Tony Lockett

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This article is about the Australian rules football player nicknamed Plugger. For the comic strip Pluggers, see Pluggers.

Anthony Howard "Tony" Lockett (born in Ballarat on March 9, 1966) is a former Australian rules football player. Lockett is the highest goal scorer in the history of the VFL/AFL with 1,360 goals in a career of 281 games that commenced in 1983 with St Kilda Football Club. He joined the Sydney Swans in 1995 and retired in 1999, and again in 2002. Lockett is the only full-forward ever to win the coveted Brownlow Medal, in 1987, and won the VFL (later AFL) Players Association MVP award, now known as the Leigh Matthews Trophy, in the same season. He won the Coleman Medal (for the most goals kicked in a home and away season) on four occasions and kicked more than 100 goals in a season on six occasions.

Contents 1 VFL/AFL career 1.1 Famous nickname 1.2 St Kilda 1.3 Sydney Swans 1.4 Controversy 1.5 One Tony Lockett 1.6 Retirement 2 Post-football 3 External links

[edit] VFL/AFL career

Locket was originally recruited from the North Ballarat Football Club.

At 191 cm tall and weighing in at 112 kg, Lockett was a large footballer. His strong hands, acceleration, ability to leap and kicking ability gave him all the ingredients for a champion Australian rules football player.

[edit] Famous nickname

Tony Lockett's nickname is Plugger, which he is popularly known by. The name was passed onto him by his father. His grandfather called his father Plugger as it was because he just plugged around in the garden. The name became synonymous with the man's large size.

In Round 18, 1993, in a match at the Sydney Cricket Ground between St Kilda (Lockett's club) and Sydney, a piglet (being a reference to Tony's size) was released by a member of the Sydney crowd onto the ground (with the wrongly spelled word "Pluga" and Lockett's playing number "#4" spray painted onto it) before being tackled to the ground and removed by an opposition player. [1] The famous Channel Seven commentary of the incident had the exclamation of "There's a pig at full-forward!". Lockett was absent from the match due to injury.

[edit] St Kilda

For several reasons, Lockett's best season was probably 1991, when he kicked 127 goals in 17 games, at an average of 7.47 goals per game, the highest average ever achieved in VFL/AFL history. He was also the spearhead for St Kilda's first finals appearance since 1973. In the Qualifying Final against Geelong, Lockett kicked nine goals, five behinds, although the Saints were beaten by seven points.

[edit] Sydney Swans

In 1995, Lockett transferred to the Sydney Swans where he played for another five seasons. Lockett was an instant success with the Swans, helping the team into the finals and was a major drawcard which led to a dramatic increase in crowds numbers at Sydney Swans matches at Sydney.

Lockett became a cult figure in Sydney. At the height of his popularity even a song "There's only one Tony Lockett" was released about him (to the tune of guantanamera). A groin injury threatened his appearance in the 1996 AFL Grand Final in which his team lost to the Kangaroos Football Club.

In 1996, Lockett was the subject of much hype in the clash between Geelong and Sydney in which Gary Ablett was playing at the other end of the ground. The match was billed by the media as Plugger vs God and set a ground record attendance at the SCG. He broke the record of 1299 career goals (set by Gordon Coventry) at the SCG in 1999, sparking one of the biggest pitch invasions seen in Aussie Rules.

[edit] Controversy

Lockett's spectacular career was marred by several high profile tribunal appearances. The most famous was in an 11 goal match for St Kilda against his future club Sydney in 1994 when a sickening forearm to Peter Caven's face smashed his nose resulting in a nine week suspension.

[edit] One Tony Lockett

A song titled 'There's Only One Tony Lockett' was released to the tune of guantanamera. There lyrics were as follows.

