BIO

Tim McNeil joined Norwood from Lameroo as a 16 year old and played 20 games for the Under 17 team in 1984. The team won the flag, going through the season undefeated. McNeil was selected in the South Australian Teal Cup team which competed in the national carnival in Sydney.
 
McNeil played  Under 17's and Under 19's in 1985 and was again a member of the SA Teal Cup team. The Under 19's went top and he gained All-Australian selection in the Under 17's carnival in Perth.
 
He had another season with the Under 19's in 1986 and the team won the premiership after going through the season undefeated. McNeil kicked 46 goals, despite missing a lot of games because of tendinitis in his hip and back.
 
For several seasons, he travelled 200kms every Saturday from his family farm to play for Norwood.
 
McNeil made his senior debut in the first round of the 1987 Escort Cup series, after impressing in a pre-season internal trial.
 
A dashing wingman/half forward, he had a sensational first year of League football, appearing in all of Norwood's 30 senior games and kicking 39 goals. McNeil was named Norwood's Best First Year Player, and was widely acknowledged as the SANFL's Rookie of the Year.
 
Despite being drafted by the Melbourne Football Club at the end of 1987, he chose to stay at the Parade where he had another impressive season in 1988. The speedy, classy wingman made another 26 appearances and reached his 50 game milestone during the year.
 
Unfortunately, he then succumbed to injury. Unable to recover from a persistent achilles tendon injury which had first struck late in 1988, McNeil missed the entire 1989 and 1990 seasons.
 
He recovered enough to add another six games in 1991, but was never able to recapture his best form.
 
McNeil later appeared for Angaston in the Barossa Light and Gawler Football Association.

R Cialini Dec 2017