Andrew Lovett
Encyclopedia
Andrew Lovett is an Aboriginal
Australian rules football
er who played in the Australian Football League
(AFL) for Essendon
between 2005 and 2009. He was traded to St Kilda at the end of the 2009 season, but his contract was terminated in February 2010 before he ever played a game for the club.
. He is the cousin of Nathan Lovett-Murray
.
Lovett played for the Northern Knights
in the TAC Cup
and North Heidelberg
in the Northern Football League before relocating to Perth
to play for East Perth
in the West Australian Football League
(WAFL), where he believed he had a greater chance of making it to the AFL.
in 2003 in the Rookie Draft
. He remained a rookie, playing for the Bendigo Bombers
, until he made his AFL debut against Hawthorn
.
Lovett was a member of the Australian team that won the Cormac McAnallen Cup during the 2005 International Rules Series
. He also won the Anzac Day Medal in 2005.
At the end of the 2008 season, Lovett was mentioned as a potential trade for Essendon. The Geelong Football Club
were said to be the most interested in securing the lively forward who still had one year to run on his contract at Essendon. Although a trade did not eventuate, his form in the 2009 season saw another offer - this time from St Kilda, who traded their first round pick (#16). Lovett accepted the move despite other offers (from the Brisbane Lions
and Port Adelaide
) to remain in Melbourne with his family and friends whilst having the prospects of being involved in a premiership team. He was later given the number 9 guernsey, which was last worn by goalkicker Fraser Gehrig
.
In December 2009 Lovett was suspended indefinitely by the St Kilda following allegations of being involved in a sexual assault and on 16 February 2010 he was dismissed from the club when rape charges were laid. On 25 July 2011, Lovett was acquitted of the charges.
In the time between his dismissal from St Kilda and his acquittal, Lovett returned to East Perth
to play the latter half of the 2010 WAFL season,. He then played for the NFL's Fitzroy Stars Football Club
in 2011.
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er who played in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(AFL) for Essendon
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
between 2005 and 2009. He was traded to St Kilda at the end of the 2009 season, but his contract was terminated in February 2010 before he ever played a game for the club.
Early life
Lovett has Indigenous Australian heritage and his tribal ancestry can be traced to the GunditjmaraGunditjmara
Gunditjmara, or Gundidj for short, are an Indigenous Australian group from western Victoria . Their neighbours to the west were the Buandig people, to the north the Jardwadjali and Djab wurrung peoples, and in the east the Girai wurrung people.The name may also be spelt Gournditch-Mara...
. He is the cousin of Nathan Lovett-Murray
Nathan Lovett-Murray
Nathan Lovett-Murray is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League....
.
Lovett played for the Northern Knights
Northern Knights
The Northern Knights are an Australian rules football club playing in the TAC Cup, an under-18 competition in Victoria, Australia. They are based in Preston, representing the northern suburban area of Melbourne....
in the TAC Cup
TAC Cup
The TAC Cup is an under 18 Australian rules football representative competition held in Victoria, Australia. It is based on geographic regions throughout country Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne with each team representing 12 Victorian regions....
and North Heidelberg
North Heidelberg Football Club
North Heidelberg Football Club is an Australian rules football club in Heidelberg West, Victoria, currently competing in Division 1 of the Northern Football League.-Notable players:*Ross 'Twiggy' Dunne*Jason Heatley*Jake King*Shane Harvey*Jamie Shaw...
in the Northern Football League before relocating to Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
to play for East Perth
East Perth Football Club
The East Perth Football Club, nicknamed the Royals, is an Australian rules football club that is a member of the West Australian Football League...
in the West Australian Football League
West Australian Football League
The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League...
(WAFL), where he believed he had a greater chance of making it to the AFL.
AFL career
Lovett was selected by EssendonEssendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
in 2003 in the Rookie Draft
2003 AFL Draft
The 2003 AFL Draft was the 2003 instance of the AFL Draft, the annual draft of talented players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League...
. He remained a rookie, playing for the Bendigo Bombers
Bendigo Bombers
The Bendigo Bombers Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia playing in the Victorian Football League .-Brief history:...
, until he made his AFL debut against Hawthorn
Hawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
.
Lovett was a member of the Australian team that won the Cormac McAnallen Cup during the 2005 International Rules Series
2005 International Rules Series
The 2005 International Rules series was the 8th annual International Rules Series and the 14th time that a test series of International rules football was played between Ireland and Australia and was won by Australia....
. He also won the Anzac Day Medal in 2005.
At the end of the 2008 season, Lovett was mentioned as a potential trade for Essendon. The Geelong Football Club
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
were said to be the most interested in securing the lively forward who still had one year to run on his contract at Essendon. Although a trade did not eventuate, his form in the 2009 season saw another offer - this time from St Kilda, who traded their first round pick (#16). Lovett accepted the move despite other offers (from the Brisbane Lions
Brisbane Lions
The Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996...
and Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide Football Club
The Port Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, which plays in the Australian Football League and the South Australian National Football League...
) to remain in Melbourne with his family and friends whilst having the prospects of being involved in a premiership team. He was later given the number 9 guernsey, which was last worn by goalkicker Fraser Gehrig
Fraser Gehrig
Fraser Gehrig is a retired Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League who played for the St Kilda Football Club and the West Coast Eagles...
.
In December 2009 Lovett was suspended indefinitely by the St Kilda following allegations of being involved in a sexual assault and on 16 February 2010 he was dismissed from the club when rape charges were laid. On 25 July 2011, Lovett was acquitted of the charges.
In the time between his dismissal from St Kilda and his acquittal, Lovett returned to East Perth
East Perth Football Club
The East Perth Football Club, nicknamed the Royals, is an Australian rules football club that is a member of the West Australian Football League...
to play the latter half of the 2010 WAFL season,. He then played for the NFL's Fitzroy Stars Football Club
Fitzroy Stars Football Club
The Fitzroy Stars Football Club is an Australian rules football club located 7 km north east of Melbourne in the suburb of Thornbury which has a population of 16726 circa 2006. Fitzroy Stars FC is based in the Aboriginal community of Melbourne inner Northern suburbs. Fitzroy. Stars play their...
in 2011.