| Andrew Lovett | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Andrew Lovett | ||
| Born | (1982-11-11)11 November 1982 (age 42) | ||
| Original team | Northern Knights/East Perth | ||
| Draft | 42nd overall,2004 Rookie Draft | ||
| Height | 183 cm (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Weight | 75 kg (165 lb) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 2005–2009 | Essendon | 88 (93) | |
| International team honours | |||
| Years | Team | Games (Goals) | |
| 2005 | Australia | ? (?) | |
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2010. 2 Representative statistics correct as of 2005. | |||
| Career highlights | |||
| |||
| Sources:AFL Tables,AustralianFootball.com | |||
Andrew Lovett (born 11 November 1982) is anAboriginal[1]Australian rules footballer who played in theAustralian Football League (AFL) forEssendon between 2005 and 2009. He was traded toSt 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.[2][3]
Lovett hasIndigenous Australian heritage and his tribal ancestry can be traced to theGunditjmara.[1] He is the cousin ofNathan Lovett-Murray.
Lovett played for theNorthern Knights in theTAC Cup andNorth Heidelberg in theNorthern Football League before relocating toPerth to play forEast Perth in theWest Australian Football League (WAFL), where he hoped he could be drafted into the AFL.[4]
Lovett was selected byEssendon in2003 in theRookie Draft. He remained a rookie, playing for theBendigo Bombers, until he made his AFL debut againstHawthorn.[citation needed]
Lovett was a member of the Australian team that won theCormac McAnallen Cup during the2005 International Rules Series. He also won theAnzac Day Medal in 2005.[5]
At the end of the 2008 season, Lovett was mentioned as a potential trade for Essendon.[6] TheGeelong 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,[7] 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 theBrisbane Lions andPort 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 goalkickerFraser Gehrig.[8]
In December 2009 Lovett was suspended indefinitely by the St Kilda Football Club following allegations of being involved in a sexual assault[2][9] and on 16 February 2010 he was dismissed from the club when rape charges were laid.[3] On 25 July 2011, Lovett was acquitted of the charges.[10]
In the time between his dismissal from St Kilda and his acquittal, Lovett returned toEast Perth to play the latter half of the 2010 WAFL season.[11] He then played for the NFL'sFitzroy Stars Football Club in 2011.[12]
Lovett nominated for the AFL rookie draft in 2011 and again in 2014 but was not selected in either draft.[13]
On 17 December 2021, it was reported that Lovett was behind bars and faces at least 11 assault charges over alleged incidents since February 2020.[citation needed]
According to aSeven News report, Lovett fronted the Dandenong Magistrates’ Court—represented by top lawyer David Grace—and did not apply for bail.[citation needed]
The 39-year-old is scheduled to next appear in court on 11 January 2022.[14]
