| Gary Ayres | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Gary James Ayres | ||
| Nickname | Conan | ||
| Born | (1960-09-28)28 September 1960 (age 65) | ||
| Original team | Warragul | ||
| Height | 190 cm (6 ft 3 in) | ||
| Weight | 95 kg (209 lb) | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1978–1993 | Hawthorn | 269 (70) | |
| Representative team honours | |||
| Years | Team | Games (Goals) | |
| Victoria | 6 (4) | ||
| Coaching career | |||
| Years | Club | Games (W–L–D) | |
| 1995–1999 | Geelong | 116(65–50–1) | |
| 2000–2004 | Adelaide | 107(55–52–0) | |
| 2008–2021 | Port Melbourne | 244 (160–81–3) | |
| Total | 467 (280–183–4) | ||
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of Round 2, 2021. | |||
| Career highlights | |||
| |||
| Sources:AFL Tables,AustralianFootball.com | |||
Gary James Ayres (born 28 September 1960) is a formerAustralian rules footballer who played for theHawthorn Football Club in theAustralian Football League (AFL). He is currently the senior coach for theMontrose Football Club in theEastern Football Netball League (EFNL). Ayres' playing career is honored by the existence of theGary Ayres Award, an annual award given to the player judged best-afield by theAFL Coaches Association throughout eachAFL finals series.
Beginning his playing career withHawthorn in 1978, he had an illustrious career spanning from 1978 until 1993, playing 269 games and booting 70 goals.[1][2]
He was part of a total of 5 premiership teams – 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, and 1991. He won theNorm Smith Medal twice, adjudged best on ground in 1986 and 1988 and is one of only four players in the history of the AFL to do so.[3][4]
Ayres captained Victoria against Tasmania in the 1989 State of Origin contest.[5][6]
He captained the Hawks in his final two years from 1992 to 1993.[7][8]
Gary played most of his football in defence, particular theback pocket position. He was nicknamed "Conan" by fans in reference to his powerful upper-body physique. He used his body to good effect in body on body contested situations. Ayres' height and weight was 187 cm / 100 kg.Allan Jeans described Ayres as "a good driver in heavy traffic".[9][10][11]
In 2020, Ayres revealed that the circumstances that led to his retirement from his playing career with Hawthorn at the end of the 1993 season, was after a disconnect with senior coachAlan Joyce and his frustration after being dropped to the reserves side.[12]
G | Goals | K | Kicks | D | Disposals | T | Tackles |
B | Behinds | H | Handballs | M | Marks | ||
# | Played in that season's premiership team |
| Season | Team | No. | Games | Totals | Averages (per game) | Votes | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | B | K | H | D | M | T | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | |||||
| 1978 | Hawthorn | 33 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 4 | — | 1.5 | 0.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 8.5 | 2.0 | — | 0 |
| 1979 | Hawthorn | 7 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 72 | 26 | 98 | 19 | — | 1.1 | 1.2 | 7.2 | 2.6 | 9.8 | 1.9 | — | 0 |
| 1980 | Hawthorn | 7 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 44 | 17 | 61 | 16 | — | 0.7 | 0.6 | 6.3 | 2.4 | 8.7 | 2.3 | — | 0 |
| 1981 | Hawthorn | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 5 | 17 | 3 | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 1.7 | 5.7 | 1.0 | — | 0 |
| 1982 | Hawthorn | 7 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 120 | 110 | 230 | 50 | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8.6 | 7.9 | 16.4 | 3.6 | — | 2 |
