People who tried a VFL/AFL career before becoming famous for something totally different

[BigRex]

Also continuing on the NRL path, Darren Lockyer started out playing Aussie Rules as a junior. Only took up Rugby League as the family moved from Brisbane to Roma in outback Queensland.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

NRL champion Darren Lockyer was born in Brisbane, Queensland. His father, David, played Australian rules football for 10 years in Brisbane with Morningside and introduced Darren to the game at 4 years of age.

2 years later, Lockyer started playing Aussie rules for Springwood in Brisbane, finishing runner-up in the best and fairest award in his first season.

The following season he won the club's best and fairest award by 17 votes, despite having to travel 800 kilometres every weekend to play when the family moved to the small country town of Wandoan midway through the season.

He only switched to Rugby League at age 9 when his family relocated to Roma. ''I was devastated at the time. I learned the drop-punt and the handball at a young age,'' Lockyer told Sin Bin this week.

Lockyers' younger brother Mat won a B & F in 2011 for Yeronga South Brisbane Devils, who play in AFL Queensland's State Division 1.

 

[BigRex]

Would also argue nowadays that Matthew Liptak is probably better known in Adelaide as an Orthopaedic Surgeon than as a footballer.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

Doctor Matthew Liptak (Adelaide 1991–1999, 116 games) is an Orthopaedic Surgeon specialising in sports injuries and joint replacement, particularly involving the knee and hip.

Dr Matthew Liptak is involved in a number of research projects, looking at surgical ACL techniques, and rehabilitation following total knee replacement.

Dr Liptak graduated from Flinders University, Adelaide, in 1996 and became a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (Orthopaedic Surgery) in 2007.

Following this, he completed a Clinical Knee Fellowship (Sports & Arthroplasty) with the Australian Orthopaedic Association, and visited with several centres of orthopaedic excellence in the UK, US and France.

Liptak's best season was 1996, in which he won the Adelaide Crows Best and Fairest and represented South Australia in State of Origin.

Poor form and injury prevented him from playing in the 1997 and 1998 Adelaide Crows AFL premiership. Liptak was named in the Adelaide Team of the 1990's in the Forward Pocket.

 

[BigRex]

Yeah, I think the Richmond forum has a Pell support thread.

From Rhett Bartlett, Richmond historian and son of Tigers legend Kevin Bartlett.

The sentence "Richmond signed George Pell as a Ruckman in 1959 and he played for the club’s reserves" is incorrect.

George Pell never played for Richmond Seniors, Reserves, Under 19's, or even trained. I can't confirm if he was signed for the club or not.

 

[BigRex]

Haven't read the whole thread so sorry if mentioned...


Jamie cooper played about 30 odd games for Fitzroy before becoming an internationally renowned sports artist. His prints are incredible.

Jamie Cooper

jamiecooperartist.com

Jamie Cooper (Fitzroy 1984-87, 30 games).

Cooper is best known for his painting career, and became internationally known for his large-scale historical "dream scene" sporting portraits, featuring a team's star players from throughout different eras, all depicted in their prime of their careers.

His first such paintings were commissioned for the Australian Football League's Carlton Football Club to celebrate its Team of the Century in 2001, and within the next decade he had painted similar dream scenes for most AFL clubs, as well as a mural commissioned by the league in 2008 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the first game of Australian rules football.

In 2008, he completed an un-commissioned dream scene of Major League Baseball's Philadelphia Phillies, which the club hung in its foyer and then, in 2011, eventually purchased outright.

In the mid 2010s, he was commissioned by several European clubs, including Manchester City, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Sheffield Wednesday and Hull Kingston Rovers to paint dream scenes.

 

[Burton89onegoal]

Mick Malone played in the WAFL too.

 

[DamoESP]

Basil Zempilas played for West Perth in the WAFL from 1990-1994 before retiring due to injury and moving into broadcasting.

 

[HeathySure]

Basil Zempilas played for West Perth in the WAFL from 1990-1994 before retiring due to injury and moving into broadcasting.

Does he count given how crap he is at his job?

 

[Gough]

Gil Langley won a best and fairest for Sturt, played a few games for Essendon during the war, Test cricket and then retired to become state MP for Unley for thirty years.

 

[Kwality]

Gil Langley won a best and fairest for Sturt, played a few games for Essendon during the war, Test cricket and then retired to become state MP for Unley for thirty years.

Reminds me of Barry Jarman, also kept for Aus & captained his country in England when Bill Lawry was injured.
Uncle of Darren & Andrew, apparently Barry was a promising jnior but broke a leg & decided to stick to cricket.

