Daniel Kerr

Daniel Matthew Kerr (born 16 May 1983) is a former Australian rules footballer who played his entire career with the West Coast Eagles of the Australian Football League (AFL). Kerr was recruited from East Fremantle Football Club and made his debut in 2001. He is regarded as one of the Eagles' best players ever, and he was a hard-running midfielder who played a vital role. He retired from football at the end of the 2013 season.

Kerr is of Anglo-Indian descent. His father, Roger Kerr, was born in Calcutta, India, to an English father and an Indian mother. His father Roger Kerr played in the West Australian Football League (WAFL) with the East Fremantle Football Club and in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) with the Port Adelaide Football Club. His mother Roxanne Kerr is of Australian heritage. His sister Samantha Kerr plays for the Australia women's national association football team (Australia national women's soccer team) and the Perth Glory Women's Football Club in the W-League (Australia). Kerr is a second cousin of former Fremantle player Shaun McManus.

Kerr was selected with the number 18 pick in the 2000 AFL Draft. Kerr is widely known as one toughest in the AFL. In August 2006, the much bigger Fraser Gehrig considered one of the strongest players in the AFL, tried to palm off a tackle by Kerr, only to have Kerr resist and re-tackle Gehrig, with the result being the umpire rewarding Kerr with a "holding the ball" decision. Similarly, his physical strength was further demonstrated in round one in the 2007 AFL season against the Sydney Swans when he successfully tackled and took down the far bigger Barry Hall in the goalsquare.

In 2005 Kerr nearly provided one of the biggest upsets in Brownlow Medal history, leading the count towards the later rounds and finishing second to favourite, teammate Ben Cousins. In the following year, he came third in the Brownlow Medal count with 22 votes, however, was ineligible due to a striking charge against Hawthorn's Sam Mitchell in Round 14. In 2003, Kerr won the AFL Goal of the Year.

In 2006, Kerr was part of the Eagles' 2006 premiership side. He received 20 disposals during the gameand played with detached ligaments in his foot.

In 2007, Kerr had another great year with the eagles. He came runner up in the Brownlow Medal for a second time in his career, Jimmy Bartel was the winner.

Daniel Kerr re-signed with the Eagles after weeks of speculation over his future during the 2009 season.

In round 10 of the 2009 season Kerr was suspended for 1 week for striking Carlton's Marc Murphy. After an appeal by the Eagles the decision was upheld by the AFL tribunal.

In round four, 2010 Kerr seriously injured his hamstring in the West Coast Eagles' win against Essendon, ending his season. His absence was felt on the field as the Eagles would win only three more games for the season.

In October 2013, Kerr announced his retirement from football.

In November 2013, nearly one month after announcing his retirement from football, Kerr hinted that he would like to play football again in the WAFL. Kerr said if he plays in the WAFL next year, it will likely be at a club much closer to his northern suburbs home. But he decided against returning to the WAFL soon after.

In September 2002 Kerr was involved in a brawl with team mate Ben Cousins at a Perth nightclub during the club's end of season celebrations, in which Cousins punched Kerr in the face. Later the same night, Kerr pushed Cousins down a flight of stairs, breaking his arm.

In 2004 Kerr was charged with forging a prescription. He was given the blank prescription by a person at a party and went to a 24-hour chemist to buy 50 valium tablets. The court fined him a total of $400 and made a spent conviction order. He was also fined $5,000 by the club and was required to complete community service throughout the football season.

In January 2007 Kerr and his father were charged with assault following a party in Perth. Kerr is understood to have been at a farewell party for his sister's friend in Attadale before trouble erupted shortly after midnight. Reports suggested that Kerr's sister complained about being touched inappropriately by another partygoer and a fight erupted soon after on the street. An 18-year-old man suffered a broken nose and broken tooth. Kerr was charged with two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm. He pleaded guilty to assault occasioning bodily harm and was fined $2000 over the attack. His father was also fined after being found guilty of assault.

On 25 February 2007 Kerr was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct after an altercation with a taxi driver. Kerr was later arrested again while at a training session, and further charged with assault occasioning bodily harm and wilful damage. Police prosecutor Gary Flynn told the court Kerr saw the taxi and jumped screaming and shouting onto the boot. The taxi driver got out of his car and was attacked by Kerr, Sgt Flynn said. Kerr's lawyer John Prior said his client had gone out to dinner and "consumed too much alcohol" and "made a crucial bad judgement call". Kerr pleaded guilty to the charges and was fined.

On 23 March 2007 information was released that implicated Kerr in drug dealing over the phone. Kerr's conversations with convicted drug dealer Shane Waters relating to a "big bag of horse chaff" were recorded by police phone taps in 2003.

On 3 April 2010 Kerr was ordered by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal to pay $13,125 to teenager Troy Luies, after Luies had filed a claim for the injuries he suffered at the hands of Kerr on 14 January 2007. Assessor William Millar awarded Mr Luies compensation for the assault by Kerr, as payment for his hospital bills, lost pay and for trauma suffered.

In November 2014 Kerr was arrested and charged with endangering the lives of two people after he allegedly started a small fire at a house in Glendalough. He spent five nights at Hakea Prison before being released on bail when his parents paid the $5000 surety.

Like former West Coast Eagles Football Club teammate Quinten Lynch and a number of other West Coast Eagles players, Daniel Kerr also attended Aquinas College in Salter Point a suburb of Perth, Western Australia.

Daniel Kerr became engaged to his girlfriend of nearly two years Natasha Pozo in May 2009. They were married at Aquinas College, Salter Point in January 2010.

On 22 June 2011, husband and wife Daniel Kerr and Natasha Kerr welcomed their first child a daughter Lola Violet Kerr. And Daniel and Natasha had their second child another daughter Ruby June Kerr on 26 November 2012.

In January 2014 it was announced that Daniel Kerr and Natasha Kerr had separated. Daniel Kerr and Natasha Pozo are now divorced.