| 51st | Top Italian Australians |
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Birth | 8 June 1975 , Waikerie, South Australia |
| Recruited from | West Adelaide |
| Height and weight | 184cm / 92kg |
| Playing career¹ | |
| Debut | Round 6, 30 April 1993, Adelaide vs. Hawthorn, at Football Park |
| Team(s) | Adelaide (1993-2007)
312 games, 292 goals |
| ¹ Statistics to end of 2007 season | |
| Career highlights | |
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Mark Anthony "Roo" Ricciuto (born 8 June 1975) is a former Australian rules football player, who played for the Adelaide Crows in the Australian Football League. An eight-time All Australian, he is recognised by many as the greatest player in the history of the Adelaide Football Club.
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Ricciuto was born in Waikerie, South Australia. He was recruited by SANFL team West Adelaide and soon after - as a 16 year old high schooler - was recruited by the Adelaide Crows in 1992. He debuted in the AFL in 1993.
Ricciuto earned his first All Australian selection as a 19 year old in 1994. After a stellar year in 1997 - in which he received his second All Australian jumper - he would miss that year's premiership due to a late season injury. Despite this setback, he rallied in 1998 to again be an All Australian, win the club best and fairest and play in his first premiership. He was appointed as the Adelaide captain in 2001. In 2003, he was joint winner of the league's highest honor, the Brownlow Medal, with Collingwood's Nathan Buckley and Sydney's Adam Goodes.
Late in the 2006 season, Ricciuto was ruled out of the Crows' final few matches due to a "mystery ailment" which was later found to be parvovirus B19.[1]
Ricciuto played his 300th AFL game on the 21st of July 2006 against North Melbourne. He kicked 5 goals in a game that Adelaide won by 72 points. He was quicker than any other player in AFL history to this milestone, in 13 years and 83 days, some 11 days quicker than Carlton's Craig Bradley.[2]
Ricciuto announced his retirement on the 16th of August 2007 due to persistent injuries. During his career he amassed an incredible eight All Australian selections, a record matched in the AFL era only by St Kilda's Robert Harvey. Ricciuto was also twice named All Australian captain -- in 2004 and 2005, joining Wayne Carey and Michael Voss as the only multiple All Australian Captains in the AFL era.
He currently plays for the Prince Alfred Old Collegians Football Club[3].
Ricciuto is noted for his Italian heritage, and bears a large tattoo of his family name on his back. His grandfather was born in the small Italian town of Fragneto Monforte
On the 19 January 2008 Ricciuto married Sarah Delahunt. They have a daughter, Sophie Jane, who was born in November 2006 and a son, Nick Stanley, who was born in June 2008.
The 33-year-old is playing for Prince Alfred College in division 4 of the South Australian Amateur Football League.
Ricciuto played in the ANZAC day clash 2008 with Waikerie A grade against Loxton. Waikerie won the match by 38 points.
Ricciuto also played in the 2008 Riverland Grand Final with Waikerie against Renmark. In time on in the final quarter with not very much time left on the clock, Ricciuto kicked the 12th goal for Waikerie to seal back-to-back Premierships for Waikerie.[4]
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Mark Bickley |
Adelaide Football Club
Captain 2001 - 2007 |
Succeeded by Simon Goodwin |
| Awards | ||
| Preceded by Andrew McLeod |
Adelaide Best and
Fairest winner 1998 |
Succeeded by Ben Hart |
| Preceded by Simon Black |
Brownlow
Medallist 2003 |
Succeeded by Chris Judd |
| Preceded by Ben Hart |
Adelaide Best and
Fairest winner 2003 - 2004 |
Succeeded by Simon Goodwin |
| Preceded by Michael Voss |
All-Australian Team Captain 2004 - 2005 |
Succeeded by Brad Johnson |
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