 

[Brunswick Trap King]

From Rhett Bartlett, Richmond historian and son of Tigers legend Kevin Bartlett.

The sentence "Richmond signed George Pell as a Ruckman in 1959 and he played for the club’s reserves" is incorrect.

George Pell never played for Richmond Seniors, Reserves, Under 19's, or even trained. I can't confirm if he was signed for the club or not.

Wonder why he's such a hero of Richmond supporters then.

 

[Redline]

Stephen Patterson (ex Collingwood) is a member of Parliament and Minister in the SA Government.

 

[megadeth92]

George Pell played for Richmond??????

Now that's a cardinal sin!

 

[worbod]

John Howat, who played 65 games for Melbourne and Richmond between 1989 and 1996, is currently appearing on Million Dollar Minute. Yes the shows are all re-runs from 2014 but if you tune in tomorrow you can see Howat as the carry-over champ playing for $50,000.

 

[worbod]

This thread from the Footy History forum might contain some names which fit the criteria you are researching.

Notable players to exit the old VFL without a senior game

Basil campbell collingwood to Sth Fremantle 1974 (Football register) Did Dexter Kennedy ever line up for Sth melbourne reserves?

www.bigfooty.com

 

[worbod]

Alan Stretton played 16 games for St Kilda in 1946 & 1947. After Cyclone Tracy decimated Darwin in 1974 Stretton played a major part in helping the city get back on its feet. Stretton was head of the National Disasters Organisation and by this stage was also a Major General in the Australian Army. Between 1975 and 1979, when there were two categories for The Australian of the Year, Stretton was a recipient of this honour in 1975.

 

[Andrew Mc]

Warwick Capper: VFL/AFL player to council worker/pr0n star/D-list celebrity/take your pick.

 

[Big Blood]

Brian Martin, premiership full forward for Sturt and subsequently Director of Commonwealth Prosecutions and NT and SA Supreme Court judge. Presided over Snowtown trial and Royal Commission into Juvenile Detention.


Eric Freeman played footy for Port and bowled medium-fast in a few Tests.

 

[thejockey]

Vic Richardson's career is always hard to beat Captained Australia at cricket, represented both state and country at baseball, district lacrosse player, state champion tennis player, three time premiership player and captain coach of Sturt and he won the 1920 Magarey medal.

Thats genuinely taking the p1ss , ridiculous sports resume .

 

[newcs]

Brian Cook played for Box Hill, Melbourne, Subiaco and East Perth and coached East Perth to two premierships.
He was the CEO of West Coast for 9 years and has been CEO of Geelong for 21 years.

 

[WillHayward]

Thats genuinely taking the p1ss , ridiculous sports resume .

Agree but dunno if he needs to include district lacrosee

 

[Shane Sheridan]

Basil Zempilas played for West Perth in the WAFL from 1990-1994 before retiring due to injury and moving into broadcasting.

Ex-Geelong ruckman Stephen Hooper destroyed him in a ruck contest, all over for Basil.
Don Pyke also extremely wealthy, has his finger in the pie of the Norwegian Oil reserves. Coaching just a bit of a hobby.

 

[masai]

Brian Cook played for Box Hill, Melbourne, Subiaco and East Perth and coached East Perth to two premierships.
He was the CEO of West Coast for 9 years and has been CEO of Geelong for 21 years.

East Perth premierships, I think not, unless you are thinking of Colts / Reserves.

 

[masai]

Agree but dunno if he needs to include district lacrosee

+ grandfather of underarm bowler.

 

[newcs]

East Perth premierships, I think not, unless you are thinking of Colts / Reserves.

Ooop, should have said reserve grade premierships.

 

[Kwality]

Ex-Geelong ruckman Stephen Hooper destroyed him in a ruck contest, all over for Basil.
Don Pyke also extremely wealthy, has his finger in the pie of the Norwegian Oil reserves. Coaching just a bit of a hobby.

Pykeys Dad Frank played a bit of footy* before he went to the US to further his career in sports science. Don was born in the US.
* https://australianfootball.com/players/player/frank+pyke/17606

More famous for treating Dennis Lillee when he did his back.

Frank Pyke | Sport Australia Hall of Fame

Dr Frank Pyke has made an outstanding contribution to Australian sport over more than 30 years. Pyke first came to prominence as a sports scientist with his work with Australian cricketer Dennis Lillee in the early 70s. Pyke developed and supervised the rehabilitation of Lillee after he suffered...

sahof.org.au