Alan Thorpe (born 18 October 1968) is an Australian rules footballer and media commentator. He played in the Australian Football League (AFL) for the Sydney Swans and Footscray (now the Western Bulldogs) and later became a founding panel member of The Marngrok Footy Show.
Early life and junior football
Thorpe originated from Tatura in Victoria. He was an under‑19s player for Fitzroy and, after being selected in the 1991 mid‑season draft, appeared in 32 under‑19s games and 11 reserves matches for the club, though he never played a senior AFL game for Fitzroy.
AFL playing career
- Sydney Swans (1992) – Drafted in the 1992 pre‑season draft, Thorpe made his senior debut in round 7 against Melbourne. He played three games for the Swans, scoring five goals, before returning to his original club, Tatura.
- Footscray (1993–1994) – After a stint with Oakleigh in the Victorian Football Association, Thorpe was selected by Footscray in the 1993 mid‑season draft. He played a total of 12 games for Footscray, kicking 23 goals. His final AFL appearance came in round 10 of the 1994 season, after which he was delisted.
- Carlton (1995) – Thorpe was picked in the 1995 pre‑season draft by Carlton. He participated in the pre‑season competition but did not play a senior match and was again delisted at season’s end.
Across his AFL tenure, Thorpe recorded 15 games and 28 goals. He was listed as a forward, standing 185 cm tall and weighing 83 kg.
Post‑playing media career
Following his playing days, Thorpe became a founding member of The Marngrok Footy Show, which began as a radio program on 3KND and the National Indigenous Radio Service in the 1990s. The show transitioned to television in 2007 on National Indigenous Television (NITV) and Melbourne’s Channel 31, later moving to ABC2 in 2011. Thorpe serves as a regular panelist, contributing analysis and commentary on Australian rules football from an Indigenous perspective.
References
- AFL Tables player statistics.
- AustralianFootball.com profile.
- Media reports from The Age (1993–2011) documenting Thorpe’s draft selections, playing career, and involvement with The Marngrok Footy Show.