Bernard Francis Quinlan (born 21 July 1951) 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 ...

er who played for the

Footscray Football Club The Western Bulldogs are a professional Australian rules football club based in the Melbourne suburb of Footscray. The club competes in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's premier competition. Originally named the Footscray F ...

and

Fitzroy Football Club The Fitzroy Football Club is an Australian rules football club currently competing in the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA). Formed in 1883 to represent the inner-Melbourne municipality of City of Fitzroy, Fitzroy, the club is base ...

in the

Victorian Football League The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football competition in Australia operated by the Australian Football League (AFL) as a second-tier, regional, semi-professional competition. It includes teams from clubs based in east ...

(VFL). One of a handful of players to have won a

Brownlow Medal The Charles Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal (and informally as Charlie), is awarded to the best and fairest player in the Australian Football League (AFL) during the home-and-away season, as determined by votes cast by the f ...

and

Coleman Medal The Coleman Medal is an Australian rules football award given annually to the Australian Football League (AFL) player who kicks the most Laws of Australian rules football#Scoring, goals in the Australian Football League#Premiership season, home- ...

, Quinlan was an inaugural inductee in the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 1996. Renowned for his prodigious long kicking, which earned him the nickname "Superboot", Quinlan played his best football late in his career, earning most of his individual accolades after he had turned 30. He holds the record for the most career games without playing in a Grand Final and is one of five VFL/AFL players (the others being

Shaun Burgoyne Shaun Playford Burgoyne (born 21 October 1982) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Port Adelaide Football Club and Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Burgoyne was the first Indigenous Austral ...

, Heath Shaw, Lance Franklin and Patrick Dangerfield) to have played 150 or more games at two separate clubs.

Playing career

Quinlan was recruited from

Traralgon Traralgon ( , ) is a city located in the east of the Latrobe Valley in the Gippsland region of Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia and the most populous city in the City of Latrobe and the region. The urban population of Traralgon at the ...

, which was in 's zone, and arrived at Footscray halfway through the 1969 VFL season. Teammate Barry Round also made his debut in the same year, and coincidentally they would tie for the

12 years later in 1981, both by that time playing at different clubs. Quinlan played 177 games for the club, playing mostly at centre half-forward (also occasionally playing as a centre half-back). The 1970s were a tough time financially for the Bulldogs, and many quality players were cleared to other clubs. Quinlan was cleared to in 1978 for 70,000

dollar Dollar is the name of more than 25 currencies. The United States dollar, named after the international currency known as the Spanish dollar, was established in 1792 and is the first so named that still survives. Others include the Australian d ...

s. In October 1979, Quinlan was fined $500 for missing two training sessions with the Victorian squad the previous month. Quinlan had recently moved to Baxter and complained that he had not been notified in time by Fitzroy, but the VFL's administration manager Alan Schwab dismissed these as "inadequate excuses". In the end, he was left out of the squad going to Perth for the State of Origin Carnival. In December 1979, the Lions and the football public were shocked when it was announced by club president Frank Bibby that Quinlan had told the committee he wanted to devote more time to his farm. With a year remaining on his contract, Fitzroy were desperate to retain his services and made Quinlan a substantial financial offer to stay. Quinlan relented and returned for the

1980 VFL season The 1980 VFL season was the 84th season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria. The season featured twelve clubs, ran from 29 March until 27 September, and comprised a ...

. Fitzroy had an ordinary season in 1980. When Robert Walls took over as senior coach for

1981 Events January * January 1 ** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union. ** Palau becomes a self-governing territory. * January 6 – A funeral service is held in West Germany for Nazi Grand Admiral ...

, Quinlan and the Lions returned to form. He won the

in 1981, tying with his former Bulldog teammate Barry Round (who had left the Bulldogs too by this stage). He also twice kicked more than 100 goals in a season: 1983 and 1984. Quinlan led a formidable forward line in the mid-1980s with the likes of Michael Conlan, Garry Wilson, David McMahon and Gary Sidebottom. Together with Paul Roos and

Gary Pert Gary Pert (born 28 May 1965) is a former Australian rules footballer who represented and in the Australian Football League (AFL). Tall, well-built and strong in the air, Pert played over 200 league games, despite suffering two serious knee in ...

in the back line, they propelled Fitzroy to their most successful years in the post-war era. He was a prodigious kicker of the

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

which earned him the nickname "Superboot". He regularly featured in the '' World of Sport'' kicking competitions (a sports program which was popular in

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

for three decades).

