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Malcolm Robert Michael (born 24 June 1977) is a Papua New Guinean-born former Australian rules footballer. He is notable for his successful professional career in the Australian Football League. In a career spanning 238 games and three clubs in two Australian states he is best known as a triple premiership full-back with the Brisbane Lions. Michael is recognised as being one of the best Queensland produced Australian rules footballers of all time, being named on the AFL Queensland Team of the 20th Century.
He is possibly the only Australian rules footballer who is better known in a country other than Australia, maintaining a high profile in Papua New Guinea, and he is credited by many to have inspired the boom in playing numbers of Australian rules football in Papua New Guinea. In April 2009, The Guardian described him as one of Papua New Guinea's "living national icons", along with politician Michael Somare and philosopher Bernard Narokobi.
As a teenager, Michael was recruited by AFL Queensland club Morningside. While at that club he was invited to train with the Brisbane Bears Australian Football League (AFL) club, with a view to potentially AFL Draft him. He was later drafted by Collingwood to their AFL Draft in 1996.
In 1999, Michael was notable as being the full-back playing on Sydney Swans champion full-forward Tony Lockett, in the match when Lockett kicked his 1300th career goal to become the highest goalkicker in the league's history.
Michael managed 61 games with the Magpies but battled through injuries in his four seasons at the club. At the end of 2000 he was traded to the Brisbane Lions along with a draft pick for Jarrod Molloy.
In 2005, Michael was involved in a much publicised incident with Nick Riewoldt when he and Chris Scott both "tested" the St Kilda player's broken collarbone. The incident caused significant controversy.[3] from theage.com.au 29 March 2005 A fortnight later, he played his 100th game for the Lions Cousins named for Derby clash, ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), 8 April 2005 in a six-point loss to eventual premiers . Swans steal home from the Lions' lair, Sydney Morning Herald, 10 April 2005
In Round 14 of the 2006 season against Melbourne, Michael conceded a notable deliberate rushed behind with a kick between the goal posts of the opposition from over 10 metres out. This drew significant media attention and was frequently replayed.
Michael played his 200th AFL game in the penultimate round of the 2006 AFL season against Sydney, lining up on Barry Hall, who was also playing his 200th AFL game. Brisbane lost the match by 57 points.
Michael announced his retirement on 5 October 2006 at only 29 years of age.
On 15 August 2008, Michael announced he would retire at the season's end. In the Round 22 match, Essendon vs St Kilda, Michael was chaired off the ground by teammates at the end of the match.
|- | 1997 || || 48 | 13 || 0 || 2 || 46 || 54 || 100 || 29 || 26 || 0.0 || 0.2 || 3.5 || 4.2 || 7.7 || 2.2 || 2.0 |- | 1998 || || 48 | 16 || 3 || 2 || 84 || 79 || 163 || 42 || 19 || 0.2 || 0.1 || 5.3 || 4.9 || 10.2 || 2.6 || 1.2 |- | 1999 || || 48 | 17 || 6 || 5 || 94 || 107 || 201 || 73 || 19 || 0.4 || 0.3 || 5.5 || 6.3 || 11.8 || 4.3 || 1.1 |- | 2000 || || 48 | 15 || 14 || 8 || 75 || 80 || 155 || 67 || 17 || 0.9 || 0.5 || 5.0 || 5.3 || 10.3 || 4.5 || 1.1 |- |style="text-align:center;background:#afe6ba;"|2001† || || 15 | 24 || 2 || 3 || 89 || 119 || 208 || 64 || 23 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 3.7 || 5.0 || 8.7 || 2.7 || 1.0 |- |style="text-align:center;background:#afe6ba;"|2002† || || 15 | 25 || 1 || 1 || 120 || 106 || 226 || 80 || 32 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 4.8 || 4.2 || 9.0 || 3.2 || 1.3 |- |style="text-align:center;background:#afe6ba;"|2003† || || 15 | 23 || 0 || 2 || 119 || 79 || 198 || 91 || 21 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 5.2 || 3.4 || 8.6 || 4.0 || 0.9 |- | 2004 || || 15 | 25 || 0 || 0 || 138 || 86 || 224 || 80 || 36 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 5.5 || 3.4 || 9.0 || 3.2 || 1.4 |- | 2005 || || 15 | 22 || 1 || 0 || 131 || 65 || 196 || 84 || 24 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 6.0 || 3.0 || 8.9 || 3.8 || 1.1 |- | 2006 || || 15 | 21 || 1 || 2 || 139 || 101 || 240 || 109 || 30 || 0.0 || 0.1 || 6.6 || 4.8 || 11.4 || 5.2 || 1.4 |- | 2007 || || 22 | 22 || 2 || 1 || 111 || 142 || 253 || 82 || 31 || 0.1 || 0.0 || 5.0 || 6.5 || 11.5 || 3.7 || 1.4 |- | 2008 || || 22 | 15 || 3 || 1 || 58 || 102 || 160 || 49 || 16 || 0.2 || 0.1 || 3.9 || 6.8 || 10.7 || 3.3 || 1.1 |- class="sortbottom" ! colspan=3| Career ! 238 !! 33 !! 27 !! 1204 !! 1120 !! 2324 !! 850 !! 294 !! 0.1 !! 0.1 !! 5.1 !! 4.7 !! 9.8 !! 3.6 !! 1.2 |}
At the end of 2009, Michael coached a combined Under 23 Pacific Islands team to victory against an Under 23 North Queensland representative side.
In 2010, Michael was appointed caretaker coach of the Papua New Guinea National Senior Team, before representing the team as a player in the pre-season campaign against AFL Cairns clubs. He played for Heywood in the Western Border Football League that year.Dowler, Kate (16 April 2010) Kick start for Heywood
In 2015, Michael played for Ormond in the VAFA, helping to take the club to the grand final.
In early 2006, he established the Mal Michael Foundation, aimed at raising money to help give young Papua New Guineans the opportunity to play Aussie rules.
In 2007 Michael made a strategic deal with mining company Hannans Reward (ASX:HNR) aimed at appealing the company to the Papua New Guinea market. Hannans enlists Michael to help tackle PNG Michael's consultancy company M&M Synergy Ltd, deals in the natural resource sector in Papua New Guinea. They represent land owner incorporated companies to help them develop their assets. M&M Synergy Ltd specialise in joint venture projects and capital raising for forestry, mining and petroleum projects.
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