Adem Yze

Adem Yze (/ˈuːzeɪ/ OO-zay; born 21 September 1977) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). In October 2019, he re-signed with Hawthorn Football Cluband returned to the position of forwards coach in 2020, continuing as Head of Match Day Strategy & Opposition.

Yze, of Albanian descent, was educated at Galvin Park Secondary College in Werribee, Victoria. He has made the third-highest number of appearances in the history of the Melbourne Football Club.

Taken at #16 in the 1994 National AFL Draft, and debuting in 1995 with Melbourne, he was a near-permanent fixture with the club throughout his career. He remained remarkably consistent in this time, moving from half-back to the midfield and towards the end of his playing career moving between half-forward and half-back. Yze led the league for kicks in 2001, 2002 and 2004, while coming third behind Scott Camporeale and Nathan Buckley in 2000.

In 2007, Yze struggled with his form during the pre-season. After a disappointing performance against St Kilda in Round 1, his streak of 226 consecutive AFL appearances was put to an end, with Melbourne deciding to drop him for the Round 2 game against Hawthorn. Yze was then selected for Melbourne's Round 4 match against Fremantle and picked up a career-high 38-possessions and kicked one goal, being named as one of the best on ground for the day. Despite seeing very little first-team action in 2008—the last year of his contract at Melbourne—Yze declared his intention to continue playing football, even if that meant he entered the draft or played at VFL level. At 30, Yze felt he could play on for another two or three years.

Due to Melbourne's youth policy introduced at the end of the 2008 season, Adem was delisted after only six senior appearances for the year, in which he kicked five goals. However, these six games allowed Yze to notch up 300 senior appearances, which resulted in him gaining Lifetime AFL Membership. Yze expressed his desire to play on at another AFL club in 2009, declaring he would apply for the pre-season draft, yet he conceded he had "stuff all" chances of being picked up by another club. However, Yze declared he would play on regardless in 2009, even if it was at a suburban club, such as East Burwood, where his brother Damian played. Yze played with the Box Hill Hawks and joined the Shepparton Swans a year later.

In 2013 and 2014 he was kicking goals with two different second division clubs in the Western Region Football League.He kicked 136 goals for Glen Orden then 116 goals for West Footscray.

Yze was known for his straight kicks and ability to kick goals from seemingly impossible angles. He kicked five goals in a game on five occasions. He is also noted for being one of very few Muslims to play Australian rules professionally, although he does not actively practise Islam.

In January 2012, Yze joined Hawthorn as a part-time assistant coach.

On 14 November 2014, Yze replaced Luke Beveridge as Hawthorn's backline coach, after previously working with the Hawks as a specialist goal-kicking and development coach for the past three seasons. Yze was credited for played a key role in harnessing the Hawthorn players' elite kicking skills as they developed into the AFL's deadliest team in front of goal over the past two seasons, with the team's accuracy increasing from 48 per cent to 57.1 per cent during his tenure as goalkicking coach.

After six seasons as a Hawthorn assistant coach Yze was appointed to the Melbourne coaching board.

• Individual
  • Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Medal: 2001
  • All-Australian: 2002
  • Australian Representative Honours in International Rules Football: 2000, 2002
  • AFL Rising Star Nominee: 1996 (Round 11)
  • Centenary Medal Award: 2001