Adam Houlihan

Infobox afl player


firstname = Adam
lastname = Houlihan


| birthdate = Birth date and age|1978|4|6|df=y
birthplace =
originalteam = Corowa-Rutherglen
dead = alive
deathdate =
deathplace =
debutdate = Round 4, 20 April 1997
debutteam = Geelong
debutopponent = Essendon
debutstadium = Melbourne Cricket Ground
playingteams = Geelong (1997-2001)

61 games, 75 goals

Richmond (2002-2004)

33 games, 24 goals
coach = notcoach
coachingteams =
statsend = 2005
careerhighlights =

*AFL Rising Star nomination, 1997

Adam L. Houlihan (born 6 April 1978), an Australian rules footballer, made his debut in round 4, 1997 with the Geelong Cats against Essendon. He wore the number 3 guernsey. He was drafted as a compensatory selection (second overall) in the 1995 pre-season draft from the Murray Under 18's at the age of 16. He actually started out as a jockey but a growth spurt put an end to that and he turned his attention to Australian rules football, playng senior football for Corowa-Rutherglen at 16. He made a name for himself as a talented half forward, kicking as many as 5 goals in several games. He managed 14 games in his debut season but just one the following year after a series of injuries. He played 2 games early in 1999, having little impact. He returned to play all the final 8 games and established himself in 2000, playing 22 of 23 games and a top 10 Best and Fairest finish. But after playing 12 of the first 13 games in 2001, his form fell away, playing just 2 more games and he was then delisted.

He was drafted by Richmond and resumed his career there in 2002, wearing the number 44 guernsey. He played the first 12 games in 2002, including a 3 goal effort in Round 11 but only managed one further game, spending most of the remainder of the season in the VFL. He played 16 games in 2003, including 4 and 5 goal efforts. A hamstring injury kept him out for most of 2004. He returned late in the season for 4 games but incoming coach Terry Wallace decided he did not fit in with his plans.

He continued to play with Richmond's VFL affiliate Coburg in 2005. At 26 years of age, Houlihan decided that his career was already over and he ruled out playing AFL football again. He instead returned to his earlier interest in horse racing, hosting a horse-racing tips show with Brett Phillips and Nick Evans on radio station SEN 1116 and training jockeys in diet and fitness. He is currently playing football with Old Scotch.