View source for Barry Cable

{{short description|Australian rules footballer and coach}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Barry Cable
| image = 
| fullname = Barry Thomas Cable
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1943|9|22|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Narrogin, Western Australia]]
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| originalteam = Narrogin Imperials <small>([[Upper Great Southern Football League|UGSFL]])</small>
| height = 168&nbsp;cm
| weight = 70&nbsp;kg
| position = Rover
| years1 = 1962–1969, 1971–1973
| club1 = {{WAFL|Per}}
| games_goals1 = 225 (327)
| years2 = 1970, 1974–1977
| club2 = {{AFL NM}}
| games_goals2 = 115 (133)
| years3 = 1978–1979
| club3 = {{WAFL|EP}}
| games_goals3 = {{0}}39 {{0}}(48)<ref>These tallies refer to premiership matches (home-and-away and finals matches) only.</ref>
| games_goalstotal = 379 (508)
| sooyears1 = 1964–1978
| sooteam1 = [[Western Australia Australian rules football team|Western Australia]]
| soogames_goals1 = 20 (35)
| sooyears2 = 1975
| sooteam2 = [[Victoria Australian rules football team|Victoria]]
| soogames_goals2 = 1 (0)
| soogames_goalstotal = 21 (35)
| coachclub1 = {{WAFL|Per}}
| coachyears1 = 1972–1973
| coachgames_wins1 = 44 (19–25–0)
| coachclub2 = {{WAFL|EP}}
| coachyears2 = 1978–1980
| coachgames_wins2 = 68 (39–29–0)
| coachclub3 = {{AFL NM}}
| coachyears3 = 1981–1984
| coachgames_wins3 = 76 (40–36–0)
| statsend = 1979
| coachstatsend = 1984
| repstatsend = 1978
| careerhighlights = '''Club'''
*2x [[List of VFL/AFL premiers|VFL Premiership player]]: ([[1975 VFL Grand Final|1975]], [[1977 VFL Grand Final|1977]])
*4x [[List of West Australian Football League premiers|WANFL Premiership player]]: ([[1966 WANFL Grand Final|1966]], [[1967 WANFL Grand Final|1967]], [[1968 WANFL Grand Final|1968]], [[1978 WANFL Grand Final|1978]])
*3x [[Sandover Medal]]: (1964, 1968, 1973)
* [[Syd Barker Medal]]: (1970)
*7x [[Perth Football Club|Perth]] Best and Fairest: 1965–1969, 1971, 1973
*3x [[Simpson Medal]]: 1966–1968 
* {{WAFL|Per}} Captain: 1972–1973
* [[North Melbourne Football Club#North Melbourne Team of the Century|North Melbourne Team of the Century]] <small>(Rover)</small>

'''Representative'''
* [[Tassie Medal]]: 1966
*2x [[All-Australian team]]: (1966, 1969)
*2x [[Simpson Medal]]: (1969, 1977)

'''Overall'''
* <s>[[Sport Australia Hall of Fame]]</s> (induction rescinded in 2023) 
* <s>[[Australian Football Hall of Fame]], inducted 1996, Legend status 2012</s> (rescinded in 2023)
* <s>[[West Australian Football Hall of Fame]] – Legend Status</s> (rescinded in 2023)
* [[Indigenous Team of the Century]] <small>(Rover and Coach)</small>

'''Coaching'''
* [[Interstate matches in Australian rules football#Australian National Football Carnival|National Football Carnival]] Championship: [[1979 Perth State of Origin Carnival|1979]]
* [[All-Australian team]]: 1979
* [[West Australian Football League|WAFL]] Premiership: 1978
}}

