From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For information about the former St Kilda player named Peter Bell, see Peter R. Bell.

Peter F. Bell (born March 1, 1976) is an Australian rules footballer. He plays as a rover (or follower), is a former captain of the Fremantle Football Club, and has twice been named a member of the All-Australian Team. He is an acclaimed ball-winner and has had more than 30 possessions in a game on 39 occasions, in his 228-game career.

Bell was born in South Korea, the son of a Korean mother and an American father. In 1979 he was adopted by an Australian couple. Bell spent his formative years in Kojonup, Western Australia.

In late 1994, Bell, who was at that time playing with the South Fremantle Football Club, became one of the first two players drafted by Fremantle, which made its debut in the Australian Football League the following year.

Bell failed to make an impression on Dockers' coach Gerard Neesham, who regarded him as too slow a runner to be a successful AFL player. Bell was selected for only two games in 1995. He was delisted at the end of that season, worked hard to improve his leg speed, and was picked up in the 1996 Pre-season draft, by North Melbourne, where he achieved regular selection and acclaim for his courageous, energetic and skilled performances under coach Denis Pagan. Bell was a premiership player with the Kangaroos in 1999, and was named an All-Australian, on the bench, that same year.

At the end of 2000, Fremantle sought his return and Bell was traded back to his original club. As it happened, 2001 was a disastrous season for the Dockers, culminating in the dismissal of coach Damian Drum. Bell won the Doig Medal for the Dockers' best and fairest player that year, and was one of the very few shining lights in a season where the Dockers recorded just two victories. It is no coincidence these two wins came from superlative performances from Bell, gathering thirty-eight possessions and two goals against Hawthorn in round 18, and an amazing forty-four disposals and three goals against Adelaide in round 22. The following year he was appointed captain and in 2003 the club made the finals for the first time. Bell was once again an All-Australian, this time as a follower.

At Subiaco Oval, enthusiastic supporters ring a bell (a play on his name) when ever Peter Bell gets a possession.

Bell holds a Bachelor of Laws degree (LLB) from the University of Western Australia and is an old boy of Aquinas College, Perth

• Peter F. Bell profile on FremantleFC.com.au
• Peter F. Bell statistics from AFL Tables