Retired #42: Nathan Lovett-Murray - Off to become Australia's George Martin

Still think that him having a Carr (Matthew and Josh) one on each hand against Fremantle a few years back now is both an NLM and Essendon highlight. One of the better 4 week suspensions.
What is it with annoying little Freo shits and universally approved suspensions?
 
Still think that him having a Carr (Matthew and Josh) one on each hand against Fremantle a few years back now is both an NLM and Essendon highlight. One of the better 4 week suspensions.

It was fantastic - NLM made a stand - And we never bothered again by the Carr brothers.
 

blitzer

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I don't mind NLM but i can't help but think that the spot he will be occupying in our 22 (most likely as the sub) will just lessen the opportunities for guys like Colyer/Kavanagh/Browne/O'Brien who could all probably play that sub role and obviously will have a much bigger say in our future than NLM and will benefit more from the experience. NLM is probably just a one year prospect and even though he's been a quality person and servant to the club, I think a more ruthless point of view might suggest that it might even be a mistake signing him for another year.

I will however concede that if we do make the finals then having an extra hardened body as NLM could prove useful in 2013. I guess also we had a big turnover of 'depth players' already this year so perhaps it was just a case of too many for one year (although again people could question our list management as to why some of those were not let go earlier). But I guess what Im saying is that I'd hope that he's more of a backup choice rather than a genuine best 22 player (kind of like Mcveigh this year minus the injuries).
 

Chambo

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The goal he kicked in the dreamtime game this year late in the game after coming on as the sub, snap from the pocket...got us back in the game after Richmond had all the momentum and looked to overrun us.

He's the definition of super sub!
 
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Nice write up. Lotta love for the hyphen.

In terms of career highlights, gotta be that Dreamtime game (can’t remember which year). Took a towering hanger or two, and who could forget Pettifer running round with his knob-end knees-up celebration after he kicked a goal on the run... next time he was running into goal Natrat ran straight into him and basically put him into the foyer of the Hilton. Celebrate that, Kayne.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/the-shock-trooper-20121214-2bfer.html

ESSENDON veteran Nathan Lovett-Murray has long been one of indigenous football's most prominent identities, one whose knowledge has been sought again this week in meetings with the AFL about a stalling of participation rates at AFL level.

Indeed, his connection with both indigenous issues and the AFL goes back to well before his playing days, all the way to 1993, when the then 10-year-old was part of the half-time entertainment on grand final day.

"I was involved in the dance at half-time," he recalls of the MCG show marking the Year of the World's Indigenous Peoples.

"They had all the Victorian indigenous kids involved and I remember coming down to the MCG, the rehearsals, then running out onto the ground. I had to carry part of the flag.

"It was a pretty proud moment for indigenous people, those celebrations, Michael Long winning the Norm Smith Medal, Gavin Wanganeen having won the Brownlow."
The kid from Heywood in the Western District wasn't that fussed about Essendon's eventual 44-point victory over Carlton, though. He was a North Melbourne supporter.

"Wayne Carey was my idol growing up in the country," he says. "I had his posters up on my wall and all that, and North and Essendon had that big rivalry, so I wasn't really a big fan of Essendon."

Funny how things change, he's thinking as he smiles at the memory. "I love this club now. I'm really proud to be part of such a wonderful club."

And now, after another swag of retirements and delistings, he is its equal fifth-longest-serving player of the current list, behind only the ageless Dustin Fletcher, skipper Jobe Watson, Jason Winderlich and David Hille in terms of longevity.

Next season will be Lovett-Murray's 10th with the Bombers, after signing a new one-year contract just a couple of weeks after his 30th birthday.

His AFL career has been a series of battles.

First, simply to make it. He was overlooked in several drafts until he was finally picked up as a 21-year-old rookie in 2004.

Then, with some trouble curbing his aggressive instincts on the field. Often, there has been trouble with soft-tissue injuries as well.

But as he approaches what should be the twilight of his league career, Lovett-Murray's spot at Windy Hill is perhaps as secure as it has ever been.

He has overcome those problems harnessing his competitive nature. The injuries have, for now at least, been put to one side.

Lovett-Murray last year managed more games than he had for four seasons, in a year when most of his teammates were going down like flies under the weight of the soft-tissue curse.

And after a career spent plugging gaps left, right and centre, he has now found a real niche in the Essendon line-up as coach James Hird's shock-trooper, coming off the substitute's bench, filling the role more often than any other Bomber in 2012 and often with great effect.

"It was a long journey getting here," he reflects. "I was drafted late and I played three years in the VFL before that, so to end up being here for 10 years, I'm amazed, really, I honestly didn't think it was going to happen.

"I remember playing with Sean Wellman, Joe Misiti and Mark Mercuri, big names at Essendon, and they were all coming up to retirement and I remember ‘Sheeds' always saying in meetings to make the most of your career because it could be over like that, and that's something that has always stuck in my mind.

"It's been 10 years now and I'm pretty proud of it."

The game threatens to pass many players by as they head towards their 30s. But there's a fair argument that the recent rule changes regarding the interchange bench have helped the game come closer to Lovett-Murray.

