DARREN MONCRIEFF
Sunday 25 September, 2011
THIS time 12 months ago, Andrew Krakouer was celebrating a premiership in a black-and-white jumper. He has the chance to do that again next Saturday.
The 27-year-old Krakouer (pictured) is likely to line up for Collingwood in search of back-to-back premierships.
If that happens, it will be the second time he will have won a football grand final inside a year. And it will be the ultimate in football redemption.
Regardless of the result in next weekend's AFL Grand Final, which will see Collingwood and Geelong battle for football's 115th premiership, Krakouer has achieved a remarkable comeback to the elite level.
Delisted by Richmond then later jailed by the justice system for assault, Krakouer took his football talents to WAFL club Swan Districts and led them to a thrilling one-point win in last year's decider.
He was the standout player in the WAFL in 2010, winning the Sandover Medal as the league's fairest-and-best and was later judged best-on-ground in the Swans' win over Claremont, taking home the Simpson Medal.
This season in the AFL, Krakouer was never far from the spotlight.
In the AFL's mark and goal of the year, he was nominated an incredible six times. In the final voting, he pipped Carlton's Andrew Walker to win mark of the year.
Andrew Krakouer, it seems, has made the most of his second chance in football.
AboriginalFootball@westnet.com.au
Last Modified on 25/09/2011 10:49