| 1983# | Hawthorn | 7 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 189 | 95 | 284 | 68 | — | 0.1 | 0.1 | 10.5 | 5.3 | 15.8 | 3.8 | — | 6 |
| 1984 | Hawthorn | 7 | 21 | 2 | 2 | 294 | 96 | 390 | 92 | — | 0.1 | 0.1 | 14.0 | 4.6 | 18.6 | 4.4 | — | 12 |
| 1985 | Hawthorn | 7 | 24 | 1 | 3 | 289 | 95 | 384 | 89 | — | 0.0 | 0.1 | 12.0 | 4.0 | 16.0 | 3.7 | — | 2 |
| 1986# | Hawthorn | 7 | 25 | 5 | 1 | 278 | 173 | 451 | 78 | — | 0.2 | 0.0 | 11.1 | 6.9 | 18.0 | 3.1 | — | 0 |
| 1987 | Hawthorn | 7 | 24 | 5 | 4 | 238 | 157 | 395 | 95 | 44 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 9.9 | 6.5 | 16.5 | 4.0 | 1.8 | 5 |
| 1988# | Hawthorn | 7 | 22 | 1 | 8 | 308 | 133 | 441 | 113 | 32 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 14.0 | 6.0 | 20.0 | 5.1 | 1.5 | 11 |
| 1989# | Hawthorn | 7 | 24 | 5 | 3 | 307 | 169 | 476 | 105 | 48 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 12.8 | 7.0 | 19.8 | 4.4 | 2.0 | 6 |
| 1990 | Hawthorn | 7 | 22 | 15 | 8 | 248 | 153 | 401 | 69 | 46 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 11.3 | 7.0 | 18.2 | 3.1 | 2.1 | 4 |
| 1991# | Hawthorn | 7 | 22 | 14 | 10 | 245 | 174 | 419 | 74 | 50 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 11.1 | 7.9 | 19.0 | 3.4 | 2.3 | 0 |
| 1992 | Hawthorn | 7 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 143 | 114 | 257 | 53 | 25 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 10.2 | 8.1 | 18.4 | 3.8 | 1.8 | 2 |
| 1993 | Hawthorn | 7 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 148 | 98 | 246 | 59 | 23 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 8.7 | 5.8 | 14.5 | 3.5 | 1.4 | 1 |
| Career | 269 | 70 | 58 | 2944 | 1623 | 4567 | 987 | 268 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 10.9 | 6.0 | 17.0 | 3.7 | 1.8 | 51 | ||
Team
Individual
After his retirement from his playing career, Ayres turned to coaching; starting as an assistant coach under senior coachMalcolm Blight atGeelong for the1994 season. After Blight's resignation in 1994, followingGeelong's defeat to the West Coast Eagles in the 1994 Grand Final, Ayres was appointed Geelong Football Club senior coach for the1995 season after Blight handed the coaching reins to Ayres.[14] In his first year and season as Geelong Football Club senior coach,Geelong lost to Carlton in the 1995 Grand Final by a margin of 61 points under Ayres, which was their fourth Grand Final defeat in seven seasons. In the1996 season, Geelong under Ayres finished seventh with thirteen wins, one draw and eight losses, where they made it to the qualifying final losing toNorth Melbourne. In the1997 season, Ayres guided Geelong to finish second on the ladder with fifteen wins and seven losses, but however lost toNorth Melbourne again in the qualifying finals and were eliminated by the eventual premiersAdelaide in the semi-finals. In the1998 season, Geelong with Ayres struggled and finished twelve with nine wins and thirteen losses. In 1999, at the end of a disappointing1999 season where Geelong under Ayres finished eleventh with ten wins and twelve losses and after theboard of Geelong Football Club, that was led by CEOBrian Cook, refused to offer him a contract extension beyond the 2000 AFL season, Ayres quit as Geelong Football Club senior coach to take the coaching position atAdelaide where Malcolm Blight had, again, just resigned.[15] Ayres was replaced byMark Thompson as Geelong Football Club senior coach.[16][17]
Ayres coached Geelong Football Club to a total of 116 games with 65 wins 50 losses and one draw to a winning percentage of 56 percent.
