For Crows statistical analyst Bernie McNamara, a passion for footy and analytics has fuelled a near three-decade journey behind the scenes.
Across more than 800 games, 27 years and two clubs - first with Glenelg before crossing over to the Crows - McNamara has been a quiet but constant presence behind the scenes, tracking the numbers that help shape the game and players’ development.
This month, the 56-year-old was recognised with a Merit Award at the SANFL’s Annual General Meeting.
Speaking to AFC Media, McNamara said receiving the award was a shock.
“It’s a big honour to be recognised for something you love doing,” McNamara said.
“It’s something you can’t really put into words - I love being involved, the people at the Club are great - the players, the coaching staff - everyone is great.
“I am pretty humbled. You don’t do these sorts of things for recognition, so when you get it, it’s quite humbling and I didn’t expect it.”
McNamara’s journey as a statistician began with Glenelg in 1997 where he developed a passion for the game’s analytics.
While at Glenelg, he filled various roles including Board Member, Reserves and League statistician, team manager, trainer and ground announcer.
McNamara then combined his roles at Glenelg with statistician work for Adelaide’s AFL side from 2007, before moving permanently to the Crows in 2014 when the Club’s State League side was established.
“I wanted to give something back to Glenelg because they gave me a lot of joy over the years, so I went down there and got involved in stats and stuff in 1997,” McNamara said.
“When the Crows created a SANFL team, I jumped over to that and said goodbye to Glenelg. It was hard to walk away from Glenelg but I was a Crows supporter since ‘91, so to be involved with the Club I supported from the day it came into being was a dream come true.
“I am quite an analytical person, and I guess the role has changed a lot over the years. When I first started at Glenelg it was on great big pieces of paper and that was calling kicks, marks and handpasses play-by-play.
“Initially it was just observing the stats coming through at the Crows, whereas now it’s more a performance analyst style, looking at our game style and putting things together to help the coaches make the team better. I am looking at ball movement now, where the ball comes and goes, it’s all transition stuff, where our scoring change comes from.”
Across his 272 games with Glenelg, 200 SANFL matches for the Crows and 371 AFL games, McNamara has seen countless moments from the sidelines.
And although he has a few favourite on-field memories, it’s the people he’s met along the way that has made the almost three-decade journey worthwhile.
“I do it because I love it. The wife has said a few times ‘are you going to give up this year’, but I will still go to the footy, so I may as well go,” McNamara said.
“There was bitter joy in 2017 - the Prelim Final was one of the best nights of my life - but the Grand Final was bitterly disappointing.
“But things like watching Andrew McLeod’s last game, being involved in that, and just meeting the players - they all accept you as a person which is a great thing.
“The camaraderie and the friends I’ve met throughout my time here are the lasting memories for me.”
