Tony Lockett

[GrumpyOne]

Was watching the Chooseday game v Sydney last night.

I had forgotten that for how massive Plugger was, he was extroardinarily fast on a lead. And what a huge advantage that his strength was in a pack.

Whilst he was no doubt the reason why we won that match, I wondered if our reliance on him at full-forward was counter-productive to our success?

His presence virtually demanded that the ball be kicked to him at every opportunity, with a possible result that we did not develop too many other pathways to goal.

We made it to a GF very soon after he left us, and Sydney did not win the premiership with him in the side.

In retrospect, whilst it devastated a lot of us at the time, his departure was good for our future development. There is a parallel to the present time, when Roo's forced absence made other players stand up and win games.

[degruch]

Whilst he was no doubt the reason why we won that match, I wondered if our reliance on him at full-forward was counter-productive to our success?

His presence virtually demanded that the ball be kicked to him at every opportunity, with a possible result that we did not develop too many other pathways to goal.

We made it to a GF very soon after he left us, and Sydney did not win the premiership with him in the side.

In retrospect, whilst it devastated a lot of us at the time, his departure was good for our future development. There is a parallel to the present time, when Roo's forced absence made other players stand up and win games.

The season before he left, when his back injuries began to really flare up, the fact that he kick 80% of our score really started to show. In his absense we were lucky to kick 6 goals. Buckets stood up occasionally (with his kicking improving as a result), but without Plugger on the park we were going nowhere and would lose more often than not. I remember thinking, as much as it would hurt, we'd be better off without him.

So, when he left, I was neither surprised, nor devastated...it didn't take long for us to regroup and the results were nearly the ultimate rebound. Plugger's subsequent behaviour towards the club left a bad taste in many supporters' mouths (plus the fact he went from a club doing it tough to the AFL's love-child), so to not fawn over how marvellous he was for us is hardly niaivity or treason. The club stuck with him through injury and suspension, he kicked us bags of goals, so neither party owed the other anything IMO. In the end we survived without him and he went on to be the greatest goalkicker of all time. Neither party got a premiership.

[bigcarl]

His presence virtually demanded that the ball be kicked to him at every opportunity, with a possible result that we did not develop too many other pathways to goal.

We weren't great in the depth department. After Plugger, Harvs, Winmar, Loewe and Burke it fell away pretty quickly.

Meanwhile Dunstall at Hawthorn had guys like Buckenara putting it on his chest every time.

the current team has 10 or 12 topliners ... back then we had four or five.

But your parallel with Riewoldt is a point well made.

[GrumpyOne]

Plugger's subsequent behaviour towards the club left a bad taste in many supporters' mouths (plus the fact he went from a club doing it tough to the AFL's love-child), so to not fawn over how marvellous he was for us is hardly niaivity or treason.

I think Plugger was unjustly painted as a traitor by some for going north.

I was at the next table at Kelly's pub when his manager laid out the options to him at the end of that year. The Saints were cutting his money and not giving him a long contract, and he and Stan Alves were not friends. Plugger wanted to go to Collingwood and Richmond in that order, but Hession, his manager, explained that Sydney had first call, and would take him at that call. Plugger was never a bloke to conceal his feelings, and he definately did not want to go to Sydney, but he had financial obligations and could not stand out of footy for a season.

It was not a quiet discussion, and anyone present at the pub that night knew exactly what was going on.

[degruch]

Plugger's subsequent behaviour towards the club left a bad taste in many supporters' mouths (plus the fact he went from a club doing it tough to the AFL's love-child), so to not fawn over how marvellous he was for us is hardly niaivity or treason.

I think Plugger was unjustly painted as a traitor by some for going north.

I was at the next table at Kelly's pub when his manager laid out the options to him at the end of that year. The Saints were cutting his money and not giving him a long contract, and he and Stan Alves were not friends. Plugger wanted to go to Collingwood and Richmond in that order, but Hession, his manager, explained that Sydney had first call, and would take him at that call. Plugger was never a bloke to conceal his feelings, and he definately did not want to go to Sydney, but he had financial obligations and could not stand out of footy for a season.

It was not a quiet discussion, and anyone present at the pub that night knew exactly what was going on.

Well, I had to quell the feeling he was a 'traitor' too, simply because I hated Sydney so much...imagine if he'd gone to Collingwood! But I always felt there was no chance of the club moving forward with an injury riddled FF kicking all our goals...so it was a bitter sweet pill to swallow.

The most relevant point about the Sydney move, it was (and still is) removed from the kind of scrutiny that led Mick Thomas to write "Monday's Experts"...that song was supposedly inspired by Plugger. For a quiet guy who hated the media attention, the move was almost tailor made.

