Andy Lovell | Demonwiki (original) (raw)

DOB: 28 July <1970>

Debut: Round 3, 1988 against at
Last MFC Game: Round 22, 1995 against Brisbane Bears at

From: Dominic College/Glenorchy/Melbourne High School, Selection #42, 1986 National Draft

Number: 16 (1988-1995)

Honours:
Best First Year Player - <1988>
Grand Final team - <1988>
Tasmania state player - <1991>, <1993>

Games: 121 (164 total)
Goals: 146 (166 total)
Career Statistics

Known as 'Chopper' after winning wood-chopping championships as a teenager, Anthony 'Andy' Lovell played in senior premierships in his first two seasons with Glenorchy before joining Melbourne. Before the draft Lovell had been on the radar of , who invited him to Victoria multiple times then overlooked him with their first three National Draft picks, allowing the Demons to pick him. The tough-on baller's rookie year was a learning experience, only playing in two games while also playing school football with Melbourne High School, before returning to Tasmania and playing in another Grand Final with Glenorchy.

Lovell made his senior debut in early <1988>, goalling with his first kick. In <1988> he continued to play midweek games for Melbourne High, then VFL seniors on the weekend. He appeared in that year's Grand Final side, playing 22 games in total. His <1989> season was destroyed by a leg injury, keeping him out of the side until one game in Round 21. He managed 12 games the next year but didn't play after Round 14, missing Melbourne's run to the finals.

He had another disappointing start to <1991> not playing until Round 5. Despite state selection for Tasmania, Lovell only appeared twice more in the middle of the year, before being recalled for the finals. He was a surprise inclusion for the Elimination Final, and as a foil for the eight goal Allen Jakovich, Lovell kicked a then career-high four goals.

After saving his career with that finals performance, Lovell played 19 games in <1992>, finishing second in the Best and Fairest. From then on he was a fixture in Melbourne's side, signing a new contract before <1993> and playing 18 games. He kicked a career-best eight goals against Richmond in round 21 of that season, 24 in <1994> and 20 in <1995>. In that year's pre-season, Lovell became the first player to be reported (and subsequently suspended) on video evidence.

At the end of <1995> Lovell was swapped to West Coast in exchange for Craig Turley. He had previously been linked to Hawthorn. Lovell spent three years at the Eagles before retiring. He only missed one game in his first year but struggled after the death of his father in <1997> and made just four appearances in <1998> before retiring. He was appointed an assistant coach at West Coast, before coaching side East Perth in <2003> and <2004>. In <2005> and <2006> he was an assistant at , and coached Melbourne's VFL affiliate Sandringham from <2008> to <2010>. He joined Gold Coast as an assistant in their inaugural <2011> season, staying with them until <2018> when he became Gold Coast regional manager for AFL Queensland. He coached the Indigenous All Star team in a game against West Coast, and the Queensland league representative team in <2019>.

Lovell was later inducted to the Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame

Tribunal Record

Lists
Goal with their first kick
Indigenous Players
Interstate recruits
Interstate Representatives
West Coast

Media
Teamworks - 06/1988
Age - 04/07/1989, 13/01/1994, 08/03/1995, 13/10/1995
The Demon - March 1993
MFC Past Players newsletter - 01-02/2022

Links
Australian Football Wiki profile
Demonwiki image gallery
Draftguru profile
Eaglepedia profile
Eagles Flying High profile
Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame
WAFL stats
Wikipedia profile