Career: 1992-2007
Games: 311
Goals: 143
Brownlow Medal: 38 career votes
Guernsey numbers: 11
Height: 182cm
Weight: 91kg
DOB: 24 March 1973 (Debut: 19y 17d, last game: 34y 182d)
Originally from Lyndale in the Noble Park area, he was never a "stand out" player in the junior competition.
In 1990 he turned up at North under 19's and only trained for about two weeks before heading back to play with his mates. Carlton was interested in him at the time but North kept working on him.
He played nine games in his debut season, 1992, and was inconsistent at first but then became a permant fixture capable of a number of roles. By 1996 he had developed into a consistent performer.
At just 78kg he was easily tossed aside, but he developed a "cement truck" frame that tipped the scales at 94kg. Archer hated losing and his aggressive style sometimes got him into hot water with coach Denis Pagan. Fiery and hard at the ball he admitted that sometimes he bowled people over after he had missed out on the winning the ball in a contest.
Won the 1996 Norm Smith Medal when he played a great game which involved double teaming Tony Lockett. Archer was the type of player who would have a crack at anything. He also played in the Roos' 1999 premiership side.
In the turbulent aftermatch of Wayne Carey's departure in 2002 Archer was one of the pillars of strength that pulled the side through the drama. In the emotional opening round his banana shot at goal sealed a memorable victory, and he eventually was runner-up to Adam Simpson in the 2002 club best and fairest.
He had a bad start to 2003 when his hand was shattered in a pre-season game. He was, in his own words "a notorious bleeder" and he suffered carpal tunnel syndrome which started to kill off muscles. The hand needed pain-killers so he could bend it to 90 degrees.
On an emotional night against Adelaide he confronted former teammate Wayne Carey and said that he would never have punched Carey because he was the best fighter Archer had seen.
In 2004, he had a frustrating season with knee and arm injuries eating into the first half of the year, but as usual he soldiered on to play 14 games. Just when it seemed he may be nearing the end of the road he came third in the 2005 best and fairest and only missed one game all year.
Archer was going along steadily in 2006 until he dislocated a shoulder in the 4th round, but he returned by the end of the season. He played three State of Origin games for Victoria and was chosen as an All-Australian in 1996, 1998 and 2002, as well as being named the North Melbourne Shinboner of theCentury.
Profile from 'The Encycloedia of AFL Footballers'
VFL/AFL: 10305th player to appear
North Melbourne: 817th player to appear
News articles:
Archer's message: chase Buckley - 19th June, 2009
Roo legend Archer backs return of the King - 20th March, 2009
Archer announced Northerner's Patron - 26th January, 2009
Time was right for Simpson: Archer - 12th November, 2008
Archer fights to play another day - 17th September, 2007
Rampant Roos triumph for Archer - 1st July, 2007
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