Symonds was a regular fixture of the Glenelg team of the 1980s, playing mostly as a wingman. He was a member of both Glenelg's 1985 and 1986 premiership teams. Using the last pick of the 1986 VFL draft, Hawthorn acquired his services for the 1987 VFL season where he played three games before returning to South Australia.[2] He made his league debut in the opening round, with four disposals against Carlton. His next appearance came two weeks later, in a win over Collingwood, where he had 9 disposals and kicked two behinds. At the Sydney Cricket Ground in round seven, he played his third and final game, kicking a goal and managing 10 disposals.
After leaving Hawthorn, Symonds continued his career at Glenelg and in 1995 was appointed senior coach, as a replacement for Mark Williams,[3] who had joined Essendon as an assistant. His coaching career started well with a 92-point win over Port Adelaide in the season opener but Glenelg could only finish the year in seventh. Again in 1996, the club finished in seventh position and he lost his job to former team-mate Wayne Stringer.
References
^Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2002). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (4th ed.). Melbourne, Victoria: Crown Content. p. 630. ISBN1-74095-001-1.
