57 Facts About Nathan Buckley

Nathan Charles Buckley was born on 26 July 1972 and is a former professional Australian rules football coach, player and commentator.

Nathan Buckley is listed by journalist Mike Sheahan as one of the top 50 players of all time.

Nathan Buckley was selected in the All-Australian Team seven times and captained the Australian international rules football team against Ireland.

In 2004 Nathan Buckley became an original inductee into the Collingwood Hall of Fame.

Nathan Buckley retired at the conclusion of the 2007 AFL season before serving as Collingwood assistant coach for seasons 2010 and 2011, and as senior coach in 2012 which he served until stepping down mid-way through the 2021 maintaining an overall positive career coaching record.

Nathan Buckley was born in suburban Adelaide, South Australia, on 26 July 1972.

Nathan Buckley's family travelled around Australia quite frequently, and by the age of 12, Buckley had been to all major states on the Australian mainland.

Nathan Buckley spent the majority of his football-developing years in the Northern Territory, and thus he has occasionally been regarded as a Territorian.

Nathan Buckley rebelled at the age of 14, opting to play tennis rather than football, but then his father Ray sent him to boarding school at Victoria's Salesian College in Sunbury to rekindle his enthusiasm in a footy environment.

Nathan Buckley played his junior football at the Nightcliff Football Club, representing the Northern Territory at school level in 1983 and 1984, and first played senior football at Southern Districts in Darwin.

Nathan Buckley completed his schooling at St John's College, Darwin.

Nathan Buckley played alongside various members of the famous Rioli family during his time at St John's.

Nathan Buckley played cricket for the "PINTS" social club, alongside Michael Tunn from Triple J Nathan Buckley played at the Ainslie Football Club in the Canberra-based ACTAFL for a season alongside James Hird when he was 13.

Nathan Buckley joined South Australian National Football League club Port Adelaide where, in 1992, he won his only senior premiership as well as the Magarey Medal, the Jack Oatey Medal, and his club best and fairest.

Nathan Buckley challenged the AFL draft system and sparked controversy by initially resisting a move to Brisbane.

Nathan Buckley's dreams were to play in Melbourne due to its culture in the sport, therefore felt the Bears were an undesirable career option.

Nathan Buckley signed with the Bears for the 1993 AFL season as part of a deal between Nathan Buckley and the Bears that allowed him to go to the club of his choice the following season.

Nathan Buckley immediately demonstrated his potential, playing 20 games, kicking 21 goals and impressing with his general play.

Nathan Buckley was the inaugural winner of the Norwich Rising Star Award and finished a close second in the Bears' best-and-fairest award.

Nathan Buckley was adamant that the move was the right career direction, with the belief he had more chance of winning a premiership with Collingwood.

Ironically, Brisbane would go on to win three premierships during Nathan Buckley's playing career to Collingwood's none, with Brisbane even beating Collingwood in two consecutive AFL Grand Finals in 2002 and 2003.

From here, Nathan Buckley would be a consistent performer for Collingwood.

Nathan Buckley was named Collingwood's Best and Fairest six times in 10 years, as well as six consecutive years in the All-Australian Team from 1996 to 2002.

In 1999, Nathan Buckley suffered a broken jaw playing against Carlton in Round 2.

Nathan Buckley returned in Round 8 to help Collingwood to their first win of the season and their first in 13 matches.

Nathan Buckley competed in the last game at Collingwood's long-time home ground Victoria Park against one of their main rivals, the Brisbane Lions.

Collingwood finishing 15th in 2000 and ninth in 2001, with Nathan Buckley starring in both seasons.

In Round 2,2001, Nathan Buckley set a record by amassing 46 disposals, the highest total since quarters were shortened to twenty minutes in 1994 AFL season, this remained the record until Round 10,2009, when surpassed by Dane Swan.

In one of the great individual grand final performances, Nathan Buckley won the Norm Smith Medal for best on ground, the first time since 1989 that a player from a losing side had won the award.

In 2003, Nathan Buckley received his highest individual honour, the Brownlow Medal in a three-way tie with fellow South Australian-born players Mark Ricciuto and Adam Goodes.

Nathan Buckley was his team's leading ball winner, with 24 disposals.

Nathan Buckley started the season in usual domineering fashion in the opening three rounds, but missed seven of the next eight matches with hamstring problems.

Nathan Buckley was honoured with life membership of the Collingwood Football Club in 2004.

Nathan Buckley was rested twice during the season, once for the match against West Coast at Subiaco in Round 7, and again in the Round 21 clash against Carlton.

Nathan Buckley was judged best on ground, gathering 29 possessions and kicking four goals.

Nathan Buckley returned to the Collingwood side the following week and played in the club's two remaining home-and-away games and all three finals, including its 18-point semi-final win against West Coast in extra time, and its five-point loss against Geelong in the preliminary final where he was sitting on the bench in disappointment when the final siren sounded.

Three weeks later, on 5 October 2007, Nathan Buckley announced his retirement.

Nathan Buckley was the assistant coach under senior coach Malthouse for the 2010 season, including being part of the club's coaching panel in the club's 2010 Premiership victory, and in the 2011 season; he then became senior coach in 2012, having taken over from Mick Malthouse, as part of the planned transition under the two year succession plan, initially signing for a period of three years as senior coach of the Collingwood Football Club.

Collingwood under Nathan Buckley began the 2012 season shakily, losing to Hawthorn in round 1 and being thrashed by Carlton in Round 3.

Nathan Buckley's contract was extended until the end of 2016 by Collingwood in early March 2014; however, Collingwood produced a poor performance in round 1 and lost to 2013 grand finalists Fremantle by 70 points.

Collingwood's 2015 season under Nathan Buckley fell into two distinct halves.

In March 2016 Nathan Buckley was given a one-year contract extension to the end of 2017.

Collingwood CEO Gary Pert denied the short contract reflected a lack of faith in Nathan Buckley, saying it reflected 'the current state of the industry'.

Nathan Buckley took some heart from a strong finish to the season.

Many assumed Nathan Buckley would be sacked, but Collingwood honoured his contract extension and Nathan Buckley made himself personally accountable for the side's upcoming 2017 season.

Collingwood's improved performance under Nathan Buckley earned him another 2-year contract extension to the end of 2021.

Nathan Buckley supported Collingwood following a tumultuous 2020 trade period which saw three senior players, including Treloar, depart for a modest compensation.

On 9 June 2021, Nathan Buckley announced that he would step down as senior coach, effective after the Round 13,2021 Queen's Birthday match against Melbourne.

Nathan Buckley was replaced by assistant coach Robert Harvey as caretaker senior coach of the Collingwood Football Club for the rest of the 2021 season.

Nathan Buckley has made several appearances on The Footy Show as a panelist.

Nathan Buckley was the central character in an advertising campaign by wireless broadband provider Unwired.

Nathan Buckley made an appearance as a celebrity racer at the 2008 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, in which he came second overall.

In January 2022, Nathan Buckley appeared as a contestant on the eighth season of Network 10's I'm a Celebrity.

Nathan Buckley was involved in the AFL "Laws of the Game" or Rules Committee until he controversially resigned.

Nathan Buckley and Minnici have two sons; Jett Charles, who was born on 22 December 2006 and Ayce Dominic, who was born on 21 September 2008.

Nathan Buckley has been in a relationship with girlfriend Alex Pike, who herself broke up with her husband of nearly 19 years.

Nathan Buckley has moved into harness racing and is the owner of the Group One winner Hurricane Jett, a pacer named after his oldest son and trained by highly successful trainer and Collingwood supporter Jayne Davies.