'''Barry Thomas Cable''' [[Member of the Order of the British Empire|MBE]] (born 22 September 1943) is a former [[Australian rules football]]er and coach.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-news-2023-barry-cable-kicked-out-of-australian-football-hall-of-fame-by-afl-commission-over-sexual-abuse-case-age-stats/news-story/ba3ccc1520403ad023d61889b5407b05|title=AFL removes Barry Cable from Hall of Fame after 'serious and distressing' charge|date=27 June 2023|website=Fox Sports}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/horrific-afl-removes-barry-cable-from-hall-of-fame-20230627-p5djv6.html|title=AFL 2023: League removes Barry Cable from Australian Football Hall of Fame|website=amp.theage.com.au}}</ref> Considered one of the greatest [[Follower (Australian rules football)|rover]]s in the sport's history, he played in 379 premiership games in the [[Western Australian Football League]] (WAFL) and the [[Australian Football League|Victorian Football League]] (VFL), and later coached in both competitions. However, his reputation was left in tatters after allegations of historical sex crimes, including a code-first revocation of his [[Australian Football Hall of Fame]] status as well as his removal from the [[Sport Australia Hall of Fame]] in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Burton |first=Jesinta |last2=Naglazas |first2=Mark |date=2023-06-22 |title=Barry Cable stripped of all honours by WA sporting bodies |url=https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/barry-cable-disappears-from-wa-hall-of-champions-as-committee-mulls-decision-20230622-p5dimu.html |access-date=2023-11-12 |website=WAtoday |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-20 |title=Hall of Fame legend Barry Cable to be kicked out, stripped of AFL's top honour over sexual abuse case |url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/hall-of-fame-legend-barry-cable-to-be-kicked-out-stripped-of-afls-top-honour-over-sexual-abuse-case/news-story/838967b1b9c93b8b0f003f71e42a9017 |access-date=2023-11-12 |website=Fox Sports |language=en}}</ref> 

Born in [[Narrogin, Western Australia|Narrogin]], [[Western Australia]], Cable made his debut with the [[Perth Football Club]] in the WANFL in 1962, and won the [[Sandover Medal]] as the [[best and fairest|fairest and best]] player in the competition in 1964. Cable was awarded the [[Tassie Medal]] as the best player at the [[1966 Hobart Carnival|1966 Australian National Football Carnival]], as well as selection in the [[All-Australian team]]. The same year, he played in the first of three consecutive premierships with Perth, winning the [[Simpson Medal]] as the best player in the Grand Final in each year, as well as a further Sandover Medal [[1968 WANFL season|in 1968]].

Cable left Perth at the end of [[1969 WANFL season|the 1969 season]] to play for the [[North Melbourne Football Club]] in the VFL, and won the club's best and fairest award, the [[Syd Barker Medal]], before returning to Western Australia at the end of the season. Following another three years at Perth, in which he [[Player-coach|captain-coached]] the club [[1972 WANFL season|in 1972]] [[1973 WANFL season|and 1973]] and won his third Sandover Medal in the latter year, Cable returned to North Melbourne for [[1974 VFL season|the 1974 season]]. In another four years at the club, he played in two premierships, in [[1975 VFL Grand Final|1975]] and [[1977 VFL Grand Final|1977]], before again returning to Perth after accepting an offer to captain-coach {{WAFL|EP}}. Cable retired from playing at the end of [[1979 WANFL season|the 1979 season]], having injured himself in a farming accident.

Cable returned to [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]] in 1981 to become the senior coach of North Melbourne, a role which he held until 1984, and later worked as an assistant at the [[West Coast Eagles]] during their first years in the VFL. Having represented [[Western Australia Australian rules football team|Western Australia]] in a total of 20 matches during his playing career, Cable also coached the team at the [[1979 Perth State of Origin Carnival|1979 State of Origin Carnival]], later being named coach of the All-Australian team.

His tally of seven best and fairest awards at Perth is a club record, while his career total of 379 premiership matches is a record for any elite Australian rules football player born in Western Australia as of 2022, and was also an elite Australian rules football record until broken by Kevin Bartlett in Round 20 of the [[1982 VFL season]].

