Andrew Jarman

Andrew Newton Jarman (born 14 January 1966) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL), and the North Adelaide Football Club and Norwood Football Club in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL).

He is the older brother of Adelaide legend Darren Jarman and has won the Magarey Medal twice.

Jarman made his debut with in 1983 at 17 years of age, and quickly established himself as an elite player with superb skills especially when disposing by handball.

He won the first of his two club best and fairest awards in 1985.

Andrew Jarman had a prolific State of Origin career for South Australia, winning the Fos Williams Medal on 5 occasions, (1986, 1987, 1989, 1990 and 1994), and playing in 2 State of Origin Carnival Championships.

Jarman was rewarded for his efforts in State games for South Australia with his selection in the All-Australian team in 1986 and 1987.

Jarman was a big supporter of State of Origin, and spoke passionately about South Australia's rivalry with Victoria, quoted as saying "it was the Mother of all battles".

He capped a superb 1987 season with his first Magarey Medal, and played a key role in North Adelaide's premiership victory against.

The Tigers were aiming for a third consecutive premiership, and had defeated North in two previous Grand Finals.

"Jars" enjoyed a carbon-copy of his watershed 1987 season, winning both the Magarey Medal (shared with Sturt's Brodie Atkinson, another former North Adelaide player) and his second Premiership win as Norwood defeated Port Adelaide in the Grand Final.

After winning his second club best and fairest in 1989, Jarman left the Roosters and joined.

He would spend 1990 with the Redlegs before the formation of the Adelaide Crows in late 1990 saw him one of the first players signed.

He would not play another SANFL game until 1994 when he made his return from injury with the Redlegs.

The 1996 AFL season, the centenary year of the League, would turn out to be Jarman's last.

The season started out spectacularly enough, especially as younger brother Darren had moved back to Adelaide from Hawthorn.

In Round 2 against at Whitten Oval, the Jarman brothers put on a memorable performance; they kicked 14 of the team's 21 goals – Darren kicked eight, Andrew six.

Strangely, neither of them earned a single Brownlow vote.

But Adelaide's form dropped sharply in the middle of the season, and after losing to in Adelaide in Round 13, Jarman was dropped.

When the late withdrawal of Matt Collins opened up a place in the side, he declined to join the team in Melbourne and instead played for Norwood.

Jarman was fined and suspended.

The club's decision not to sack him outright took into account his five-and-a-half years of service, 100-plus games and the recent awarding of life membership.

After six successful seasons with the Crows, Jarman was one of the high-profile senior players delisted at the end of the 1996 season following the arrival of coach Malcolm Blight.

Jarman was awarded Life Membership of the club shortly afterward.

After being one of a number of older players de-listed by the Crows and their new coach Malcolm Blight before the 1997 AFL season, Jarman returned to the SANFL in 1997 for Norwood.

Despite speculation that Jarman would be named on Port Adelaide's inaugural AFL list for season 1997 this did not eventuate.

Jarman was named in the centre position of the Adelaide Crows Team of the Decade in 2000.

In 2001 Jarman was named in the centre position of the North Adelaide Football Club Team of the Century and awarded Life Membership in 2006.

They had finished at the bottom of the ladder in 2003, but in his first year in charge, Jarman coached the Roosters to their first finals campaign in seven years.

In 2004, Jarman returned to his first club as senior coach.

Under Jarman's coaching the Roosters showed continual improvement, finishing 5th in 2004, 4th in 2005, 3rd in 2006, 2nd in 2007 then 7th in 2008.

In 2007 Jarman was inducted into the South Australian Football Hall of Fame.

Inevitably, the Jarman brothers attracted the interest of clubs in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Jarman's patience was rewarded when entered the League, now known as the AFL, and he became one of the first players signed by coach Graham Cornes.

Ironically, the Round 1 debut for both himself and the fledgling club pitted him against his brother Darren Jarman who was making his AFL debut with.

The Crows went on to win the game by 86 points 24.11 (155) to 9.15 (69).

Jarman was listed among the best afield; he gathered 29 disposals (15 kicks and 14 handpasses), took four marks and kicked a goal.

For his efforts, he earned three Brownlow Medal votes.

On 10 September 2008 Andrew Jarman was sacked as coach of North Adelaide following the club's fall from 2nd to 7th in one season.

In October 2008, Jarman was appointed senior coach of in the Western Australian Football League (WAFL), replacing Simon Eastaugh.

It was hoped that Jarman would be able to repeat his efforts in lifting a struggling team into finals contention.