Andrew Embley
A West Coast Eagles wingman who seized football immortality with a best-on-ground performance in one of the AFL's greatest Grand Finals.
Born 1981 (age 45)·Australian rules footballer·Birthday: June 27·Millennials
Biography
Andrew Embley's career is the story of a versatile athlete who delivered when it mattered most. A product of West Australian football, he joined the West Coast Eagles and became known for his elite endurance, sharp skills, and ability to play across the wing and half-forward. For years, he was a crucial, if sometimes understated, component of a powerful Eagles midfield. Then, on the last Saturday in September 2006, he authored his defining chapter. In a classic, seesawing Grand Final against the Sydney Swans, Embley was everywhere—kicking crucial goals, taking soaring marks, and driving his team forward. His performance earned him the Norm Smith Medal as the best player on the ground, a crowning moment in a premiership victory. He played out his entire career with the Eagles, remembered as a big-game player whose name is forever linked with one of the league's most famous triumphs.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Andrew was born in 1981, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Andrew Was Born
The biggest hits of 1981
#1 Movie
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Best Picture
Chariots of Fire
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Andrew's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1981Born
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1986Started school
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1994Became a teenager
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Could drive
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
1999Could vote
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2002Turned 21
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2011Turned 30
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 40
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 45 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Norm Smith Medal as best afield in the 2006 AFL Grand Final.
- Played a key role in the West Coast Eagles' 2006 AFL Premiership victory.
- Played 250 games for the West Coast Eagles across a 14-season career.
- Won the West Coast Eagles Club Champion award (the John Worsfold Medal) in 2011.
Did You Know?
He was drafted by the West Coast Eagles with pick 57 in the 1998 AFL draft.
He comes from a sporting family; his brother Ben also played in the AFL for Collingwood.
After retirement, he has worked in media as a football commentator and analyst.
“You earn your spot by running both ways, all day.”