Cable also played three pre-season/night series matches for East Perth and 21 interstate football matches (20 for Western Australia and one for Victoria), along with one pre-season/night series match for North Melbourne (these are recognised as senior by the WAFL but not the VFL/AFL). If these are included, then Cable played a total of 404 senior career games, which is also the most (equal with Brian Peake) of any elite Australian rules football player born in Western Australia.

The VFL/AFL list Cable and Peake's total as 403, excluding their VFL/AFL pre-season/night series match (Cable for North Melbourne and Peake for Geelong).

==Early life==
The youngest of eleven children, Cable was born in [[Narrogin, Western Australia|Narrogin]],{{fact|date=August 2023}} a country town in the [[Wheatbelt (Western Australia)|Wheatbelt]] region of [[Western Australia]]. His father, Edward, born in [[England]],{{fact|date=August 2023}} died when Cable was six and he was raised by his indigenous mother, Dorothy a member of the [[Noongar]] people of south-west Western Australia.{{fact|date=August 2023}} Cable spent much of his childhood playing football – aged eleven, he was reprimanded by his school headmaster for devoting too much time to playing.{{fact|date=August 2023}} Cable debuted for the senior side of his local club, the Narrogin Imperials in the [[Upper Great Southern Football League]] (UGSFL), at the age of fifteen.{{fact|date=August 2023}} After spending two years as a butcher's apprentice, Cable moved to [[Perth]] to attempt to play in the [[West Australian Football League|Western Australian Football League]] (WAFL).<ref name="deadly">{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/halloffame/barry-cable-was-deadly-by-hand-or-foot/story-fn8wskg9-1226394618290|title=Barry Cable was deadly by hand or foot|date=14 June 2012|work=[[Herald Sun]]}}</ref>

==Playing career==
After being rejected by Western Australian football powerhouse {{WAFL|EF}} for being "too small" – his playing height was listed as 168&nbsp;cm, or five-and-a-half feet – Cable signed with {{WAFL|Per}} in 1962.<ref name="deadly"/> He began his career [[Centre line (football)#Wing|as a wingman]], but late [[1963 WANFL season|in 1963]] was moved to his familiar position of rover. In his first full season there, [[1964 WANFL season|1964]], Cable would win the first of three [[Sandover Medal]]s, the highest individual honour in the WAFL. Cable was awarded the [[Tassie Medal]] as the best player at the [[1966 Hobart Carnival|1966 Australian National Football Carnival]], as well as selection in the [[All-Australian team]]. The same year, he played in the first of three consecutive premierships with Perth, winning the [[Simpson Medal]] as the best player in all three grand finals, as well as a further Sandover Medal in 1968.

===North Melbourne (1970)===
Cable's first coach at Perth was former {{AFL Car}} premiership captain [[Ern Henfry]], who alerted the Blues about the talented young rover. So in 1964, Carlton invited Cable to Melbourne and signed him on a "Form Four", which meant that for the next two seasons he was tied to Carlton if he were to play in Victoria. But Cable had no desire to move interstate, despite the repeated urging from Carlton.<ref name="deadly"/> During the following three seasons, Perth president Cliff Houghton forbade Cable from negotiating with VFL clubs, and when on 6 July 1969 this ban was lifted and Cable spoke with {{AFL Haw}}<ref>Christian, Geoff; 'President Gives Waive on Cable'; ''[[The West Australian]]'', 7 July 1969, p. 23</ref> he did not decide to move. It was not until {{AFL NM}} secretary [[Ron Joseph]] flew over to Perth and met with Cable personally in 1969 that Cable decided to play in Victoria. In August of that year, Cable signed a form four with the [[North Melbourne Football Club]], enabling him to transfer to the [[Australian Football League|Victorian Football League]] (VFL). The secretary of North Melbourne, Ron Joseph, said Cable was "genuinely interested in playing League football", and wanted to "prove himself in Victorian football".<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=10sQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=eJMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4626,2282201&dq=barry+cable&hl=en CABLE HERE NEXT YEAR?] – ''[[The Age]]''. Published 12 August 1969. Retrieved from [[Google News]], 14 June 2012.</ref> At the time Cable made his initial move to Victoria, {{AFL NM}} were a struggling team, still a few years away from becoming one of the powerhouses of the decade. [[1970 VFL season|1970]] was a miserable year for the Kangaroos as they finished last on the ladder, but Cable justified the hype over his reputation by winning the [[Syd Barker Medal]] and finishing fourth in the [[Brownlow Medal]] vote count. However, North Melbourne were unable to meet a clause in his contract, which required them to pay Perth $71,000 to retain Cable's services.<ref name="deadly"/> This was a large sum, especially in the days when being a VFL footballer was not a full-time profession as it would become in later decades. As a result, Cable returned to Western Australia.<ref name="BARRY CABLE">{{cite web|url=https://australianfootball.com/players/player/Barry+Cable/10365|title=BARRY CABLE|access-date=28 January 2023}}</ref>

