Michael made his senior debut for St Marys in 1980/81 after a successful junior career. He was  NT Secondary Schoolboy representative in 1979 and Teal Cup representative in1980.

He has been a member of 12 League premierships with St Marys 5 in a row from 1983/84 to 1987/88, 3 in a row from 1989/90 to 1991/92 and 4 in a row from 1993/94 to 1996/97.  Michael was also a member of Saints loosing 1981/82, 1982/83, 1992/93, 1997/98 and 1998/99 Grand Final teams.

Michael was club captain from 1991/92 to 1994/95 winning the clubs Best and Fairest aware in 1982/83, 1983/84 and 1990/91.

Michael was the recipient of the prestigious Nichols Medal in 1990/91 after being equal runner-up in 1986/87.

NT captain five times and co-captain once, Michael has represented the NTFL on 21 occasions since 1985 to be all time games record holder for NT Representative matches. He was also a Gold medal winner of the Northern Territory 1995 Arafura Sports Festival football representative team.  Michael also had the honour of being selected as a member of the "Back to Cyclone Tracy NTFL team of 2 Decades" (1974-1994).He was also named Captain of the NT Team of the Century

Michael extended his N.T.F.L. games record to 314 in the 1998/99 Grand Final with St Marys, but since being appointed captain coach of Darwin for season 1999/00 has now extended it to 328 upon his retirement at the end of the 1999/00 season. He also won Darwin’s best and fairest for that year

Michael's outstanding career can be summarised as one of the greatest centre-half back's to grace Gardens Oval and Football Park with his no nonsense approach and coolness under pressure have been the hallmark of his career.

He had one season with South Fremantle in 1985 in which he played 6 League games and two league seasons 1988 and 1989 with West Torrens in the SANFL in which He played 44 games and kicked 6 goals

Michael was admitted to the NT’s inaugural Hall of Fame on the 30/10/2010