MARK MERCURI

Mark Mercuri, one of the 'Baby Bombers' from 1992, was one of the players that helped Essendon to the 1993 flag. A brilliantly skilled player whose pace and ability to read the play often leaves oppostion players asking which we he went.

The season 1996 was an excellent one for Mercuri - up there with the highest possession winners at Essendon and once again kicking his share of goals. He finished runner-up to James Hird in the 1996 Best and Fairest ? a measure of the high quality season he produced. During 1997 Mercuri only played 11 games because of injury but he returned to his very best the following season. He played 20 games and came 4th in the Crichton medal with 209 votes.

However 1999 was his best season to this stage of his career. He won the EFC's Best & Fairest, polling votes in 19 of the 23 matches he played that year to win by a massive 76 votes. He also came Runner up to Shane Crawford (Hawthorn) in the Brownlow Medal with 22 votes. His silky smooth style saw him play off half-back through the middle and in the forward line utilising his poise and balance to help him evade opposition players. The year 2000 saw Mercuri win the Michael Tuck medal-Best on the ground in the Ansett Cup final. Mercuri was also a member of the winning 2000 Grand Final team. In 2001 he was dogged by injury but the best may still be to come.

Played 1992-
Games 171
Goals 225
EFC Premiership player 1993,2000
EFC Best & Fairest 1999
Top 5 EFC best & fairest finishes 1996,1998-99
Top 5 Brownlow medal finishes-1999
All Australian 1999
Night Premiership appearances - 1993,94, 2000
Player honors: 2nd Brownlow Medal 1999; best and fairest 1999; 2nd best and fairest 1996; All-Aus-tralian 1999; Norwich Union AFL Rising Star nominee 1993; premiership sides 1993, 2000; Michael Tuck Medal 2000; pre-season premiership sides 1993, 1994, 2000.
Brownlow Medal: 2000 votes (3); career votes (47).