Andrew Purser

Andrew Douglas Purser (born 31 October 1958) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Footscray Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and for the East Fremantle Football Club and West Perth Football Club in the Western Australian Football League (WAFL).

Andrew Purser
Personal information
Full name Andrew Douglas Purser
Date of birth (1958-10-31) 31 October 1958
Original team(s) East Fremantle (WAFL)
Draft No. 1, 1982 interstate draft
Height 193 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Weight 83 kg (183 lb)
Position(s) Ruckman
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1978–1982 East Fremantle 085 (29)
1983–1987 Footscray 112 (16)
1988 West Perth 002 0(1)
Total 199 (46)
Representative team honours
Years Team Games (Goals)
1983–1985 Western Australia 3 (0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1988.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

A ruckman, Purser was a premiership player with East Fremantle in 1979.[1] Purser was one of several West Australian footballers brought over to Footscray in the 1980s by general manager and former Carlton administrator Shane O'Sullivan; others included Simon Beasley, Murray Rance, Sharks teammate Jim Sewell and Brad Hardie. Purser was among 15 new players to debut for Footscray in 1983 and although undersized he quickly gained a reputation as one of the finest ruckmen in the VFL. In just his second season, he won the Charles Sutton Medal for Footscray's best and fairest player.

However, by the end of 1987, the physical burden of shouldering the main ruck responsibilities had taken its toll on Purser, saying years later that he felt he was "running out of steam".[2] His main career as a stockbroker was also seriously affected by the Black Monday crash in October, which eventually prompted him and his wife Jenny to return to Western Australia, despite the best efforts of Footscray to keep him at the club.

In a remarkable testament to his durability, Purser had missed only one out of a possible 113 senior VFL games during his time at Footscray.

After a brief stint at West Perth, Purser decided to retire at just 28 years of age to pursue a career in the finance industry.

He has been running his own finance business in Subiaco, Western Australia.[2]

Personal

Purser's son, Ben, is a former Perth Wildcats development player.[3]

References
  1. "1979 Premiers". facebook.com/effccollection. 9 January 2021. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  2. Brundrett, Ross (February 2020). "ANDREW PURSER" (PDF). Western Bulldogs. pp. 3–4.
  3. Perth Wildcats Guarantee Ben Purser 2011 Involvement
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