Peter Motley

Career : 1986 - 1987
Debut : Round 2, 1986 vs Richmond, aged 21 years, 192 days
Carlton Player No. 937
Games : 19
Goals : 4
Last Game : Round 6, 1987 vs Sydney, aged 22 years, 218 days
Guernsey No. 2
Height : 185 cm (6 ft. 1 in.)
Weight : 82 kg (12 stone, 13 lbs.)
DOB : 24 September, 1964

On Friday, May 1, 1987, Carlton (second on the ladder) met Sydney (third) at the SCG. It was a fierce, physical contest. Despite five goals to Carlton captain Stephen Kernahan, the Swans were a shade too good and won by seven points. Among the Blues’ best that night was Peter Motley; a rangy, blonde-haired 22 year-old budding champion, playing just his nineteenth game of AFL football in navy blue number 2.

Within a few short days after the game, Motley’s career was tragically ended in an horrific head-on car accident. Although he survived the crash, Peter’s injuries were so severe that he could not play again. The Blues – and more so football in general, was stunned by the loss of one of its fastest-rising stars.

Peter was the son of SANFL legend Geof Motley, one of his State’s greatest players. Geof (his name was spelt this way on his birth certificate) pulled on the boots in 250 games for Port Adelaide in an amazing era in which they won nine SANFL flags between 1954 and ’65. Geof was a significant part of every one of them, either as a player, captain or captain-coach, and he represented SA on 28 occasions.

Peter began his football at Sturt, where he quickly showed that he had inherited all of his father’s football ability, and more. By the age of nineteen he was a 185 cm, 82 kg free-running half back with superb foot skills, pace and balance. He won Sturt's Best & Fairest award in 1984, and again in 1985 when he was named All Australian. By then the AFL heavyweights were beating a path to the Motley’s front door. Sydney were the front-runners for his signature at first, before the chance to experience the football culture at its epicentre brought him to Carlton in the summer of 1985.

A series of minor muscle strains hampered Peter’s first year with the Blues, but by late in the ‘86 season he had made one half-back flank his own, in a strong Carlton team that finished third after the home and away rounds. Victory over Sydney, then a shock demolition of hot favourites Hawthorn put the Blues straight into that year’s Grand Final, but they were no match for a rampaging Hawks team who ran out winners by 42 points. The half-back flankers named for Carlton in that match were Peter Motley and Des English. English actually played in the back pocket, while Motley controlled his flank to be one of the Blues’ few clear winners.

That defeat, plus the shock of “Motts” accident early in ‘87, was compounded by further bad news when it was revealed that Carlton’s tough and popular defender Des English had been diagnosed with cancer. These twin tragedies galvanised the Blues, who dedicated their year, and their finals campaign, to their stricken team-mates. Carlton beat Hawthorn by 15 points in the second semi-final, then demolished the Hawks by 33 points to gain sweet revenge when they met again in the Grand Final.

As the victorious Blues ran a joyous, emotional lap of honour before more than 92,000 fans on that great day, their first stop was the players race. There, they shared the triumph of Carlton’s 15th Premiership first with Dezzy and Motts - the two special mates who would have, and should have, but couldn’t be out there with them.

Video

Peter Motley Fundraising Record
<a href="Peter Motley.mp3">Side One</a>
<a href="Peter Motley MOTS.mp3">Side Two</a>