===Perth Football Club (1971–1973)===
Back at Perth, Cable captain-coached the [[Perth Football Club]] [[1972 WANFL season|in 1972]] [[1973 WANFL season|and 1973]] and won his third Sandover Medal in the latter year.

===Return to North Melbourne (1974–1977)===
During his absence, North Melbourne had managed to sign former Carlton premiership coach [[Ron Barassi]] and took advantage of the short-lived Ten-Year Rule to land the signatures of VFL stars [[Doug Wade]], [[John Rantall]] and [[Barry Davis (footballer)|Barry Davis]]. With [[Keith Greig]] and [[David Dench]] starting to emerge as champions, Cable decided to return to North Melbourne for the [[1974 VFL season]]. North Melbourne made it to their first Grand Final since [[1950 VFL Grand Final|1950]], but lost to {{AFL Ric}}. Finally, in [[1975 VFL Grand Final|1975]], the Kangaroos broke through by defeating {{AFL Haw}} to claim their first VFL premiership. At the conclusion [[1975 VFL season|of the 1975 season]], Cable considered returning to Perth to play, after the death of his father-in-law. North Melbourne had agreed to release him from his contract, but he decided to remain with the club for at least one more season.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Pe5UAAAAIBAJ&sjid=N5IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7053,3771836&dq=barry+cable&hl=en Cable to play another season at North] – ''[[The Age]]''. Published 16 October 1975. Retrieved from [[Google News]], 14 June 2012.</ref><ref name="BARRY CABLE"/>

===East Perth===
He again returned to Perth after accepting an offer to captain-coach {{WAFL|EP}}. He would return to Perth after [[1977 VFL Grand Final|1977]].<ref name="BARRY CABLE"/>

In the 1978 WAFL grand final, East Perth defeated Cable's old club, Perth, by two points, winning their first premiership since 1972. Cable, who was "at his best in the heavy conditions", was playing in his sixth consecutive grand final, having played in five at North Melbourne.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=cPRUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=U5IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3666,4755184&dq=barry+cable&hl=en Cable a winner in sixth final] – ''[[The Age]]''. Published 25 September 1978. Retrieved 14 June 2012.</ref><ref>[https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20080820235200/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/87904/20080821-0952/www.fullpointsfooty.net/1978_wanfl_grand_final.html 1978 WANFL Grand Final: East Perth vs. Perth] {{cbignore|bot=medic}}– Full Points Footy. Archived by the [[National Library of Australia]]'s Pandora project. Retrieved 24 June 2012.</ref><ref name="BARRY CABLE"/>

Having represented [[Western Australia Australian rules football team|Western Australia]] in 20 matches during his playing career, Cable also coached the team at the [[1979 Perth State of Origin Carnival|1979 State of Origin Carnival]], later being named coach of the [[All-Australian team]].<ref name="BARRY CABLE"/>

