Glenelg)
  • Peter Motley (Sturt)
  • John Platten (Hawthorn)
    • Victoria
  • Dermott Brereton (Hawthorn)
  • Terry Daniher (Essendon) (Captain)
  • Garry Foulds (Essendon)
  • Russell Greene (Hawthorn)
  • Mark Harvey (Essendon)
  • Mark Lee (Richmond)
  • Roger Merrett (Essendon)
  • Gary Pert (Fitzroy)
  • Geoff Raines (Collingwood)
  • Paul Roos (Fitzroy)
  • Dale Weightman (Richmond)
    • Western Australia
  • Leon Baker (Essendon)
  • Gary Buckenara (Hawthorn)
  • Rod Lester-Smith (Hawthorn)
  • Michael Mitchell (Claremont)
    • 1986 All-Australian team
    South Australia
    Victoria
  • Gerard Healy (Sydney)
  • Brian Royal (Footscray)
  • Kevin Walsh (Essendon)
  • Dale Weightman (Richmond)
  • Greg Williams (Sydney)
    • Western Australia
  • Gary Buckenara (Hawthorn)
  • Brad Hardie (Footscray)
  • Laurie Keene (Subiaco)
  • Andrew Macnish (Subiaco)
  • Steve Malaxos (Claremont)
  • Michael Mitchell (Claremont)
  • Phil Narkle (West Coast)
  • Brian Peake (East Fremantle) (Captain)
  • Maurice Rioli (Richmond)
  • Robert Wiley (Perth)
  • Peter Wilson (East Fremantle)
  • Ron Alexander (East Fremantle) (Coach)
    • 1987 VFL Team of the Year
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    Stephen Kernahan in South Australian State of Origin teams
    South Australian team – 1983 Interstate Championships
    South Australia 26.16 (172) defeated Victoria 17.14 (116), at Football Park, 16 May 1983
    Western Australia 24.14 (134) defeated South Australia 16.14 (110), at Subiaco Oval, 4 June 1983
    Both games
    State of Origin vs. Victoria
    State Game vs. Western Australia
    Coach: Hammond
    South Australian team – 1984 Interstate Championships
    Victoria 16.12 (108) defeated South Australia 16.8 (104), at Football Park, 15 May 1984
    Western Australia 14.14 (98) defeated South Australia 14.13 (97), at Football Park, 9 June 1984
    Both games
    State of Origin vs. Victoria
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    Coach: Kerley
    South Australian team – 1986 State of Origin
    Coach: Cornes
    South Australian team – 1988 Bicentennial State of Origin Carnival
    Both games
    vs. New South Wales
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    Coach: Cornes
    South Australian team – 1989 State of Origin
    Coach: Cahill
    South Australian team – 1991 State of Origin
    Coach: Cornes
    South Australian team – 1992 State of Origin
    Coach: Cornes
    South Australian team – 1993 State of Origin
    South Australia 19.13 (127) defeated Western Australia 14.17 (91), at Football Park, 2 June 1993, crowd: 21,487
    South Australia 16.13 (109) defeated Victoria 14.13 (97), at the MCG, 5 June 1993, crowd: 31,792
    Both games
    Semi-final vs. Western Australia
    Final vs. Victoria
    Coach: Cornes
    South Australian team – 1994 State of Origin
    Coach: Cornes
    South Australian team – 1996 State of Origin
    Coach: Ebert
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