{{Short description|Australian association football player}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Adrian Savage | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1979|3|28|df=yes}} | birth_place = Moe, Australia | height = 182cm | position = Defender, Midfielder
| youthyears1 = 1988–1996 | youthclubs1 = Moe United | youthyears2 = 1996–1997 | youthclubs2 = Gippsland Falcons
| years1 = 1998–2000 | clubs1 = Gippsland Falcons | caps1 = 42 | goals1 = 0
| years2 = 1998 | clubs2 = → South Dandenong (loan) | caps2 = 11 | goals2 = 3
| years4 = 2002 | clubs4 = Fitzroy City | caps4 = 20 | goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2003–2004 | clubs5 = Eastern Lions | caps5 = | goals5 = 17
| years6 = 2005–2007 | clubs6 = Morwell Pegasus | caps6 = | goals6 = 9
| years7 = 2009–2011 | clubs7 = Diamond Valley United | caps7 = | goals7 = 12
| years8 = 2012–2013 | clubs8 = Moe United | caps8 = 24 | goals8 = 16 }}
'''Adrian Savage''' (born 28 March 1979) is an Australian former association footballer who played as a midfielder.
A product of the Moe United youth system, Savage appeared at national level in the National Soccer League with the Gippsland Falcons before forging a lengthy career in Victorian state leagues.
During his senior career, Savage represented clubs including South Dandenong, Fitzroy City, Eastern Lions, Morwell Pegasus, Diamond Valley United. He later featured prominently in regional football with Moe United in the Latrobe Valley Soccer League, where he was a regular goalscorer in midfield roles.
== Playing career ==
=== Gippsland Falcons === Savage developed through the Moe United youth system, winning a number of junior titles with the powerhouse Latrobe Valley Soccer League club.
At the age of 16, he then moved on to the nearby Gippsland Falcons, representing the club in the National Youth League during the 1996 and 1997 seasons. His progression through the Falcons’ pathway led to senior opportunities from 1998, marking the beginning of his professional career. <ref>{{cite web |title = 1996–97 National Youth League Southern Division |website = OzFootball |url = http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/NYL/9697/SthNws03.html |date = 26 October 1996 |archive-url = https://archive.today/20260111072039/http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/NYL/9697/SthNws03.html |archive-date= 11 January 2026 |access-date = 11 January 2026 }}</ref>
He made his senior breakthrough with Gippsland during the club’s final years in the National Soccer League. Between 1998 and 2000, Savage became a regular member of the senior squad, including making 28 league appearances during the 1999–2000 NSL season.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gippsland Falcons Squad Profile - 1999/2000 |website=OzFootball |url=http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/NSLclubs/GF9900.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20260109124727/http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/NSLclubs/GF9900.html |archive-date=8 January 2026 |access-date=8 January 2026}}</ref>
On 11 October 1998, aged 19, Savage made his first NSL appearance in Round 1, coming on as a 71st minute substitute for Brian MacNicol in a 2–1 away loss over championship-bound South Melbourne at Lakeside Stadium.<ref>{{cite web |title=R1 1998 South Melbourne v Gippsland Falcons |website=BeSoccer.com |url=https://www.besoccer.com/match/south-melbourne/gippsland-falcons/199918664/lineups |archive-url=https://archive.today/20260111072623/https://www.besoccer.com/match/south-melbourne/gippsland-falcons/199918664/lineups |archive-date=8 January 2026 |access-date=8 January 2026}}</ref>
He went on to make a total of 15 league appearances for the Falcons during the 1998–99 season, establishing himself as a reliable defensive option in the latter part of the campaign.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gippsland Falcons Squad Profile - 1998/1999 |website=OzFootball |url=http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/NSLclubs/GF9899.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20260109124721/http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/NSLclubs/GF9899.html |archive-date=8 January 2026 |access-date=8 January 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Adrian Savage – OzFootball Profile |website=OzFootball |url=http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Players/S/SA.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20260111072327/http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Players/S/SA.html |archive-date=8 January 2026 |access-date=8 January 2026}}</ref>
=== South Dandenong (loan) === During the 1998 season, Savage was loaned to South Dandenong in the Victorian Premier League. He featured prominently from midfield, making 11 appearances and scoring three goals.
