Michael O'Loughlin

Michael O'Loughlin
Michael O'Loughlin with eyes for the ball playing for Sydney at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2006
Personal information
Full name	Michael O'Loughlin
Nickname(s)	Mickey O, Magic
Date of birth	(1977-02-20) 20 February 1977
Original team(s)	Central District (SANFL)
Draft	40th overall, 1994 Sydney
Height / weight	190 cm / 90 kg
Position(s)	Forward
Club information
Current club	Sydney
Number	19
Career highlights
AFL Rising Star nominee 1995 Bob Skilton Medal 1998 All-Australian 1997, 2000 Fos Williams Medal 1998 Sydney Swans Leading goalkicker 2000, 2001, 2008 Sydney Swans Premiership player 2005 Most Outstanding achievement in AFL 2005 (The Deadlys) Indigenous Team of the Century
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Michael Kevin O'Loughlin (born 20 February 1977) is a former professional Australian rules footballer, who played his entire Australian Football League career with the Sydney Swans.

O'Loughlin is one of the most decorated Indigenous Australian players in the history of the Australian Football League recognised through being named a member of the Indigenous Team of the Century, just the third player with Indigenous heritage to play 300 AFL games and with The Deadlys award for this 2005 premiership season. His representative honours include twice achieving All-Australian selection, playing for Australia twice in the International Rules Series and a Fos Williams Medallist as best player for South Australia in State of Origin.

At club level, O'Loughlin is the current games record holder for the Sydney Swans with a total of 303 games. He was a damaging forward, having led the Swans goalkicking on three occasions for a total of 521 career goals.

Early life

O'Loughlin has Indigenous Australian heritage and his tribal ancestry can be traced to the Kaurna.

He grew up in South Australia and first played senior football with Centrals in the SANFL.

AFL career

Selected in the third round of the 1994 National Draft, O'Loughlin played 12 senior games for the Swans in 1995 and earned a Rising Star award nomination. The following year he was a key player in the team that won the minor premiership and then lost to North Melbourne in the grand final. He is currently the games record holder holder for the Swans, passing John Rantall's record in Round 14 of the 2007 season. He became the first Sydney Swans/South Melbourne player to break the 300 games milestone in Round 19, 2009.

O'Loughlin played the majority of his early football in a half-forward flanker role, where his combination of speed, strength and agility made him a difficult player for opposing teams to match-up against. He was known by the nickname, "Magic" throughout his career, in recognition of his capacity to play football so skillfully that it could sometimes seem he had "cast a spell" on his opponents. He was also known by the nickname, "Mickey O". In the latter part of his career he was primarily used as Sydney's full-forward. In 2000 and 2001 he was the club's leading goalkicker. He was club best and fairest in 1998 and runner up in 2000. He was selected in the All Australian Team in 1997 and 2000. When State of Origin matches were still being played he represented his state on several occasions, receiving the Fos Williams Medal for best South Australian player in 1998.

In 2005 he was selected alongside Sydney Swans teammate and cousin Adam Goodes in the Indigenous Team of the Century. O'Loughlin was chosen in the full-forward position. He described this honor as the highlight of his career, alongside the 2005 premiership.

O'Loughlin, the only player remaining in the team from the 1996 loss, played strongly during the 2005 grand final, including a number of exceptional marks. However, and uncharacteristically, his kicking for goal during the game was inaccurate.

In 2006, O'Loughlin continued to be a key part of the Swan's line-up, including playing a decisive role in the qualifying and preliminary finals that put the Swans into the grand final for the second consecutive year. In the 2006 Grand Final, O'Loughlin played well, kicking 3.1 (19). He continued to play consistently well for Sydney through the balance of his career.

In the close 2006 Qualifying Final against the West Coast Eagles at Subiaco Oval, O'Loughlin famously ran into an open goal, then carried on to the fence and roared into the faces of some rather stunned-looking Eagles' fans from a few inches away. The moment is captured in Jamie Cooper's painting the Game That Made Australia, commissioned by the AFL in 2008 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the sport.

On the 23 June 2009, O'Loughlin announced that at the end of the 2009 season he would retire. He played his 300th game in round 19 at the MCG against the Richmond Tigers.

Career Achievements

• AFL Rising Star nominee 1995
• Bob Skilton Medal 1998
• All-Australian 1997, 2000
• International Rules Series 1997, 2000
• Fos Williams Medal 1998
• Sydney Swans Leading goalkicker 2000, 2001, 2008
• Sydney Swans Premiership player 2005
• Outstanding achievement in AFL 2005 (The Deadlys)
• Indigenous Team of the Century
• Outstanding achievement in AFL 2009 (The Deadlys)
• Male Sportsperson of the Year 2009 (The Deadlys)

Post AFL Career

Since leaving the AFL, O'Loughlin has continued a media profile. In September 2009 he launched the Goodes O'Loughlin Foundation (www.go-foundation.org), along with his cousin & co-Chairman Adam Goodes, focused on Education, Employment, and healthy Lifestyles. The Foundation's mission is to develop and empower the next generation of Indigenous role models in Australia.

O'Loughlin was awarded the 2009 AFL Players’ Association Madden for his on and off-field contributions to the game.

In 2010 O'Loughlin coached the Flying Boomerangs indigenous side during their Cape Town tour, leading the side to victory against the South Africa National Australian Rules Football Team. He was later named coach of the World 18 for the AFL National Under 16 Championships.

In 2011 he was named as coach of the Indigenous All Star team for their biennial game, this time against the Richmond Tigers.

External links

• Michael O'Loughlin's profile on the official website of the Sydney Swans
• Michael O'Loughlin's playing statistics from AFL Tables