[B W and R all over]

The other thing that isn't really common knowledge but was a huge factor was that Plugger had been severely ripped off by his previous manager and had barely a cracker to his name.

He was about to turn 29 and with his history of injuries probably realised he'd only have a limited amount of time and that he was unlikely to make much money outside of footy considering his hatred of the spotlight.

Urban legend has it that he was in tears in Alves' office, saying he didn't want to leave but simply had no choice.

You have to consider that the Swans had AFL backing and could offer him the world, whereas we were so broke we were about to launch the Save Our Saints fundraising mission.

[Superboot]

His presence virtually demanded that the ball be kicked to him at every opportunity, with a possible result that we did not develop too many other pathways to goal.

We weren't great in the depth department. After Plugger, Harvs, Winmar, Loewe and Burke it fell away pretty quickly

And Grant and McAdam!

[bigcarl]

His presence virtually demanded that the ball be kicked to him at every opportunity, with a possible result that we did not develop too many other pathways to goal.

We weren't great in the depth department. After Plugger, Harvs, Winmar, Loewe and Burke it fell away pretty quickly

And Grant and McAdam!

Grant was a good hbf, true, and yes, McAdam had his moments of brilliance.

But we did have some complete spuds. I won't name names. They know who they are.

Also, we weren't as professionally run as a club or as well coached and drilled as we are today.

[Superboot]

His presence virtually demanded that the ball be kicked to him at every opportunity, with a possible result that we did not develop too many other pathways to goal.

We weren't great in the depth department. After Plugger, Harvs, Winmar, Loewe and Burke it fell away pretty quickly

And Grant and McAdam!

Grant was a good hbf, true, and yes, McAdam had his moments of brilliance.

But we did have some complete spuds. I won't name names. They know who they are.

Also, we weren't as professionally run as a club or as well coached and drilled as we are today.

Absolutely agree!

[saintbrat]

Must be Plugger week
just read this story in Inside football online
[quote]RHYS: You dumped Jacko and another full forward Mark Scott by the middle of 1983. You gave a kid named Lockett a go. Not a bad move.
JEWELL: Plugger was a reluctant recruit. He didn’t care whether he stayed at Ballarat or played for us. He and Rod Owen were at a training camp down at Anglesea and all the prospective players from the area were there. I went to Lockett and Rod Owen and said that they could be League players next year. I remember Lockett saying “Why would I want to play with those big heads?â€

[sunsaint]

His presence virtually demanded that the ball be kicked to him at every opportunity, with a possible result that we did not develop too many other pathways to goal.

We weren't great in the depth department. After Plugger, Harvs, Winmar, Loewe and Burke it fell away pretty quickly

And Grant and McAdam!

depth hah
Peter Everitt, Shane Wakelin, Jamie Shanahan, Tim Pekin, Justin Peckett, O'Brian, Craig Davenport, Mickey Dywer, LAZAAAAR
and you have all forgotten Danny Frawley.

It was a good side, the problem was StKilda had the BEST social club/disco.

[plugger66]

His presence virtually demanded that the ball be kicked to him at every opportunity, with a possible result that we did not develop too many other pathways to goal.

We weren't great in the depth department. After Plugger, Harvs, Winmar, Loewe and Burke it fell away pretty quickly

And Grant and McAdam!

depth hah
Peter Everitt, Shane Wakelin, Jamie Shanahan, Tim Pekin, Justin Peckett, O'Brian, Craig Davenport, Mickey Dywer, LAZAAAAR
and you have all forgotten Danny Frawley.

It was a good side, the problem was StKilda had the BEST social club/disco.

That is just another myth. Well and truely shut by then.

[satchmo]

[quote]Lockett didn’t set the house on fire at first, but we played a practice match against Collingwood at Horsham and Owen kicked seven goals up til half time. Stewie came down and said “Get him off the ground. Hide him!â€

[stinger]

i remember when the club gave jacko the heave ho...said it wouldn't matter they had a ready made fullforward in the ressies...and they did too......

[plugger66]

i remember when the club gave jacko the heave ho...said it wouldn't matter they had a ready made fullforward in the ressies...and they did too......

I think Travis Clokes uncle, Peter Cameron umpired his last game. Stinger are you going to apologise?

[bigcarl]

His presence virtually demanded that the ball be kicked to him at every opportunity, with a possible result that we did not develop too many other pathways to goal.

We weren't great in the depth department. After Plugger, Harvs, Winmar, Loewe and Burke it fell away pretty quickly

And Grant and McAdam!

depth hah
Peter Everitt, Shane Wakelin, Jamie Shanahan, Tim Pekin, Justin Peckett, O'Brian, Craig Davenport, Mickey Dywer, LAZAAAAR
and you have all forgotten Danny Frawley.

