Buckenara Honoured as WA Hall of Champion Inductee

Former Subiaco player and coach Gary Buckenara was last night inducted into the West Australian Hall of Champions.

The WA Hall of Champions is an exclusive honour group for the greats of West Australian sport.

Athletes and sports people are assessed on their outstanding sports achievement at the highest level, be a product of the WA sport system or established their sporting reputation while in WA and be retired for five years.

The recognition of Buckenara is considered long overdue after an outstanding player career during the 1980’s.

Buckenara played 61 games for Subiaco between 1979 and 1981 before going on to play in four premierships for Hawthorn in the 1980s.

For Subiaco, Buckenara three times finished runner up in the Subiaco fairest and best, proving to be one the most consistent Lions in a golden era of WAFL football.

Another glowing part of Buckenara’s playing record was representing WA on 11 occasions kicking 26 goals across those games.

Buckenara acknowledged how much it meant to represent WA in football and why it is humbling to be inducted into the WA Hall of Champions.

“I think I always showed my commitment to WA in state games,” Buckenara said.

“I’ve taken away great mates, great memories and things that people would give a lot to achieve so I don’t take that for granted.”

Along with an outstanding playing career Buckenara also coached Subiaco in 1995 and 1996, leading Subiaco to a minor premiership and Grand Final appearance in his first season at the helm.

Buckenara’s reach across football has continued for close to 40 years, as he has remained involved in either coaching or list management for the past 15 years.

At the other end of his career Buckenara came across to Subiaco after showing his talent while playing at WAAFL level with Churchlands, where he was both an association best and fairest and leading goal kicker.

The career of Buckenara has been recognised by Subiaco on numerous occasions, most recently in 2015 when he was the Ball Legend of the Club in what was ultimately a premiership year.

Buckenara was humbled by the honour, telling ‘The West Australian’ that it was a humbling experience.

“For a footballer who never set out to be anything, I’m very thankful and proud of my WA roots,” Buckenara said.

“When I consider all the champion sportspeople in WA, to be considered as part of that is a great honour.”

The Subiaco Football Club congratulates Buckenara on this wonderful achievement.