While some clubs are still experimenting with their substitutes in a bid to find the right formula, Essendon has found its man.

"It was something me and Hirdy spoke about at the start of the season," he says. "He said that, because I had the flexibility of being able to play different roles, I was going to be used as the sub more than most players. But it's also to help me. I've had a lot of soft-tissue injuries and he thought it would help keep my career going.

"I reckon it proved a smart move. I can help the team and it's going to help me to be here for a bit longer."

Lovett-Murray's hardness at the contest helped swing several games when the Dons were in midfield trouble. His burst ability in the pivot is the result of hard work on his fitness levels and at winning the contested ball.

"When I came here, I was a half-forward or half-back but I always wanted to get into the midfield and I just had to get my fitness up to the right level," he said.

"But it's also being smarter about it. I can't always train at 100per cent all the time because I'll just break down, so that's helped."

So has a more mature approach to his attack on the ball and opponent, which until a few years ago resulted in him too often giving away silly free kicks - which cost his team - and in tribunal trouble. A tangle with Fremantle's Matthew Carr in 2006, which cost him a four-game penalty pleaded down to three, is still firmly in the memory banks.

"Players still get into me about that," he smiles. "I was just trying to stick up for my teammates. We had a young guy, Andrew Lee, playing only his second game and Matthew and Josh Carr were both getting into him, so I just ran over there to push them off and they both jumped on me.

"I'd been doing a lot of boxing training at that time and I sort of let one go. I didn't mean to hit him, I was more trying to jumper punch him but I sort of let go of the jumper and threw one and it ended up getting him flush on the chin.

"I look back now and see that was pretty undisciplined. If you want to try to be a role model for younger players, you can't afford to do things like that.

"I think I'm more now just about attacking the ball. That's where I've had to work on my game, with contested ball. I've really had to improve that.

"Now I feel like I can go in and attack the ball and still protect myself. In the early days, I was a lot skinnier and I've worked really hard in the gym and got myself a bigger body so I can do that better."

That's the football part of the Lovett-Murray story. The rest, such as mentoring a score of indigenous players, welfare work and setting up a record label and promoting a hip-hop band, has earned him far more attention. But that's fine with him.

"I suppose it's a good story," he says. "I think a lot of people are interested in that but I think it's really helped my football as well and that's partly why I've been able to have a 10-year career.

"I've seen players come and go who were 10 times more talented and skilful than I am but they just didn't get it right off-field. It's really important that you're doing something outside football."

This year was particularly busy on that score. Lovett-Murray's label, Payback Records, released indigenous hip-hop band Yung Warriors' latest album. There were a couple of national tours and some decent airplay on Triple J. He learnt plenty. But now it's time to move on to something else.

"I'm keen to pursue the next stage of my life," he says. "I'm really keen to get into sports management, so I'm looking at managing and mentoring indigenous athletes, but I also want to be more involved with the footy club, with the indigenous programs they run here and some welfare stuff they do here at the club."

Lovett-Murray already has plenty of welfare stuff on his plate in an on-field sense, being the obvious go-to man for the likes of Paddy Ryder, Courtenay Dempsey and Leroy Jetta.

"When I first came here, Dean Rioli was like a big brother to me," he says. "He was able to show me the ropes and I know when he first came to the club, he had someone like Michael Long, so it's a role I like playing.

"Hopefully, when we get some more indigenous players here, that can then be a role that Paddy and Courtenay and Leroy can step up and play."

The importance of what the now 10-year veteran has to offer beyond his football has never been lost on Essendon.

But coming into a new season injury-free, with a defined role to play and with a freshly inked contract that both parties were eager to sign, the Bombers are also quietly confident Lovett-Murray can offer more than ever on the ground, too.



Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/the-shock-trooper-20121214-2bfer.html#ixzz2FGKDN8iL


 

Pweter

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That's a good article. I'll always remember him for his hit on Matthew Carr, loved his description of it above.... sort of letting go of the jumper.... nah it was a beauty and I'm sure Matthew Carr would admit he was a dirty prick on the field and probably deserved more over the journey.

Why is it the ones involving the Carrs spring to mind so readily? That punch Jonathon Brown landed on Josh Carr in the 04 GF was a beauty too.

NLM will end his time at Essendon as a handy player, great club man, developing indigeneous leader, and I reckon if you told him he'd be in that position 10 years ago he would've taken it every day of the week.
 

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NLM the cult hero the supersub!!!

We all love him but unfortunately the ship may have now sailed and his career is over at the end of the year.

Can we at least play him in dreamtime at the mcg in two weeks time for a farewell game? Then can continue on in VFL and be back up depth. Think he should be an assistant coach/development officer next season he is great for the younger players.

Have a win, cheer for him and carry him off the ground.

Great clubman and well liked player

Cheers
 

Shane Hird

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I reckon he'll get more than one game played this year.

Not finished yet...or does he look like he's past it?

Hard to say when you don't see any VFL games.
 

silk

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Considering everything you hear about his leadership, especially in regards to the indigenous players, I think he is worth keeping as a depth player. He is still versatile and strong, and has always look a step above VFL level.
 
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