Playing statistics

: , - , - style="background-color: #EAEAEA" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" , 1969 , style="text-align:center;", , 2 , , 9 , , 18 , , 16 , , 99 , , 7 , , 106 , , 46 , , , , 2.0 , , 1.8 , , 11.0 , , 0.8 , , 11.8 , , 5.1 , , , - ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

1970 Events January * January 1 – Unix time epoch reached at 00:00:00 UTC. * January 5 – The 7.1 1970 Tonghai earthquake, Tonghai earthquake shakes Tonghai County, Yunnan province, China, with a maximum Mercalli intensity scale, Mercalli ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 2 , , 21 , , 12 , , 25 , , 292 , , 26 , , 318 , , 109 , , , , 0.6 , , 1.2 , , 13.9 , , 1.2 , , 15.1 , , 5.2 , , , - style="background-color: #EAEAEA" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

1971 * The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses (Solar eclipse of February 25, 1971, February 25, Solar eclipse of July 22, 1971, July 22 and Solar eclipse of August 20, 1971, August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 1971 lunar eclip ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 2 , , 21 , , 48 , , 47 , , 343 , , 61 , , 404 , , 168 , , , , 2.3 , , 2.2 , , 16.3 , , 2.9 , , 19.2 , , 8.0 , , , - ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

1972 Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 2 , , 21 , , 37 , , 41 , , 304 , , 79 , , 383 , , 112 , , , , 1.8 , , 2.0 , , 14.5 , , 3.8 , , 18.2 , , 5.3 , , , - style="background-color: #EAEAEA" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

1973 Events January * January 1 – The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 14 - The 16-0 19 ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 2 , , 20 , , 20 , , 23 , , 301 , , 83 , , 384 , , 115 , , , , 1.0 , , 1.2 , , 15.1 , , 4.2 , , 19.2 , , 5.8 , , , - ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

1974 Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 2 , , 18 , , 9 , , 7 , , 272 , , 44 , , 316 , , 80 , , , , 0.5 , , 0.4 , , 15.1 , , 2.4 , , 17.6 , , 4.7 , , , - style="background-color: #EAEAEA" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

1975 It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe. Events January * January 1 – Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 2 , , 22 , , 36 , , 17 , , 285 , , 46 , , 331 , , 100 , , , , 1.6 , , 0.8 , , 13.6 , , 2.2 , , 15.8 , , 4.8 , , , - ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

1976 Events January * January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 18 – Full diplomatic ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 2 , , 23 , , 34 , , 39 , , 311 , , 83 , , 394 , , 109 , , , , 1.5 , , 1.7 , , 13.5 , , 3.6 , , 17.1 , , 4.7 , , , - style="background-color: #EAEAEA" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

1977 Events January * January 8 – 1977 Moscow bombings, Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group. * January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (no ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 2 , , 22 , , 27 , , 38 , , 311 , , 92 , , 403 , , 126 , , , , 1.2 , , 1.8 , , 14.1 , , 4.2 , , 18.3 , , 5.7 , , , - ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 5 , , 14 , , 18 , , 15 , , 198 , , 62 , , 260 , , 77 , , , , 1.3 , , 1.1 , , 14.1 , , 4.4 , , 18.6 , , 5.5 , , , - style="background-color: #EAEAEA" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 5 , , 22 , , 48 , , 39 , , 313 , , 106 , , 419 , , 116 , , , , 2.2 , , 1.8 , , 14.2 , , 4.8 , , 19.0 , , 5.3 , , , - ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a United States grain embargo against the Soviet Union, grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning Sys ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 5 , , 22 , , 27 , , 29 , , 325 , , 110 , , 435 , , 123 , , , , 1.2 , , 1.3 , , 14.8 , , 5.0 , , 19.8 , , 5.6 , , , - style="background-color: #EAEAEA" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

, style="text-align:center;", , 5 , , 24 , , 73 , , 32 , , 332 , , 116 , , 448 , , 152 , , , , 3.0 , , 1.3 , , 13.8 , , 4.8 , , 18.7 , , 6.3 , , , - ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