==Coaching career==
Cable had significantly less success in the VFL as a non-playing coach than as a player, although he did get North Melbourne into the finals in two of his three full seasons in charge as senior coach during the early 1980s.<ref name="BARRY CABLE"/> In 1983, he coached the team to be minor premiers, but North Melbourne lost both final matches to an early exit.<ref name="BARRY CABLE"/> After crashing to second-last in [[1984 VFL season|1984]] and only avoiding the wooden spoon on percentage, Cable announced his resignation as senior coach in Melbourne, declaring his long-term future lay in Western Australia.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article136917425 |title=North Melbourne coach resigns |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]] |volume=59 |issue=17,889 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=20 September 1984 |access-date=26 June 2021 |page=26 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

From [[1987 VFL season|1987]] to [[1989 VFL season|1989]], Cable served as assistant coach with AFL club [[West Coast Eagles]].<ref name="BARRY CABLE"/>

==Life after football and honours==
Cable had two sons with his wife, Helen: Barry Jr and [[Shane Cable]], both of whom played in the WAFL for {{WAFL|Per}} and {{WAFL|Sub}}. Shane also played a single game for the [[West Coast Eagles]] in 1989.<ref>[http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?c=1-5545-0-0-0&sID=222369 West Australian Football League] – Aboriginal Football: The Indigenous Game. Retrieved 14 June 2012.</ref>

Cable was made a Member of the [[Order of the British Empire]] in December 1978 for "services to Australian rules football".<ref>[https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1087996 It's an Honour]</ref>

While playing for East Perth, Cable decided to take up farming as a hobby and purchased a rural property in [[Orange Grove, Western Australia|Orange Grove]], on the outskirts of Perth. On 25 October 1979, he was involved in a near-fatal accident on his property when he attempted to start a Massey Ferguson tractor but lost control of the vehicle, getting his right leg caught under the rear wheel, stripping one side to the bone.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=D-dUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=s5IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2042,2597753&dq=barry+cable&hl=en|title=Surgery for Cable|newspaper=[[The Age]]|date=5 November 1979|page=33}}</ref> Cable was saved when the tractor came off the leg, continued on its path and drove up the wall, cutting off its petrol supply. Cable then had to summon all his inner strength to remain conscious while yelling for help. Fortunately for Cable, a neighbour heard his yelling and, after rushing to the scene, Cable directed his horrified rescuer to call his wife and the ambulance.<ref>{{cite web|date=20 July 2016|first=Ricky|last=Mangidis|title=Barry Cable's near-death experience|url=https://www.nmfc.com.au/news/36745/barry-cables-near-death-experience|publisher=[[North Melbourne Football Club]]}}</ref>

Cable was rushed to the [[Royal Perth Hospital]] for emergency treatment. In his first few days, he amazed everyone with his courage, even holding a brief press conference at the hospital the day after the accident.<ref name="uphill"/> The first operation was a four-hour procedure in which doctors removed large amounts of foreign matter, including [[gasoline|petrol]], from the wound. Later, secondary infections set in, necessitating the use of heavy [[painkiller]]s, with Cable said to be "hovering between life and death" and spending his time in a "twilight world of delirium, drugged sleep and excruciating pain".<ref name="uphill">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DedUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=s5IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1577,496987&dq=barry+cable&hl=en|title=Cable facing uphill battle after accident|newspaper=[[The Age]]|date= 2 November 1979|page=3}}</ref> After his condition had stabilised, a series of operations was conducted in which muscle from his right hip was grafted to replace his right [[calf muscle]], with a [[vein]] from his lower left leg being made into an [[artery]] for his right leg.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0-5UAAAAIBAJ&sjid=z5IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3221,2384532&dq=barry+cable&hl=en Barry on his feet] – ''[[The Age]]''. Published 9 January 1980. Retrieved from [[Google News]], 14 June 2012.</ref> At one stage, Cable was given the possibility of never walking freely again.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EudUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=s5IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2115,3731328&dq=barry+cable&hl=en Cable faces 8-hour 'rebuilding' operation] – ''[[The Age]]''. Published 8 November 1979. Retrieved from [[Google News]], 14 June 2012.</ref> 
In all, Cable would spend four months on his back at the hospital for treatment on the right leg. Amazingly, he continued on as coach of East Perth for the 1980 season whilst undergoing extensive rehabilitation.<ref>{{cite web|work=[[Fox Sports]]|date=18 July 2016|first=Anna|last=Harrington|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/barry-cable-opens-up-on-tractor-accident-on-fox-footys-open-mike/news-story/c2a390309e6e0bce0cc7a07490068f9a|title=Barry Cable opens up on tractor accident on Fox Footy's Open Mike}}</ref>

