Michael Byrne (Australian footballer)

Michael Byrne
Personal information
Full name	Michael Byrne
Date of birth	(1958-12-02) 2 December 1958
Original team(s)	North Shore (Sydney)
Height/Weight	200 cm / 86 kg
Position(s)	Ruckman
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1977–1982 1982–1986 1987–1989 Total	Melbourne Hawthorn Sydney Swans	056 0(41) 090 0(97) 021 0(12) 167 (150)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1989 season.
Career highlights
Hawthorn premiership player, 1983 5th in Brownlow Medal, 1983

Michael Byrne (born 2 December 1958) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Melbourne, Hawthorn and Sydney in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

A 200 cm tall ruckman, Byrne started his career at Melbourne in 1977 and one game into his sixth season with the club decided to cross to Hawthorn. Byrne kicked 8 goals straight in his debut game for the Hawks against Footscray in 1982. He finished the year with 47 goals. In 1983, Byrne finished equal fifth in the Brownlow Medal and was a member of Hawthorn's premiership side, kicking three goals in the Grand Final.

He holds the Hawthorn record for the most behinds in a VFL/AFL game without a goal, after kicking 0.8 in a game against Melbourne in 1985. In the history of the league, only Stuart Spencer and Tom Allen are known to have kicked more behinds without a goal (11).

Byrne moved to Sydney in 1987, playing 21 games for the Swans before his retirement at the end of the 1989 VFL season. In all Byrne played 167 league games and kicked 150 goals.

Following his retirement, Byrne became involved in coaching, with his long kicking ability proving an advantage as he became a skills coach in rugby union. He has worked as a coach in England, Scotland, and New Zealand, and is currently an assistant coach with the Blues in Super Rugby. He is also the skills coach for the All Blacks.

External links

• Michael Byrne's statistics from AFL Tables
• Demonwiki profile
• Hawksheadquarters profile