It was a good side, the problem was StKilda had the BEST social club/disco.

I'm talking about a slightly earlier era and wonder whether we might have overrated a few of them at the time.

You're right about Frawley, though. A very good full back.

[Schillaci]

His presence virtually demanded that the ball be kicked to him at every opportunity, with a possible result that we did not develop too many other pathways to goal.

We weren't great in the depth department. After Plugger, Harvs, Winmar, Loewe and Burke it fell away pretty quickly

And Grant and McAdam!

Grant was a good hbf, true, and yes, McAdam had his moments of brilliance.

But we did have some complete spuds. I won't name names. They know who they are.
Also, we weren't as professionally run as a club or as well coached and drilled as we are today.

Bingham, Bourke, A Carr, Hollow, A Harvey, Frost, S Jones, Shaw, Stooper, Taylor...

[Milan Faletic]

Didn't Thornborrow play a good game that day. Going from memory.

[bigcarl]

His presence virtually demanded that the ball be kicked to him at every opportunity, with a possible result that we did not develop too many other pathways to goal.

We weren't great in the depth department. After Plugger, Harvs, Winmar, Loewe and Burke it fell away pretty quickly

And Grant and McAdam!

Grant was a good hbf, true, and yes, McAdam had his moments of brilliance.

But we did have some complete spuds. I won't name names. They know who they are.
Also, we weren't as professionally run as a club or as well coached and drilled as we are today.

Bingham, Bourke, A Carr, Hollow, A Harvey, Frost, S Jones, Shaw, Stooper, Taylor...

... and you could go on.

in lockett's early years ... 1983-86 ... very few from that team would crack a game today.

barker, of course, burns ... maybe joffa or eel. sarau? great player then but too short to ruck since they changed the centre bounce rules.

grant, frawley and owen were just kids.

[sunsaint]

in lockett's early years ... 1983-86 ... very few from that team would crack a game today.

but if you go down that path you would have to include lockett into that group.
Didnt chase, no discipline, disliked training he relied on his natural talent,
and
lets face it he would never have passed the draft camp skin fold test.

[Schillaci]

His presence virtually demanded that the ball be kicked to him at every opportunity, with a possible result that we did not develop too many other pathways to goal.

We weren't great in the depth department. After Plugger, Harvs, Winmar, Loewe and Burke it fell away pretty quickly

And Grant and McAdam!

Grant was a good hbf, true, and yes, McAdam had his moments of brilliance.

But we did have some complete spuds. I won't name names. They know who they are.
Also, we weren't as professionally run as a club or as well coached and drilled as we are today.

Bingham, Bourke, A Carr, Hollow, A Harvey, Frost, S Jones, Shaw, Stooper, Taylor...

... and you could go on.

in lockett's early years ... 1983-86 ... very few from that team would crack a game today.

barker, of course, burns ... maybe joffa or eel. sarau? great player then but too short to ruck since they changed the centre bounce rules.

grant, frawley and owen were just kids.

Agreed that very few would be up to it.
They were tough years but we endured...what doesn't kill you makes you stronger...we will always have the red , white and black in our veins and hopefully this year's premiership (fingers and toes crossed) will be all the more sweeter for us die hard fans.

[plugger66]

in lockett's early years ... 1983-86 ... very few from that team would crack a game today.

but if you go down that path you would have to include lockett into that group.
Didnt chase, no discipline, disliked training he relied on his natural talent,
and
lets face it he would never have passed the draft camp skin fold test.

Well luckily for the footy world they didnt have that stuff then. Also not many forwards did all that stuff back then. Dont compare todays footy to then.

[stinger]

i remember when the club gave jacko the heave ho...said it wouldn't matter they had a ready made fullforward in the ressies...and they did too......

I think Travis Clokes uncle, Peter Cameron umpired his last game. Stinger are you going to apologise?

...no...still think i'm right and that you...as usual...are wrong....

[The Fireman]

no matter what happened or what is said ...it is a damn shame and blight on the game that such a champion would leave his club.
as it is for any other champ to leave their club.
It was soul destroying for so many supporters at a club who had suffered so much loss over the years.

I will never be able to accept it.
Damn Shame.


PS: how he could show his contempt for Sydney and it's supporters one minute and then in such a short time show his affection for them is just too much too cop for me. Lockett can get stuffed...I was one his biggest fans. It changed the way I look at the game.

[bigcarl]

lets face it he would never have passed the draft camp skin fold test.

let's face it. he'd be a champ in any era.