He was inducted into the [[Sport Australia Hall of Fame]] in December 1986.<ref>[https://sahof.org.au/hall-of-fame-member/barry-cable/ Barry Cable] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028142552/https://sahof.org.au/hall-of-fame-member/barry-cable/ |date=28 October 2020 }} – Hall of Fame. Retrieved 24 September 2020.</ref> In 1996, he was an inaugural inductee into the [[Australian Football Hall of Fame]], and, in June 2012, was upgraded to "Legend" status.<ref>[http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/138524/default.aspx Cable the Legend] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120616015319/http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/138524/default.aspx |date=16 June 2012 }} – Australian Football League. Published 13 June 2012. Retrieved 13 June 2012.</ref> Cable was similarly included as a "Legend" in the [[West Australian Football Hall of Fame]]'s inaugural induction in 2004. Cable established a non-profit organisation, the Community Development Foundation, in 1999, aimed at assisting schoolchildren from lower socio-economic areas.<ref>[http://www.defence.gov.au/news/navynews/editions/2000/03_06_00/story21.htm Football legend visits submarine] – Navy news. Published 6 March 2000. Retrieved 23 June 2012.</ref> A function room at [[Subiaco Oval]], the Barry Cable Room, was named in Cable's honour.<ref>[http://www.wafootball.com.au/patersons-stadium/history Patersons Stadium history] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120713010032/http://www.wafootball.com.au/patersons-stadium/history |date=13 July 2012 }} – West Australian Football Commission. Retrieved 13 June 2012.</ref>  His "Legend" status as well as his standard Australian football Hall of Fame membership was revoked in 2023 by the AFL Commission as a result of his sexual assault charges.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Moodie |first=Claire |date=2023-06-27 |title=Barry Cable removed from AFL Hall of Fame after 'horrific nature' of sexual abuse revealed in court |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-27/barry-cable-removed-from-afl-hall-of-fame/102526370 |access-date=2023-06-27}}</ref>

In 1997, [[Hendy Cowan]], the Western Australian Minister for Commerce at the time, appointed Cable to the position of the newly formed Aboriginal Economic Development Council, designed to facilitate the "development of Government policy and programs to expand economic opportunities for Aboriginal people".<ref>[https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20040614140000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23604/20040615-0000/www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/cabinet/mediast/dg97-51/cowcable.html Barry Cable to head advisory body on Aboriginal economic development] {{cbignore|bot=medic}}– Ministerial Media Statement. Published 18 December 1997. Retrieved 23 June 2012.</ref> Cable has also been involved in a number of charity efforts involving [[cycling]], especially long-distance [[cycling]]. In 1993, he rode a bicycle across the [[Nullarbor Plain]] to [[Coin toss|toss the coin]] at the [[1993 AFL Grand Final]],<ref>{{cite book|author=Matthew Ricketson|title=The Best Australian Profiles|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ShkiqPn_tToC&pg=PA151|year=2004|publisher=Black Inc.|isbn=978-1-86395-293-4|page=151}}</ref> and in April 1997, he led a ride from [[Mandurah]] to [[Bunbury, Western Australia|Bunbury]] to promote a [[road safety]] campaign.<ref>[https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20040614140000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23604/20040615-0000/www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/cabinet/mediast/dg97-51/cowcable.html Barry {{sic|Cab|el|nolink=y}} to lead cyclists into Westar Rules match in Bunbury to promote road safety] {{cbignore|bot=medic}}– Ministerial Media Statement. Published 11 April 1997. Retrieved 23 June 2012.</ref>