Links

External Articles: Grandstand Feature: Peter Motley

Blueseum: Career Summary for Peter Motley | Career Breakdown

Gallery

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Peter Motley.jpg
1983 SA State Player Peter Motley Profile (26/05/83).
1983 State Game - Motley & McCann contest high ball.
1983 Future Blue Motley stars in State Game Vs Victoria.
1983 Peter Motley - which club to choose?
1987 - Motley Blues player to watch this season (Jan 87).
1986 - Peter Motley.
1987 Night Game - Peter Motley in a brawl (21/02/87).
1987 - Peter Motley Profile (11/03/87).
1987 - Peter Motley.
1987 Rd 5 - Peter Motley gets his kick in.
1987 - Motley hurt in car accident (13/05/87).
1987 Peter Knights - Sad News on Motley (13/05/87).
1987 Brian Hansen - Peter Motley Tragedy (13/05/87).
1987 Tony Shaw - Get well soon (13/05/87).
1987 - Motley Tragedy.
1987 - Motley in hospital (10/06/87).
1987 - Peter Motley.
1987 - Fury over Motley attention (08/07/87).
1987 Rd 21 - Peter Motley in the Carlton rooms.
1987 - Geof Motley SA's Football Father of the Year (09/09/87).
1987 GF - Blues show their mateship.
Peter Motley.
1984 - SA Rep. Peter Motley flies for a mark.
1984 - Motley's Dilemma (14/06/84).
1984 - Swans confident Motley will play next season (19/07/84).
1985 - Swans hot on Motley (page 2 of 2) 23/05/85.
1985 - Swans hot on Motley (page 1 of 2) 23/05/85.
1985 - Blues snare Motley from Swans (04/07/85).
1985 - Blue spree to start fee spiral (Bradley & Motley) 11/07/85.
1985 - Motley favourite for Magarey Medal (25/07/85).
1985 - Bradley & Motley driving around in brand new cars (05/09/85).
1987 Rd 8 - Nth Melb cheersquad message for Peter Motley.
1987 - Congrat's to Cheersquads over Motley Tribute (06/06/87).
1986 Rd 16 - Peter Motley gets a clearing kick.
1986 Rd 19 - Bruce Doull keeps B.Taylor away from Peter Motley.
1986 - Peter Motley.
1986 Rd 16 - Peter Motley.Pic: Inside Football.
1986 Rd 18 - Peter Motley in good form.Inside Football.
1986 2nd Semi - Motley shrugs off Ayres' tackle.Pic: Inside Football.
1988 - Brett Motley to debut for Norwood (06/07/88).Pic: Inside Football.
1987 GF - THE Cup with Bradley and Motley.Pic: Football Life.
1990 - Peter Motley to get married.Inside Football.
1991 - Craig Bradley gets engaged.Inside Football.
1987 Rd 4 - Peter Motley.Pic: Inside Football.
1992 - Peter Motley on a full road to recovery (Feb 92).Inside Football.
1993 - Peter Motley Article (pg 4 of 4) 25/08/93.Inside Football.
1993 - Peter Motley Article (pg 3 of 4) 25/08/93.Inside Football.
1993 - Peter Motley Article (pg 2 of 4) 25/08/93.Inside Football.
1993 - Peter Motley Article (pg 1 of 4) 25/08/93.Inside Football.
1993 - Peter Motley at work (25/8/93).Inside Football.
1987 - Peter Motley Fundraiser Record (back-cover).
1987 - Peter Motley Fundraiser Record (front-cover).
1995 GF - Motley shares in Blues win.
1996 - Peter Motley: Blues Scout (06/03/96).Pic: Inside Football.
1986 GF - English tackles Platten with Motley & Dean in support.
1986 GF - Madden taps as Motley & Evans waits.
1986 GF - Doull & Motley spoil Dunstall.
1986 GF - Motley handballs to Doull.
1986 - Peter Motley profile.
1987 - Peter Motley & Des English appeal.
Peter Motley Evades A Hawthorn TackleImage courtesy of the Age newspaper.
Peter Motley & Craig Bradley At Training 1985Image courtesy of Adelaide Now.
Peter Motley And Craig Bradley With The 1987 Cup.Image courtesy of Carlton Football Club.
1984 State of Origin Profile; Peter Motley.
1981 - All AUST. Teal Cup; Motley & Baynes.
1985 - Future Blue Peter Motley.
1983 All Australians; Bradley & Motley
1981 - Sturt's Peter Motley Article.Credit; My Scrapbook of SANFL Pictures Group (FB)
1984 - Peter Motley Article (page 2 of 2)Credit; My Scrapbook of SANFL Pictures Group (FB)
1984 - Peter Motley Article (page 1 of 2)Credit; My Scrapbook of SANFL Pictures Group (FB)
Sturt's Peter Motley & Rick Davies.Credit; My Scrapbook of SANFL Pictures Group (FB)
Future Blue; Sturt's Peter Motley marks in front of opponent.Credit; My Scrapbook of SANFL Pictures Group (FB)
Future Blue; Sturt's Peter Motley marks strongly against West Adelaide.Credit; My Scrapbook of SANFL Pictures Group (FB)
Future Blue Sturt's Peter Motley
Peter Motley flies for a grab against West Adelaide.
1985 - Future Blue Peter Motley marks over Chris Duthy. Credit; My Scrapbook of SANFL Pictures Group (FB)
1986 - Peter Motley.
2015 - Peter Motley.Credit; My Scrapbook of SANFL Pictures Group (FB)
1987 Rd 7 - Banner after the Motley car accident.
1987 Rd 2 - Peter Motley takes a speccie over Craig Starcevich.
Future Blue; Peter Motley.Credit; My Scrapbook of SANFL Pictures Group (FB)
1983 State of Origin Match; Future Blue Peter Motley gets a clearing kick.
1983 Qual. Final; Sturt's Peter Motley marks strongly.
1984 State Game; Future Blues Michael Aitken & Peter Motley.Credit; My Scrapbook of SANFL Pictures Group (FB)
Future Blue; Sturt's Peter Motley.Credit; My Scrapbook of SANFL Pictures Group (FB)
1983 - All Australians; Bradley & Motley.Credit; My Scrapbook of SANFL Pictures Group (FB)
1983 - Bradley & Motley.
1986 Rd 19 - Bruce Doull & Peter Motley.
Future Blue; Sturt's Peter Motley.
1982 - Future Blue; Sturt's Peter Motley.
1987 Grand Final - An unlucky Peter Motley.
1987 Grand Final; Peter Motley the Heartbreak Kid.
Sturt's Peter Motley.
Sturt's Peter Motley.
South Australian Rep's. Peter Motley (top L) Mark Naley (top M).
1983 - Future Blue; Sturt's Peter Motley.
1984 - Peter Motley (SA Rep.).
1981 - Future Blue; Sturt's Peter Motley.
Peter Motley montage.
SA Rep. Peter Motley.
Future Blue; Sturt's Peter Motley.
1983 - Future Blues; Mark Naley & Peter Motley.
Future Blue; Sturt's Peter Motley.
1986 Rd 17 Peter Motley.