=== Fitzroy City === Following Gippsland Falcons’ exit from the NSL, Savage joined Fitzroy City for the 2002 Victorian Premier League season. He was a consistent selection throughout the campaign, adding stability and experience to the midfield across 20 league appearances.<ref>{{cite web |title = Adrian Savage – Vicfootball Profile |website = Vicfootball |url = http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/vicfootball/SAN.html#AdrianSavage |archive-url = https://archive.today/20260111023859/http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/vicfootball/SAN.html%23AdrianSavage |archive-date= 11 January 2026 |access-date = 11 January 2026 }}</ref>
=== Eastern Lions === Savage moved to Eastern Lions in 2003, where he enjoyed one of the most productive periods of his career. Across the 2003 and 2004 seasons, he established himself as a key attacking midfielder, contributing regularly in front of goal and becoming one of the standout offensive performers in the Victorian State League.<ref>{{cite web |title = Adrian Savage – OzFootball Profile |website = OzFootball |url = http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Players/S/SA.html |archive-url = https://archive.today/20260111072327/http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Players/S/SA.html |archive-date= 11 January 2026 |access-date = 11 January 2026 }}</ref>
In 2003, Savage put together arguably his best ever season, scoring 11 goals from midfield for Eastern Lions.<ref>{{cite web |title = 2003 State League Division Two South-East Results |website = OzFootball |url = http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/States/VIC/2003D2SET.html |archive-url = https://archive.today/20260111074004/http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/States/VIC/2003D2SET.html |archive-date= 11 January 2026 |access-date = 11 January 2026}}</ref> However, the Lions could only finish third, narrowly missing out on promotion.<ref>{{cite web |title = 2003 State League Division Two South-East Table |website = OzFootball |url = http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/States/VIC/2003D2SER.html |archive-url =https://archive.today/20260111074210/http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/States/VIC/2008SD2SER.html |archive-date= 11 January 2026 |access-date = 11 January 2026}}</ref>
=== Morwell Pegasus === In 2005, Savage signed with Morwell Pegasus, returning to regional Victorian football. He represented the club over multiple seasons in the Victorian State League, competing in both Division Two and Division Three competitions and providing experience and attacking presence from midfield during his tenure.
=== Diamond Valley United === Savage joined Diamond Valley United in 2009, entering another high-output phase of his career. Over three seasons with the club, he recorded several strong goal-scoring campaigns from midfield, finishing among the team’s leading contributors during his time at Partington Flats.
=== Moe United === In 2012, Savage moved to Latrobe Valley Soccer League powerhouse Moe United, competing in the Latrobe Valley Soccer League.<ref>{{cite web |title = Adrian Savage - MyGameDay |website = MyGameDay |url = https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=194594280&client=1-8852-124687-204773-16771936 |archive-url = https://archive.today/20260111025731/https://websites.mygameday.app/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=194594280&client=1-8852-124687-204773-16771936 |archive-date= 11 January 2026 |access-date = 11 January 2026}}</ref>
He continued his goal-scoring form over two seasons with the Red Devils and despite being in his mid-30s, put together arguably his greatest ever single-match performance, scoring five goals in a 6-1 rout of Tyers Lightning in 2012.<ref>{{cite web |date = 3 July 2012 |title = Red Devils 'Savage' the Lightning |website = MyGameDay |url = https://websites.mygameday.app/assoc_page.cgi?c=0-8852-0-0-0&sID=232801&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=19802013 |archive-url = https://archive.today/20260104014757/https://websites.mygameday.app/assoc_page.cgi?c=0-8852-0-0-0&sID=232801&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=19802013 |archive-date= 11 January 2026 |access-date = 11 January 2026}}</ref>
Savage played a key role in the club’s successful 2013 campaign, which culminated in Moe United winning the Latrobe Valley Soccer League Championship in his very final match as a footballer.<ref>{{cite news |title=Moe and the miracle championship |url=https://latrobevalleyexpress.com.au/sport/2023/07/11/moe-and-the-miracle-championship/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20260111071305/https://latrobevalleyexpress.com.au/sport/2023/07/11/moe-and-the-miracle-championship/ |archive-date=2026-01-11 |work=Latrobe Valley Express |author=Liam Durkin |date=2023-07-11 |access-date=2026-01-11 |url-status=live |language=en }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Savage, Adrian}} Category:1979 births Category:Living people Category:Soccer players from Melbourne Category:Australian men's soccer players Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Falcons 2000 SC players Category:Dandenong Thunder FC players Category:Victorian Premier League players