Derek Kickett
Encyclopedia
Derek Thomas Kickett is a former Australian rules football
er. A journeyman, Kickett played with seven different VFL/AFL, WAFL
and SANFL
clubs through his career.
Kickett began his senior career in the West Australian Football League
with , and he was the leading goalkicker at West Perth in 1984. He moved to the Claremont Football Club
, where he won a WAFL premiership in 1987. While at Claremont, he polled 46 votes in the Sandover Medal
in 1987, which was the most of any player that season, but was ineligible to win the award due a suspension for slapping an opponent. Kickett would have won the Sandover Medal by 16 votes, had he been eligible.
In 1988, Kickett moved to Adelaide and played for Central District in the South Australian National Football League
; then, in 1989, he was recruited by North Melbourne
in the Victorian Football League
, where he played also played only one season before being delisted.
In 1990, Kickett moved to the Essendon Football Club
, where he played four seasons, and became a popular cult figure, known for confident playing style, high leap, evasive skills and his long kicking ability. He was a renowned exponent of the torpedo punt
. He played every match in 1992 and 1993 up to the preliminary final, before being omitted from the Bombers' winning 1993 AFL Grand Final
team by coach Kevin Sheedy. The omission continues to be one of the most controversial decisions of Sheedy's coaching career, but Sheedy's still defends the decision, stating that Kickett's lack of endurance would have been a specific weakness for the team against , Essendon's opponent on the day. Kickett immediately walked out on the club, and did not watch the Grand Final, nor celebrate the victory with his team-mates.
After leaving Essendon, Kickett was drafted by the Sydney Swans
. He played three seasons at Sydney, and his last game of AFL football was in the 1996 AFL Grand Final
, which Sydney lost against North Melbourne. Kickett returned to the WAFL in 1997, and played that season with Subiaco
, before retiring.
Kickett has made several appearances in the E J Whitten Legends Game. In 2007, he ran development programs for AFL Victoria working with indigenous children.
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. A journeyman, Kickett played with seven different VFL/AFL, WAFL
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...
and SANFL
South Australian National Football League
The South Australian National Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia....
clubs through his career.
Kickett began his senior career 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...
with , and he was the leading goalkicker at West Perth in 1984. He moved to the Claremont Football Club
Claremont Football Club
The Claremont Football Club, nicknamed the Tigers, is an Australian rules football club in the West Australian Football League . Its official colours are navy blue and gold....
, where he won a WAFL premiership in 1987. While at Claremont, he polled 46 votes in the Sandover Medal
Sandover Medal
The Sandover Medal is an Australian rules football award, given annually since 1921 to the fairest and best player in the West Australian Football League...
in 1987, which was the most of any player that season, but was ineligible to win the award due a suspension for slapping an opponent. Kickett would have won the Sandover Medal by 16 votes, had he been eligible.
In 1988, Kickett moved to Adelaide and played for Central District in the South Australian National Football League
South Australian National Football League
The South Australian National Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia....
; then, in 1989, he was recruited by North Melbourne
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
in the Victorian 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...
, where he played also played only one season before being delisted.
In 1990, Kickett moved to the Essendon Football Club
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
, where he played four seasons, and became a popular cult figure, known for confident playing style, high leap, evasive skills and his long kicking ability. He was a renowned exponent of the torpedo punt
Torpedo punt
The torpedo punt, similar to a punt in American Football, is a kicking technique implemented in Rugby League, Rugby Union and Australian rules football to enhance the distance the ball is kicked....
. He played every match in 1992 and 1993 up to the preliminary final, before being omitted from the Bombers' winning 1993 AFL Grand Final
1993 AFL Grand Final
The 1993 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Essendon Football Club and Carlton Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 25 September 1993. It was the 97th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football...
team by coach Kevin Sheedy. The omission continues to be one of the most controversial decisions of Sheedy's coaching career, but Sheedy's still defends the decision, stating that Kickett's lack of endurance would have been a specific weakness for the team against , Essendon's opponent on the day. Kickett immediately walked out on the club, and did not watch the Grand Final, nor celebrate the victory with his team-mates.
After leaving Essendon, Kickett was drafted by the Sydney Swans
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
. He played three seasons at Sydney, and his last game of AFL football was in the 1996 AFL Grand Final
1996 AFL Grand Final
The 1996 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the North Melbourne Football Club and Sydney Swans, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 28 September 1996. It was the 100th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football...
, which Sydney lost against North Melbourne. Kickett returned to the WAFL in 1997, and played that season with Subiaco
Subiaco Football Club
The Subiaco Football Club, nicknamed the Lions, is an Australian rules football club in the West Australian Football League . It was founded in 1896, and admitted to the WAFL in 1901, along with North Fremantle...
, before retiring.
Kickett has made several appearances in the E J Whitten Legends Game. In 2007, he ran development programs for AFL Victoria working with indigenous children.
Footnotes
- 1. Kickett's 46 votes actually tied the record for the most votes in a Sandover Medal count, set in 1985 by Murray WrenstedMurray WrenstedMurray Wrensted is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the West Coast Eagles and Collingwood in the Victorian Football League ....
, and remained a record until Matthew PriddisMatthew PriddisMatthew Harley "Matt" Priddis is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the West Australian football club the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League ....
polled 58 votes in 2006; however, the Sandover Medal had changed from a 3-2-1 voting system to a 5-4-3-2-1 voting system in 1985, and comparisons with the counts between 1921 and 1984 are not valid.