Ayres once again replacedMalcolm Blight, this time asAdelaide Football Club senior coach at the end of the 1999 season and coached Adelaide from 2000 until 2004.[18] In his first season at the Crows, the club struggled and finished eleventh with nine wins and thirteen losses at the end of the2000 season.[19] Ayres, however guided the Crows to the final series in the next three seasons in2001,2002 and2003, including reaching the elimination final in 2001, where they were eliminated byCarlton, the preliminary final in 2002, where they were eliminated by the eventual runners-upCollingwood and the semi finals in 2003, where they were eliminated by the eventual premiersBrisbane Lions.[20] However, during the2004 season, the club with Ayres found themselves struggling again where Adelaide sat twelfth on the ladder with four wins and nine losses after Round 13, 2004.[21] When told he would not continue as senior coach for the 2005 season, Ayres quit midseason.[22] Though he had been given the opportunity to stay for the rest of the 2004 season, he told the Adelaide board that if he could not coach the following year, he would leave immediately. He then walked out of the club's office without shaking hands or responding to media enquiries.[23] Ayres coached Adelaide to a total of 107 games with a 55–52 win–loss ratio to a winning percentage of 51.4 percent. He was replaced by assistant coachNeil Craig as caretaker senior coach of Adelaide Football Club for the remainder of the 2004 season and was eventually employed full-time senior coach.[24]
In 2006, he returned to coaching asassistant coach at theEssendon Football Club under senior coachKevin Sheedy.[25] WhenMatthew Knights was appointed as senior coach of Essendon at the end of the 2007 season, Knights vowed to modernise the club's support staff, Ayres subsequently lost his position as assistant coach.[26]
In 2008, Ayres was appointed senior coach of thePort Melbourne Football Club in theVictorian Football League. He is the longest-serving coach in the club's history. Ayres has coached Port Melbourne to two premierships and three minor premierships, which included the club's perfect2011 season, in which the club won all 21 of its premiership matches.[27] Ayres then led the club to another premiership in 2017. Ayres left the Port Melbourne Football Club at the end of the 2021 season, after he served as senior coach of the club for a total of fourteen years. Ayres came to this decision after being overlooked for re-appointment as senior coach for the 2022 season, when the club decided not to renew his contract as senior coach, when it expired at the end of 2021.[28]
| Team | Year | Home and Away Season | Finals | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Drew | Win % | Position | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| GEE | 1995 | 16 | 6 | 0 | .727 | 2nd out of 16 | 2 | 1 | .667 | Lost toCarlton inGrand Final |
| GEE | 1996 | 13 | 8 | 1 | .614 | 7th out of 16 | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost toNorth Melbourne in Qualifying Final |
| GEE | 1997 | 15 | 7 | 0 | .682 | 2nd out of 16 | 0 | 2 | .000 | Lost toAdelaide in Semi-final |
| GEE | 1998 | 9 | 13 | 0 | .409 | 12th out of 16 | — | — | — | — |
| GEE | 1999 | 12 | 10 | 0 | .545 | 11th out of 16 | — | — | — | — |
| GEE Total | 63 | 46 | 1 | .578 | 2 | 4 | .333 | |||
| ADE | 2000 | 9 | 13 | 0 | .409 | 11th out of 16 | — | — | — | — |
| ADE | 2001 | 12 | 10 | 0 | .545 | 8th out of 16 | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost toCarlton in Elimination Final |
| ADE | 2002 | 15 | 7 | 0 | .682 | 3rd out of 16 | 1 | 2 | .333 | Lost toCollingwood in Preliminary Final |
| ADE | 2003 | 13 | 9 | 0 | .591 | 6th out of 16 | 1 | 1 | .500 | Lost toBrisbane in Semi-final |
| ADE | 2004 | 4[n 1] | 9 | 0 | .308 | (resigned after R13) | — | — | — | — |
| ADE Total | 53 | 48 | 0 | .525 | 2 | 4 | .333 | |||
| Total | 116 | 94 | 1 | .552 | 4 | 8 | .333 | |||
On 24 October 2000, Ayres was awarded theAustralian Sports Medal for contribution to Australian Football.[30]
In 2005, Ayres spent the year in the media onFox Footy Channel. Prior to that he also had a stint onSeven'sTalking Footy.
In 2024, Ayres was appointed to a new role in the club’s administration department, helping promote fundraising efforts for the Kennedy Community Centre as Capital Campaign Executive, supporting former teammate Rodney Eade.