In July 2007, Cable was retrospectively awarded a [[Simpson Medal]] for his efforts in the inaugural [[State of Origin]] match in 1977, bringing his total number of Simpson Medals to a record five.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070930030921/http://www.afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=46668 Barry Cable awarded fifth Simpson Medal] – Australian Football League. Published 5 July 2007. Retrieved 14 June 2012.</ref>

== Sexual abuse claims ==
In 2019, a woman began legal action against Cable, alleging he sexually abused her between 1968 and 1973 when she was twelve years old and continued into her late teens. The allegations were investigated by WA Police in 1998 and referred to the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP), but no charges were laid.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McNeill |first=Heather |date=2023-02-07 |title=AFL legend Barry Cable sued over historical child sex abuse claims |url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/afl-legend-sued-over-historic-child-sex-abuse-20230207-p5cil1.html |access-date=2023-02-07 |website=The Age |language=en}}</ref> Cable denied the allegations and tried unsuccessfully to have the case thrown out of court several times. Cable's identity was only revealed after a suppression order was lifted in February 2023 ahead of a trial.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Menagh |first=Joanna |date=2023-02-07 |title=Australian football 'legend' Barry Cable accused of sexually abusing teenager |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-07/australian-football-legend-barry-cable-accused-of-sexual-abuse/101935132 |access-date=2023-02-07}}</ref>

Also in February 2023, a second woman came forward claiming she was sexually abused multiple times by Cable. Cable has categorically denied all the allegations.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-02-10 |title=Woman accuses Australian football 'legend' of sexual abuse when she was a child |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-10/barry-cable-sexual-abuse-civil-case-witness-testimony/101959520 |access-date=2023-02-10}}</ref> A third woman later came forward, also accusing Cable of sexually abusing her when she was a child. The woman claims that she refrained from reporting Cable to the police because "all of Australia loved him."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bunch |first=Aaron |date=2023-02-13 |title='Australia loved him': Barry Cable's third alleged sex victim gives evidence |url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/western-australia/australia-loved-him-barry-cable-s-third-alleged-sex-victim-gives-evidence-20230213-p5ck70.html |access-date=2023-02-13 |website=The Age |language=en}}</ref> During the trial, an additional two women testified that Cable sexually assaulted them when they were children: this takes the number of women that have accused Cable of sexual abuse to five.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bunch |first=Aaron |date=2023-02-14 |title=Number of women accusing AFL great of child sexual abuse grows to five |url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/western-australia/number-of-women-accusing-afl-great-of-child-sexual-abuse-grows-to-five-20230214-p5ckk2.html |access-date=2023-02-14 |website=The Age |language=en}}</ref>

In June 2023, Western Australian District Court Judge Mark Herron found that Cable had engaged in "grooming behaviour" and sexually abused the plaintiff over several years.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-16/barry-cable-civil-case-gulity-damages-awarded/102480920 |title=Former football star Barry Cable ordered to pay damages in civil sexual abuse case |website=ABC News |date=16 June 2023 |language=en |access-date=2023-06-16}}</ref> The woman was awarded $818,700 in damages for historical sexual offences; however, it is unlikely she will ever receive this money, as Cable declared bankruptcy prior to the trial.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-27/barry-cable-removed-from-afl-hall-of-fame/102526370|title=Barry Cable removed from AFL Hall of Fame after 'horrific nature' of sexual abuse revealed in court|newspaper=ABC News |date=27 June 2023|via=www.abc.net.au}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2023-barry-cable-sexual-assault-charges-west-australian-football-legend-hall-of-fame-court-findings-bankrupt/news-story/f5fdeb0597f767369665e81eaa4d5b2c|title=AFL legend Barry Cable sexually abused young girl, judge finds|date=16 June 2023|website=Fox Sports}}</ref>

