Anthony Banik (born 17 January 1973) is a former

Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an Australian rules football playing field, oval field, often a modified ...

player who played in the

Australian Football League The Australian Football League (AFL) is the pre-eminent professional sports, professional competition of Australian rules football. It was originally named the Victorian Football League (VFL) and was founded in 1896 as a breakaway competition ...

between 1990 and 1994 for the

Richmond Football Club The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed the Tigers or colloquially the Tiges, is a professional Australian rules football team competing in the Australian Football League (AFL). Founded in 1885 in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond, Victoria, Ric ...

. Banik went on to be player-coach for West Adelaide in the

South Australian National Football League The South Australian National Football League, or SANFL ( or ''S-A-N-F-L''), is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the state's sports governing body, governing body for the sport. ...

, then Sale, then led the DWWWW Allies to a Premiership in the

Alberton Football Netball League The Alberton Football Netball League was an Australian rules football league covering the South Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. History 1946: Reformation of Alberton Football Association (League) The Alberton Football Association wa ...

in 2003.

Career

Banik was the #1 pick in the 1989 VFL draft and made his AFL debut for Richmond in Round 3 of the 1990 season against the reigning premiers on 14 April at Princes Park. He collected 14 kicks, 2 handballs and 1 mark as the Tigers went down by 30 points, 10.21 (81) to 15.21 (111). During his time at Richmond, Banik contracted

chronic fatigue syndrome Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a disabling Chronic condition, chronic illness. People with ME/CFS experience profound fatigue that does not go away with rest, as well as sleep issues and problems with memory ...

which limited his on-field availability. He recovered from the illness but was eventually delisted by the club following the 1994 season. He won the Richmond reserves best and fairest award in 1994. Banik then moved to

Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...

to play for West Adelaide in the

in 1995. He won their best & fairest award in his debut season with the club, and again in 1997. He coached

Gippsland Football League The Gippsland League (formerly known as the West Gippsland Latrobe Football League) is an Australian rules football and netball league in the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. It is considered the only AFL Victoria major league in Gipps ...

club Sale in 2000 and 2001.

References

* Hogan P: ''The Tigers of Old'', Richmond FC, Melbourne 1996

External links

* 1973 births Living people Richmond Football Club players West Adelaide Football Club players Sale Football Club coaches Australian rules footballers from Victoria (state) 20th-century Australian sportsmen {{AFL-bio-1970s-stub People with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome