Summary
Tony Patrick Armstrong (born 29 September 1989) is an Aboriginal Australian television presenter and former professional Australian rules footballer.[2][3]
| Tony Armstrong | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Armstrong in 2022 | |||
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Tony Patrick Armstrong[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 29 September 1989 | ||
| Place of birth | Albury, New South Wales | ||
| Original team(s) |
Brocklesby-Burrumbuttock (Hume Football League) Calder Cannons (TAC Cup) | ||
| Draft | No. 58, 2007 National Draft, Adelaide | ||
| Height | 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Weight | 78 kg (172 lb) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 2008–2011 | Adelaide | 14 (0) | |
| 2012–2013 | Sydney | 15 (2) | |
| 2014–2015 | Collingwood | 6 (0) | |
| Total | 35 (2) | ||
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2015. | |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Throughout his football career, Armstrong played for the Adelaide Football Club, Sydney Swans and Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League.[2]
Armstrong is now perhaps best known for his association with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, where he has presented the sport for News Breakfast on both ABC TV and the ABC News channel since 2021.[2] Armstrong has also hosted ABC TV's A Dog's World and Great Australian Stuff.[4][5]
For his television work, Armstrong has won the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent at the 2022 Logies and the Bert Newton Award for Most Popular Presenter at the 2023 Logies.[6][7]
AFL edit
Originally from Burrumbuttock, New South Wales and of Barrabinya descent, Armstrong was initially interested in rugby league, but turned to Australian rules football, supporting the Sydney Swans.[8] Armstrong was drafted by Adelaide in the 2007 AFL Draft at pick number 58.
Armstrong attended prestigious football school Assumption College, and also played games with TAC Cup sides NSW/ACT Rams and Calder Cannons. After being drafted, he played for SANFL club North Adelaide, and after some fine performances, was rewarded by Adelaide coach Neil Craig with many emergency spots in the lineup. He was named for his AFL debut in round 13, 2009, but was quarantined along with his housemate, teammate and fellow Assumption College graduate Richard Douglas due to a swine influenza scare, and so did not take his place on the field.
Armstrong debuted in the senior side in Round 1, 2010, against Fremantle at Subiaco.[9]
In September 2011, Armstrong walked out on the Adelaide Crows and requested a trade to the Sydney Swans, the club he supported as a child growing up in NSW.[10] On 16 October 2011, Armstrong was granted his wish and was traded to the Swans in exchange for Lewis Johnston.[11]
In April 2012, he made his debut for the Swans; he replaced club captain Adam Goodes, who was suspended for the match. Goodes is one of Armstrong's childhood idols.[12]
At the end of 2013 AFL season, Armstrong was delisted by Sydney Swans and then joined Collingwood as a delisted free agent.[13][14] He made his debut for Collingwood in round 19 of the 2014 AFL season.[15]
Armstrong was delisted at the conclusion of the 2014 AFL season but was re-drafted by Collingwood in the rookie draft. At the conclusion of the 2015 season, after only playing one senior game, Armstrong was again delisted by Collingwood.[16][17]
Media edit
In March 2020, Armstrong began hosting the show Yokayi Footy, a collaboration between NITV and the AFL.[18]
In June 2020, Armstrong joined ABC as a producer and presenter of sports news on ABC Radio and Television presenting sport on ABC News, commentating for Grandstand AFL on ABC Sport and hosting the summer series of Offsiders.[19][20]
In March 2021, ABC announced that Armstrong would fill in for Paul Kennedy on ABC TV's News Breakfast presenting sport from Tuesday to Friday for 3 months whilst Kennedy works on ABC's 7.30. Catherine Murphy presented sport on Monday. In July 2021, Armstrong was appointed as sport presenter on News Breakfast replacing Kennedy.[21]
In November 2021, ABC announced that Armstrong would host A Dog’s World on ABC TV, a three-part series that seeks to understand our ever-evolving relationship with dogs.[22]
In June 2022, Armstrong won the Graham Kennedy Award for Most Popular New Talent at the 2022 Logie Awards for his work on the ABC News Breakfast show.[6] The following year, Armstrong won the Bert Newton Award for Most Popular Presenter at the 2023 Logies.[7]
Armstrong also regularly appears on Network 10's The Project and semi-regularly on Fox Footy.
In 2023 Armstrong was one of a number of journalists who put their names to an open letter calling for greater scrutiny in the reporting of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.[23]
In 2024 ABC announced that Armstrong would host Tony Armstrong's Extra-Ordinary Things, a five-part TV series where Tony is on a mission to curate an exhibition at the National Museum of Australia. Objects from the TV show will go on show at the museum in June 2024. [24]
References edit
- ^ "Armstrong, Tony Patrick – NAFC History Database". North Adelaide Football Club. 11 October 2023. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
- ^ a b c "'I failed but I'm fine': Tony Armstrong's road from AFL player to successful broadcaster and swoon-worthy bad news man". the Guardian. 17 July 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
- ^ Ross, Isabella (30 July 2023). "Tony Armstrong was let go from his last job. He was just named Australia's Most Popular TV Presenter". Mamamia. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
- ^ Knox, David (24 February 2022). "Airdate: A Dog's World with Tony Armstrong". TV Tonight. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
- ^ Knox, David (15 March 2023). "Airdate: Great Australian Stuff". TV Tonight. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
- ^ a b Knox, David (19 June 2022). "Logie Awards 2022: Winners". TV Tonight. TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
- ^ a b Doyle, Michael; Ripper, Felicity; Barrett Peters, Courtney (30 July 2023). "Logie Awards 2023: Sonia Kruger wins Gold Logie, Tony Armstrong honoured with inaugural Bert Newton Award". ABC News. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
- ^ "NAB AFL Draft Camp: Running solo". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 26 September 2009.
- ^ "Crows must be like the tortoise". Adelaide Independent Weekly.
- ^ Capel, Andrew (24 September 2011). "Strike three as Crows lose Armstrong". The Advertiser. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
- ^ "Swan Lewis Johnston, Crow Tony Armstrong swap clubs". Herald Sun. 15 October 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
- ^ Forsaith, Rob (22 April 2012). "Tony Armstrong to play his first game as a Sydney Swan". The Sunday Telegraph. Retrieved 4 June 2012.
- ^ "Tony Armstrong clear to join Collingwood after being cut by Sydney Swans". Herald Sun. 30 October 2013. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
- ^ Rielly, Stephen (7 November 2013). "Armstrong becomes a Magpie". Collingwoodfc.com.au. BigPond.
- ^ Buckle, Greg (1 August 2014). "Armstrong to make debut for third AFL club".
- ^ Guthrie, Ben (31 October 2014). "Pies cut Armstrong, but promise to re-draft him". Collingwoodfc.com.au. BigPond.
- ^ "Rookie Draft: Tony Armstrong". Collingwoodfc.com.au. BigPond. 3 December 2014.
- ^ "Introducing 'Yokayi Footy': NITV & the AFL kick off a new football show". SBS. 5 March 2020.
- ^ "ABC Sport recruits Tony Armstrong". About the ABC. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
- ^ "ABC Sport recruits Tony Armstrong". ABC. 28 May 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- ^ "ABC announces new roles for Paul Kennedy and Tony Armstrong". Mediaweek. 8 July 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
- ^ "Tony Armstrong, Pistol and Boo and a real-life fairytale: the ABC unveils 2022 lineup". the Guardian. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
- ^ Jaspan, Calum (24 November 2023). "Journalists urge 'improved' coverage of Israel-Hamas war in open letter". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
- ^ "Tony Armstrong's Extra-Ordinary Things". The National Museum of Australia. 23 April 2024. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
External links edit
- Tony Armstrong's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- ^ Jaspan, Calum (24 November 2023). "Journalists urge 'improved' coverage of Israel-Hamas war in open letter". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 14 March 2024.