In Ballarat in '66
A football legend was born
He was raised out there in the country
A cold and frosty morn

He heard the game a callin
But nobody ever guessed
That this young man was destined
To become the very best

Yeeeah

There's only one Tony Lockett
There's only one Tony Lockett
One Tony Lockett
There's only one Tony Lockett

His first kick for St Kilda
He kicked a mighty goal
Then season after season
He made the game his own

The harbour lights on Sydney
Took him in and called him son
Only great men stand against him
As he counts them by the tonne

Yeeeah

There's only one Tony Lockett (One Tony Lockett)
There's only one Tony Lockett
One Tony Lockett
There's only one Tony Lockett

One Tony Lockett (One Tony Lockett)
There's only one Tony Lockett
One Tony Lockett
There's only one Tony Lockett

(Football commentary)
He's taken the mark
He can kick it from here
HE'S KICKED IT
IT'S 3 DEGREES
HE's DONE IT
TONY LOCKETT IS THE GREATEST GOAL KICKER OF ALL TIME

There's only one Tony Lockett
There's only one Tony Lockett (One Tony Lockett)
One Tony Lockett
There's only one Tony Lockett

One Tony Lockett (One Tony Lockett)
There's only one Tony Lockett (One Tony Lockett)
One Tony Lockett
There's only one Tony Lockett

(There's only) One Tony Lockett
(There's only) One Tony Lockett
One Tony Lockett
There's only one Tony Lockett

[edit] Retirement

Lockett announced his retirement at the end of 1999 at 33 years of age, the season in which he broke the career goalkicking record. Many were disappointed with his decision, and called for his return. Lockett made an ill-fated comeback in 2002, when he was unable to recapture his best form, due to a calf injury that forced him to miss six games. He retired at the club's request after round 10.

[edit] Post-football

Lockett was inducted to both the St Kilda and Sydney Swans respective Teams of the Century in 2001 and 2003 respectively.

Lockett's aversion of the media has been well documented. Since his retirement he has been elusive and has had little involvement in the game.

He has appeared in various television commercials, including Advanced Hair and Lowes menswear (in Sydney). While at a taping session for a Lowes commercial, Lockett engaged in a friendly wrestling match with former amateur rugby player Ace (Adrian) Mueller, who is now part of Lowes corporate management. According to some reports, the friendly wrestle developed into something quite competitive, with Mueller pinning Lockett. (source: Inside-Rugby magazine February 1999)

Tony is also well known for his main interest outside of football, greyhound racing and is the trainer of famous dog Brett Lee (which is believed to be worth upwards of A$1million) among others.

On May 13, 2006, Lockett gave a rare interview to Triple M's AFL pre-match coverage. In it he revealed that he currently lives near Bowral, New South Wales and has little interest in the AFL. He said he felt ashamed of his playing career, describing it as a "thug who could play a bit" and cited outside interests as the reason for his non-involvement in the game.

On June 22, 2006, Lockett was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.

He has had one goal end at Telstra Dome named after him (the Lockett End of the Telstra Dome).

[edit] External links

• Tony Lockett profile on SydneySwans.com.au
• St Kilda Hall of fame profile

Preceded by: Greg Williams, Robert DiPierdomenico	Brownlow Medallist 1987	Succeeded by: Gerard Healy
Preceded by: Brian Taylor	Coleman Medallist 1987	Succeeded by: Jason Dunstall
Preceded by: Paul Roos	Leigh Matthews Trophy 1987	Succeeded by: Gerard Healy
Preceded by: Greg Burns	St Kilda Best and Fairest winner 1987	Succeeded by: Danny Frawley
Preceded by: John Longmire	Coleman Medallist 1991	Succeeded by: Jason Dunstall
Preceded by: Stewart Loewe	St Kilda Best and Fairest winner 1991	Succeeded by: Robert Harvey
Preceded by: Daryn Cresswell	Sydney Swans Best and Fairest winner 1995	Succeeded by: Paul Kelly
Preceded by: Gary Ablett	Coleman Medallist 1996	Succeeded by: Tony Modra
Preceded by: Tony Modra	Coleman Medallist 1998	Succeeded by: Scott Cummings