Andrew Leoncelli

DOB: 17 July, 1974
Debut: Round 16, 1996 against Geelong at Kardinia Park
Last Game: Round 16, 2003 against Hawthorn at MCG

Games: 146
Goals: 66
Career Statistics (external link)

Wins	Draws	Losses	Winning %
66	0	80	45.20

From: Carlton/Kooweerup/Old Xavs

Number: 36 1996-2003

Honours
Grand Final team - 2000
150 Heroes selection
Victorian state player - 1999

Originally selected by Carlton with pick 13 in the 1993 Pre-Season Draft he was axed by the Blues after playing 23 reserves matches but none in the seniors and stepped out of the game for a year.

Moving to Brisbane to study, the Lions just happened to train there one day and Leoncelli realised how much he missed the game. Returning to Victoria he played a year for Koo-Wee-Rup before joining to Old Xaverians in the amateurs. There he was coached to a premiership by Barry Richardson who was also Melbourne's Chairman of Selectors in 1996 when Leoncelli was picked in the pre-season draft.

Despite suffering a broken right ankle in a 1996 Practice Match against Essendon Leoncelli made his debut late in that season and instantly impressed, he finished 3rd in the Best and Fairest in 1997 despite only playing twelve games due to stress fractures, and was 5th in 1998. In 1999 he represented Victoria

Kicked the goal which put Melbourne in front in the 2000 Qualifying Final against Carlton. That season he had also been named Deputy Vice Captain.

In the Round 2, 2001 game against Adelaide he kicked the winning goal with three seconds left.

In July 2003 Leoncelli announced that he was retiring effective immediately, as an ankle injury he had carried for two months would mean he wasn't able to complete the season. He said "Given the course of the season and how much work we have to do from here, the club really needs the people with the hunger and the passion, and I am on the downside of that".

A qualified account he served as Vice-President of the AFL Players Association.

After giving AFL football away Leoncelli travelled to Europe, and upon his return settled in Sydney where he became player-coach of the Balmain Tigers of the Sydney AFL competition.

Joined the board as a director in 2007/08, was and one of just three directors to survive the change to the Jim Stynes administration along with Karen Hayes and Peter Spargo. He retired at the end of 2010.

Leoncelli is currently involved in tax consultancy and residential development projects and is Development Manager of the Hamton Property Group