KEENAN, Peter

Universally known as "Crackers", Peter Keenan was a big, strong ruckman with great determination. He was a fine mark and knock ruckman but an unreliable kick.

Keenan came to Essendon after playing 51 games with North Melbourne from 1976 to 1978. He was a member of North's 1977 premiership side. Prior to that he had played 101 games with Melbourne from 1970 to 1975 after coming from Assumption College.

As his nickname implies,"Crackers" was one of football's genuine characters, and his on-field humour and antics, combined with his skill, made him one of the most popular and well-known footballers of his time.

He only played 31 games over two years at Essendon but was much loved by die-hard supporters.

He was Essendon's equal third top Brownlow Medal vote scorer in 1980 and finished fourth in the Crichton Medal.

In 1981, Keenan returned to Melbourne and played 30 more games in that year and in 1982.

He then became a football panellist on HSV7 and 3DB and wrote for The Sun and Inside Football. He then became busy as a speaker at sporting functions as well as a specialist coach at Collingwood from 1986. He was also involved in the racing industry, including time working as a strapper for Bart Cummings.