1982 Events January * January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00). * January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 5 , , 21 , , 53 , , 35 , , 289 , , 96 , , 385 , , 108 , , , , 2.5 , , 1.7 , , 13.8 , , 4.6 , , 18.3 , , 5.1 , , , - style="background-color: #EAEAEA" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

1983 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to TCP/IP is officially completed (this is considered to be the beginning of the ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 5 , , 24 , , bgcolor="DD6E81", 116 , , bgcolor="DD6E81", 70 , , 268 , , 62 , , 330 , , 155 , , , , bgcolor="DD6E81", 4.8 , , bgcolor="DD6E81", 2.9 , , 11.2 , , 2.6 , , 13.8 , , 6.5 , , , - ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 5 , , 23 , , bgcolor="DD6E81", 105 , , 44 , , 228 , , 48 , , 276 , , 121 , , , , 4.6 , , 1.9 , , 9.9 , , 2.1 , , 12.0 , , 5.3 , , , - style="background-color: #EAEAEA" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

1985 The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a n ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 5 , , 22 , , 84 , , 58 , , 229 , , 45 , , 274 , , 127 , , , , 3.8 , , 2.6 , , 10.4 , , 2.0 , , 12.5 , , 5.8 , , , - ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" , 1986 , style="text-align:center;", , 5 , , 17 , , 52 , , 37 , , 149 , , 34 , , 183 , , 73 , , , , 3.1 , , 2.2 , , 8.8 , , 2.0 , , 10.8 , , 4.3 , , , - class="sortbottom" ! colspan=3, Career ! 366 ! 817 ! 612 ! 4849 ! 1200 ! 6049 ! 2017 ! ! 2.2 ! 1.7 ! 13.3 ! 3.3 ! 16.6 ! 5.5 !

Life off the field

Quinlan was picked up in the January 1972

national service National service is a system of compulsory or voluntary government service, usually military service. Conscription is mandatory national service. The term ''national service'' comes from the United Kingdom's National Service (Armed Forces) Act ...

intake and posted to Puckapunyal with Footscray teammate Peter Welsh. He served in the Service Corp unit and rose to the rank of Lance Corporal. During his playing career, Quinlan worked as a clerk for the

State Electricity Commission of Victoria The State Electricity Commission of Victoria (SEC, SECV or ECV) is a government-owned electricity company in Victoria, Australia. Originally established to generate electricity from the state's reserves of brown coal, the SEC gradually monopoli ...

. He said in later years that he considered it a "dead-end job" and wished he had taken up a trade instead.
After retiring as a player, Quinlan first joined the ABC football commentary team when they had the broadcasting rights in 1987, and then switched to the

Seven Network Seven Network (stylised 7Network, and commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is an Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, ...

when they regained the rights in 1988. He worked as a commentator with the Seven Network until 1995.

Coaching career

Fitzroy Football Club senior coach

Quinlan returned to Fitzroy as senior coach for the 1995 AFL season, when he replaced Robert Shaw, who left at the end of the 1994 season. However, it soon became clear that he was out of his depth as a senior coach and was sacked after a 126-point loss to

Sydney Swans The Sydney Swans are a professional Australian rules football club based in Sydney, New South Wales. The men's team competes in the Australian Football League (AFL), and the women's team in the AFL Women's (AFLW). The Swans also field a Austral ...

in Round 19, 1995. It was later revealed that senior player John McCarthy was one of the key voices in having him removed. Quinlan was then replaced by Alan McConnell as caretaker senior coach of Fitzroy Football Club for the rest of the 1995 season. The Brisbane Lions mascot Bernie "Gabba" Vegas is partially named as a tribute to Quinlan.

Other roles

In 2017, Quinlan joined former footballers Don Scott and Tony Jewell to form a landscaping and gardening crew, doing odd jobs around the Mornington Peninsula. He has worked as a weights coach with VFL team

Port Melbourne Port Melbourne is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, south-west of the Melbourne central business district, located within the Cities of City of Melbourne, Melbourne and City of Port Phillip, Port Phillip Local government ...

References

Bibliography

External links

* *
AFL Hall of Fame – Players
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Quinlan, Bernie 1951 births Living people Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees Brownlow Medal winners Coleman Medal winners Western Bulldogs players Fitzroy Football Club players Fitzroy Football Club coaches Traralgon Football Club players Australian rules footballers from Victoria (state)