Peter Spencer (footballer)

For other people named Peter Spencer, see Peter Spencer (disambiguation).
Peter Spencer
Personal information
Full name Peter James Spencer
Date of birth (1956-01-11) 11 January 1956 (age 68)
Place of birth Subiaco, Western Australia
Height 177 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 75 kg (165 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1974–1980, 1983–84, 1987 East Perth 185 (322)
1981–1982 North Melbourne 24 (32)
1985-1986 Subiaco 21 (47)
1986 Claremont 2 (4)
Representative team honours
Years Team Games (Goals)
1976–1982 Western Australia 7 (11)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1987.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Peter Spencer (born 11 January 1956) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the East Perth Football Club in the West Australian Football League (WAFL) and North Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL). He is a dual Sandover Medallist, winning the award in 1976 and 1984[1] and a triple F. D. Book Medallist (best and fairest at East Perth), winning the award in 1975, 1976 and 1984.[2]

He played for Western Australia in the 1979 Perth State of Origin Carnival,[3] before moving to Victoria to play for the Kangaroos in 1981 and 1982. His first season in the VFL was impressive, playing nineteen games and kicking the third most goals for the Kangaroos with 26,[4] but injuries restricted him to only five games in 1982.[5]

Spencer returned to Western Australia in 1983, but after two seasons with East Perth switched to Subiaco. After 21 games with the Lions it was clear his style was antagonistic to the philosophies of coach Bunton,[6] and Spencer applied along with Derek Kickett for a clearance to Claremont. At first the WAFL denied these applications,[7] but on 21 May Spencer won his clearance[8] – though he was recruited mainly to stiffen Claremont's reserves and played only two senior matches for the Tigers.

In 1987 he had one last season with the Royals, but injuries meant he had to play with headgear and padding all through – though he retired on a high note with a best afield effort as the Royals avoided the wooden spoon by downing East Fremantle.[9]

He was inducted into the West Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2007.[10]

He is the son of former East Perth player Jim Spencer and is currently a sports commentator with the ABC. He is an old boy of Aquinas College, Perth.

  1. ^ "Sandover Medal". Archived from the original on 10 December 2006. Retrieved 12 May 2007.
  2. ^ "Book Medal". Archived from the original on 9 April 2007. Retrieved 12 May 2007.
  3. ^ "1979 Perth State of Origin Carnival". Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 12 May 2007.
  4. ^ AFL official statistics 1981 Archived 6 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ AFL official statistics 1982 Archived 6 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ Stocks, Gary; 'Spencer to Sever Ties with Lions'; The West Australian, 8 May 1986, p. 120
  7. ^ Christian, Geoff; 'Clearance Bids Falter'; The West Australian, 16 May 1986, p. 80
  8. ^ Christian, Geoff; 'Tigers Get Kickett and Spencer'; The West Australian, 22 May 1986, p. 111
  9. ^ Stocks, Gary; 'Spencer Lets the Tears Flow for a Fairytale End'; The West Australian, 24 August 1987, p. 97
  10. ^ "WEST AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME Playing Record of all Members @ March 2012". West Australian Football Commission. March 2012. p. 3. Retrieved 28 July 2012.