With his imposing frame and menacing aggression, AFL legend Tony Lockett instilled fear in every opponent who stood against him.
But the greatest goalkicker in the game’s history looked a shadow of his former self as he was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in Melbourne on Thursday.
The St Kilda and Sydney champion said the induction was an ‘incredible honour,’ but his extraordinary weight loss will no doubt be a major talking point.
‘Nearly didn’t recognise Tony Lockett – a slimmed down version from his [playing] days,’ a fan commented online.
Tony Lockett looked a shadow of his former self as he was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame on Thursday
The St Kilda and Sydney champion said the induction was an ‘incredible honour,’ but his extraordinary weight loss will no doubt be a major talking point
Lockett tells an Adelaide Crows defender what he thinks in Melbourne during the 1992 season
‘There’s only one Tony Lockett… even less of him now,’ another said, referencing a tribute song which immortalised the now 51-year-old.
Plugger tipped the scales at well over 100 kilograms during his illustrious career, before packing on even more weight following his 2002 retirement.
But the legendary full-forward revealed earlier this year he dropped nearly 30 kilograms in less than 12 months after ‘not eating’.
‘I was about 124 kilos when I decided enough is enough – I jumped on the scales, I was 124 – 125,’ Lockett told the AFL Footy Show in March.
Australian swimming legend Dawn Fraser (right) inducts Sport Hall of Fame inductee Tony Lockett into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame
Lockett is presented with the Coleman Medal as the highest goal scorer in the season in 1998
‘I thought that’s enough incentive to get something done here. It’s taken me about nine months but I’m about 97 now.
‘There’s no eating basically. There’s only one way you lose weight and that’s not eat at all… I’ve been off the frothies too.’
Plugger’s weight was a talking point throughout his astonishing career, which was characterised by bags of goals, injuries, suspensions – and more goals.
As the Swans took on the Saints in 1993, a fan famously released a pig on to the Sydney Cricket Ground with Lockett’s renowned No. 4 and ‘Plugger’ written on its side.
Lockett missed the game through injury and tipped the scales at nearly 120kg at the time. The apparent reference to his weight didn’t seem to sit well with the champ.
In the same fixture the next season, the then St Kilda full-forward shattered the nose of Swans defender Peter Caven with a brutal elbow – resulting in an eight-week ban.
Lockett unveils his plaque as he is inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame for the 33rd Induction at the MCG in Melbourne
‘Plugger’ tipped the scales at well over 100 kilograms during his illustrious career. He is pictured here in the early 1990s
He also won the game off his own boot – bagging 10 goals to get the Saints home by a point after Sydney led by 42.
Lockett moved to the Swans the following season in what was one of the biggest signings in AFL history at the time.
Plugger finished his 281-game career with the two clubs with a record 1360 goals. Most pundits agree it will never be broken.
He is the 24th player across 121 years of Australian Rules Football history to be inducted in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
Lockett, who won the Brownlow Medal in 1987, and the Coleman Medal four times as the league’s highest goalkicker, said the Hall of Fame gong was easily comparable.
With his imposing frame and menacing aggression, AFL legend Tony Lockett instilled fear in every opponent who stood against him
Lockett was never shy of a tussle during his career – which spanned over three decades
‘It’s an incredible honour – it’s hard to believe and I’m thrilled,’ he said.
‘All the awards I’ve won are great but this one is quite incredible so I’m very honoured and very humbled.’
He returned to football this year after more than a decade away from the game as a forward and goalkicking coach with the Swans.
Before the formal award ceremony on Thursday night, he said he had enjoyed working alongside Sydney superstar Buddy Franklin.
‘Buddy’s quite an incredible footballer and it’s been really good watching him this year. I’ve got a great thrill out of it,’ Lockett said.
‘All the boys have been great; it’s been great to be back and be involved again.’
‘All the awards I’ve won are great but this one is quite incredible so I’m very honoured and very humbled,’ Lockett said on Thursday
Locket said he had enjoyed working alongside Sydney superstar Buddy Franklin, pictured with wife Jesinta
Locket is pictured at the Brownlow Medal Ceremony in 1987 in Melbourne. He remains the only full-forward to win the prestigious award