AFL cult hero Peter Bosustow dead at the age of 67

Mercury

28-04-2025

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Carlton cult hero Peter Bosustow has died at the age of 67.
The mercurial footballer was one of the most entertaining players of his era.
The Carlton Football Club has confirmed Bosustow died on Monday morning in his home town of Perth.
According to leading football reporter Sam Edmund, Bosustow died after watching his much-loved club pull off a big win against Geelong on Sunday.
He leaves behind his beloved wife Shelley, son Brent and daughter Brooke who were all with him to say their goodbyes.
Bosustow had a long battle with cancer and the footy world was overjoyed when news came through that he was cancer free in 2023.
You can watch one of his many highlights in the video player above.
AFL greats Peter Bosustow (left), Warwick Capper (centre), and Mark 'Jacko' Jackson.
However, his second battle with cancer was made public in March.
His daughter Brooke Warren shared on Facebook that her dad had undergone more than 60 rounds of chemotherapy as part of his treatment plan for stage 4 rectal and Liver cancer.
According to recent reports, Bosustow was hospitalised earlier this month in Perth.
His rare skills saw him kick 146 goals in 65 matches for Carlton and play in the Blues' 1981-82 premierships.
He also played 141 games and booted 379 goals for Perth in the WAFL.
Peter Bosustow takes the mark. Source: Carlton Football Club.
Peter Bosustow VFL mark and goal of the year 1981. Source: Carlton Football Club.
Among his many accolades and records on the field, Bosustow famously won the premiership in his debut season with the Blues while also winning the Goal of the Year prize and the Mark of the Year prize.
Carlton great Ken Hunter, who also made the career transition from playing in the WAFL to play in the VFL, paid tribute to his former teammate in touching comments shared by the club.
'I think of what a character 'Buzz' was and how much he took to the big stage,' he said.
'I look back on him in his first year, winning Mark of the Year, Goal of the Year and a Grand Final – him being a half forward, me being a half back.
'He used to joke that I was the extrovert and him the introvert, when it was obviously the other way around. He was a unique character and a rare football talent in equal measure. That talent was obvious in Perth but it went to another level when he came to Melbourne.
'The Carlton people loved 'Buzz' and he loved Carlton.'
Legendary Carlton coach David Parkin also shared his warm memories of his former disciple.
'Peter was an exceptional talent,' Parkin said.
'I've coached some outstandingly talented players, but on his day Peter could do things on a footy field few could emulate – a case in point that smother, gather and goal.
RIP Peter Bosustow. Picture taken in 1981.
'Peter had remarkable capacities in the air and on the ground, and was probably as exciting a player to watch as we ever had.
'What was really good was that despite the ups and downs of a coach/player relationship we remained really good mates and shared so much over the journey. We used to call, text or email each other a lot, particularly through the course of his illness which began 18 months ago.
'As a player he tested me like nobody else, but he was always quick to apologise to me and the players and it was just a bit sad that he decided to go home. But he was a gem of a bloke.'
According to Edmund on SEN, Bosustow 'raised a fist at the final siren' after the Blues' big victory over the Cats at the MCG.
During his battle with bowel and liver cancer, Bosustow is reported to have lost more 50kg and weighed in at 68kg.
Warren shared a devastating account of her dad's cancer battle recently, praising her parents for their bravery.
'I am so proud of their fight - its been a hard almost 4 years mentally, emotionally - I personally ache that I cant fix this,' she posted.
Bosustow received support from all over the game in his final years, including at one fundraiser in 2022 where former teammates Jimmy Buckley, Mike Fitzpatrick, Wayne Johnston, Mark Maclure and Mark 'Jacko' Jackson were in attendance.
Originally published as AFL cult hero Peter Bosustow dead at the age of 67