Cable was removed from the [[Sport Australia Hall of Fame]] in July 2023 in response to the court's findings, and he was subsequently removed from the Australian Football Hall of Fame and West Australian Football Hall of Fame, with his Legend status in both Halls also being rescinded. The North Melbourne Football Club also removed Cable from its Hall of Fame and stripped him of his life membership of the club, with both the Perth and East Perth Football Clubs also stripping Cable of life membership. 

As of November 2023, these sexual abuse allegations against Cable were being investigated by WA Police.

On 24 May 2024, Cable was charged with five counts of indecently dealing with a girl under 13 and two counts of unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl under 13 years.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-24/barry-cable-charged-with-sexual-abuse-young-girl/103891766 | title=Disgraced AFL player Barry Cable charged with sexual abuse of young girl | newspaper=ABC News | date=24 May 2024 }}</ref> It will be alleged that, during 1967 and 1968, Cable sexually assaulted a girl who was between nine and 10 years old at the time. On 30 May, 2024, he pled not guilty to this conduct.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-30/barry-cable-pleads-not-guilty-to-sexual-assault/103915366 | title=Barry Cable pleads not guilty to sexually assaulting young girl | website=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] | date=30 May 2024 }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book |last=Ross |first=John |title=The Australian Football Hall of Fame |year=1999 |publisher=HarperCollinsPublishers |location=Australia |isbn=0-7322-6426-X | pages=45 }}

==External links==
* {{AFL Tables}}
* {{AFL Tables coach ID}}
* {{AustralianFootball}}
* [http://www.kangaroos.com.au/History/PlayerHistory/BarryCable/tabid/14516/Default.aspx Barry Cable's profile on kangaroos.com.au] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090917152405/http://www.kangaroos.com.au/History/PlayerHistory/BarryCable/tabid/14516/Default.aspx |date=17 September 2009 }}
*{{WAFL FootyFacts}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928042351/http://prod.www.afl.cfour.com.au/Season2007/Awards/HallofFame/Players/tabid/856/Default.aspx AFL Hall of Fame]

{{1975 North Melbourne premiership players}}
{{1977 North Melbourne premiership players}}
{{Sandover Medal winners}}
{{Tassie Medal winners}}
{{Simpson Medal winners}}
{{WA State of Origin coaches}}
{{North Melbourne Football Club coaches}}
{{North Melbourne Team of The Century}}
{{Syd Barker Medal}}
{{1966 All-Australian team}}
{{1969 All-Australian team}}
{{1979 All-Australian team}}
{{AFL Indigenous Team of the Century}}
{{1966 Western Australia State Football Team}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cable, Barry}}
[[Category:1943 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Australian people of English descent]]
[[Category:All-Australian coaches]]
[[Category:All-Australians (1953–1988)]]
[[Category:Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Australian rules footballers from Western Australia]]
[[Category:East Perth Football Club coaches]]
[[Category:East Perth Football Club players]]
[[Category:Indigenous Australian players of Australian rules football]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:North Melbourne Football Club coaches]]
[[Category:North Melbourne Football Club players]]
[[Category:North Melbourne Football Club premiership players]]
[[Category:People from Narrogin, Western Australia]]
[[Category:Perth Football Club coaches]]
[[Category:Perth Football Club players]]
[[Category:Sandover Medal winners]]
[[Category:Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Syd Barker Medal winners]]
[[Category:West Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Western Australian State of Origin players]]
[[Category:Noongar people]]
[[Category:VFL/AFL premiership players]]