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Andrew Gerard Embley (born 27 June 1981) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League (AFL). He is known for winning the Norm Smith Medal as the best player in the 2006 AFL Grand Final.
Embley was born in Perth and began his career with in the West Australian Football League (WAFL). He was recruited by West Coast with the 57th pick in the 1998 National Draft. Embley made his debut in the first match of the 1999 season, and was an AFL Rising Star nominee the following year. In 2004, he represented Australia in the International Rules Series. Embley was one of West Coast's vice-captains between 2004 and 2006, and played a key part in West Coast's victory over in the 2006 AFL Grand Final. He was awarded the Norm Smith Medal as the best player on the ground. Embley retired at the end of the 2013 season after 250 games for the club. He also kicked 216 goals, finishing second in the club's goal-kicking in 2003 and 2006.
With John Worsfold having replaced Ken Judge as coach of the club prior to the start of the 2002 season, Embley established himself as a regular part of the Eagles' line-up over the next two seasons, playing in losing elimination finals in both the 2003 and 2004 finals series. He kicked 31 goals in 2003 to finish second in the Eagles' goalkicking behind Phil Matera (62 goals). A 25-disposal, four-goal game against in round eight, 2003, earned him three Brownlow Medal votes, the first of his career. Embley was named vice-captain of West Coast for the 2004 season, and also represented Australia in that year's International Rules Series. International Rules squad named - EaglesFlyingHigh. Published 5 October 2004. Retrieved 28 May 2011. Embley played 18 games for the Eagles in the 2005 season, including all of the Eagles' finals and the Grand Final loss to . He played 23 out of a possible 24 games in the Eagles' 2006 season, playing mainly across the half-forward line and wings. Embley also kicked 31 goals for the season to be the club's second leading-goalkicker behind Quinten Lynch (65 goals). Despite injuries late in the season, Embley played a key role in the team's successful final series. He averaged 26 possessions and kicked five goals across the Eagles' three finals matches, despite playing the semi-final against the with a paralysed vocal chord. He took a game-saving mark in the preliminary final against in a game the Eagles won by 10 points. He was awarded the 2006 Norm Smith Medal as the best-on-ground player in the Eagles' Grand Final win over for his 26-disposal, two-goal effort. Embley commits to improve - WestCoastEagles.com.au. Published 5 July 2010. Retrieved 28 May 2011. Did Andrew Embley deserve the Norm Smith Medal? - Herald Sun. Published 30 September 2006. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
Embley played only 13 out of a possible 24 games during the 2007 season, missing seven games between rounds 6 and 12 and four games at the end of the season due to a hamstring injury. Eagles' Embley troubled by hamstring injury - ABC News. Published 13 August 2007. Retrieved 28 May 2011. He was dropped as Eagles vice-captain for the 2007 season. Andrew Embley player profile - Footywire. Retrieved 28 May 2011 Embley played 42 out of a possible 44 games during the 2008 and 2009 seasons in a shift to a more midfield role. He played his 150th game for the Eagles against the in Round 6, 2008 in a 60-point loss, earning life membership of the club. He received three Brownlow votes for a best-on-ground performance against the Western Bulldogs in Round 19, 2009, getting 32 possessions and scoring four goals. Western Bulldogs vs. West Coast – Round 19 match review - Contested Footy. Published 8 August 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2011. Embley played 20 games in 2010, including his 200th game in the AFL against in Round 10. No party for West Coast 200-gamer Andrew Embley After a strong pre-season, Embley started the 2011 season with two best-on-ground efforts against and , receiving some credit for West Coast's strong start to the season after a wooden spoon the previous year. West Coast Eagles delighted with Andrew Embley's strong form - PerthNow. Published 3 April 2011. Retrieved 28 May 2011. Sydney Swans on Andrew Embley red alert - The Daily Telegraph. Published 8 April 2011. Retrieved 28 May 2011. The round eight Western Derby against was the only match Embley missed through the entire season, playing 24 out of a possible 25 games, and also recording several personal bests, including career-high numbers in disposals, tackles, and Brownlow votes.
In the 2012 NAB Cup, Embley injured his left shoulder, but played the first two games of the regular season before opting to have surgery, missing much of the Eagles' season as a result. Eagle Embley out for 16 weeks – WAToday. Published 11 April 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2012. He returned to football via Swan Districts, his first WAFL match since the 2002 season.Quartermaine, Braden (2012). ( West Coast veteran Andrew Embley survives shoulder test in WAFL – The Courier-Mail online. Published 29 July 2012. Retrieved 30 September 2012. Having successful tested the durability of his shoulder, Embley returned to West Coast's side for the round 20 match against , starting as the substitute. AFL Eagles regain Embley for Cats' clash – The Sydney Morning Herald. Published 9 August 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2012. He played every remaining game of West Coast's season, recording 22 disposals and four goals in the club's elimination final defeat of .Chadwick, Justin (2012). West Coast thump North Melbourne at Patersons Stadium to book semi-final against Collingwood – Fox Sports. Published 9 September 2012. Retrieved 30 September 2012. However, in the following week's qualifying final loss to , Embley turned the ball over late in the game, resulting in a Collingwood goal, with the Herald Sun describing him as "at one of his lowest ebbs".Quartermaine, Braden (2012). Andrew Embley must live with his mistake which cost West Coast a goal – Herald Sun online. Published 16 September 2012. Retrieved 30 September 2012. At the end of the 2012 season, he signed a further one-year extension to his contract with West Coast. Embley heads list of Eagles re-signings – The West Australian. Published 20 September 2012. Retrieved 30 September 2012.
In what was to be his final season at AFL level, Embley was again troubled by injury, straining a hamstring in the NAB Cup and missing another three weeks with a foot injury early in the season. "Embley injury blow" – Australian Football League. Published 3 March 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013. "Embley set for return for Eagles against GWS" – WA Today. Published 21 May 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013. He also struggled for consistency during the season—of his eleven matches during the season, he played three consecutive matches only once. Embley spent portions of the season in the WAFL, averaging 23 disposals over five games for Swan Districts. When he did play for West Coast, he was often used as substitute, especially towards the end of the season.Braden Quartermaine (2013). "Retiring West Coast Eagles veteran Andrew Embley concedes he has been struggling to play out games" – Herald Sun. Published 28 August 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013. Embley announced his retirement towards the end of the 2013 season, retiring at the same time as Adam Selwood, a premiership teammate.Chadwick, Justin (2013). "Eagle Andrew Embley retires from AFL" – The Sydney Morning Herald. Published 28 August 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013. The pair, who had not been regular selections in the team throughout the season, were selected for what was described as "farewell game" in the team's final match of the season, at home against Adelaide.Gary Stocks (2013). "Favourite sons named" – West Coast Eagles. Published 29 August 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013. The match was Embley's 250th at AFL level, and he became the seventh West Coast player to reach that milestone.Gary Stocks (2013). "A rare gem" – West Coast Eagles. Published 28 August 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 1999 |style="text-align:center;"| | 32 || 9 || 3 || 1 || 41 || 17 || 58 || 17 || 4 || 0.3 || 0.1 || 4.6 || 1.9 || 6.4 || 1.9 || 0.4 || 0 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2000 |style="text-align:center;"| | 32 || 13 || 10 || 8 || 87 || 42 || 129 || 47 || 19 || 0.8 || 0.6 || 6.7 || 3.2 || 9.9 || 3.6 || 1.5 || 0 |- style="background:#eaeaea;" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2001 |style="text-align:center;"| | 32 || 15 || 15 || 11 || 94 || 78 || 172 || 60 || 12 || 1.0 || 0.7 || 6.3 || 5.2 || 11.5 || 4.0 || 0.8 || 0 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2002 |style="text-align:center;"| | 32 || 18 || 14 || 12 || 122 || 64 || 186 || 66 || 34 || 0.8 || 0.7 || 6.8 || 3.6 || 10.3 || 3.7 || 1.9 || 0 |- style="background:#eaeaea;" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2003 |style="text-align:center;"| | 32 || 19 || 31 || 19 || 237 || 105 || 342 || 104 || 28 || 1.6 || 1.0 || 12.5 || 5.5 || 18.0 || 5.5 || 1.5 || 5 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2004 |style="text-align:center;"| | 32 || 17 || 14 || 12 || 211 || 112 || 323 || 89 || 45 || 0.8 || 0.7 || 12.4 || 6.6 || 19.0 || 5.2 || 2.6 || 4 |- style="background:#eaeaea;" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2005 |style="text-align:center;"| | 32 || 18 || 24 || 21 || 260 || 115 || 375 || 102 || 37 || 1.3 || 1.2 || 14.4 || 6.4 || 20.8 || 5.7 || 2.1 || 8 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center;" | 2006 |style="text-align:center;"| | 32 || 23 || 31 || 29 || 313 || 130 || 443 || 138 || 33 || 1.3 || 1.3 || 13.6 || 5.7 || 19.3 || 6.0 || 1.4 || 5 |- style="background:#eaeaea;" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2007 |style="text-align:center;"| | 32 || 13 || 10 || 12 || 166 || 100 || 266 || 65 || 23 || 0.8 || 0.9 || 12.3 || 7.7 || 20.5 || 5.0 || 1.8 || 0 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2008 |style="text-align:center;"| | 32 || 21 || 7 || 13 || 311 || 181 || 492 || 156 || 41 || 0.3 || 0.6 || 14.8 || 8.6 || 23.4 || 7.4 || 2.0 || 0 |- style="background:#eaeaea;" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2009 |style="text-align:center;"| | 32 || 21 || 16 || 12 || 292 || 180 || 472 || 102 || 53 || 0.8 || 0.6 || 13.9 || 8.6 || 22.5 || 4.9 || 2.5 || 4 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2010 |style="text-align:center;"| | 32 || 20 || 11 || 6 || 264 || 200 || 464 || 105 || 69 || 0.6 || 0.3 || 13.2 || 10.0 || 23.2 || 5.3 || 3.5 || 3 |- style="background:#eaeaea;" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2011 |style="text-align:center;"| | 32 || 24 || 17 || 19 || 312 || 206 || 518 || 113 || 104 || 0.7 || 0.8 || 13.0 || 8.6 || 21.2 || 4.7 || 4.3 || 11 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2012 |style="text-align:center;"| | 32 || 8 || 6 || 2 || 97 || 42 || 139 || 31 || 16 || 0.8 || 0.3 || 12.1 || 5.3 || 17.4 || 3.9 || 2.0 || 0 |- style="background:#eaeaea;" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2013 |style="text-align:center;"| | 32 || 11 || 7 || 3 || 101 || 41 || 142 || 34 || 21 || 0.6 || 0.3 || 9.2 || 3.7 || 12.9 || 3.1 || 1.9 || 0 |- class="sortbottom" ! colspan=3| Career ! 250 ! 216 ! 182 ! 2908 ! 1613 ! 4521 ! 1229 ! 539 ! 0.9 ! 0.7 ! 11.6 ! 6.5 ! 18.1 ! 4.9 ! 2.2 ! 40 |}
Embley co-owned restaurant, Beluga, in Claremont, with Dean Cox, which opened in April 2011.Williams, Gail (2010). West Coast veteran Embley set to open his own restaurant – Perth Now. Published 4 September 2010. Retrieved 12 March 2012.Williams, Gail (2011). Catch of the day – The Sunday Times. Published 2 May 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2012. He is working with Catalano's Seafood in Perth, in sales and doing regular cooking demonstrations.
Embley is currently part of Triple M Perth Rush Hour Drive show with Katie Lamb and the Triple M Perth AFL call team with Lachie Reid, Dennis Cometti and Xavier Ellis and producer Tom Atkinson.
Embley married Caitlyn Fogarty on 5 November 2021 in Perth. She is the daughter of businessman Brett Fogarty and 2020 West Australian Australian of the Year Annie Fogarty. Fogarty leads the family's Fogarty Foundation supporting education program in Western Australia. In August 2022, the couple announced the birth of their daughter Francesca Anne.
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