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Tom Lonergan (AFL footballer)
Encyclopedia
Tom Lonergan is an Australian rules football
er for the Geelong Football Club
in the Australian Football League
(AFL).
and as a 15-year old made his senior debut for the Yarrawonga Pigeons
against the Wodonga Raiders in the Ovens & Murray Football League
. He kicked 6 goals and received an injury to his kidney that may have contributed to his later kidney injury. He also played a few games for the Murray Bushrangers
before he moved to Melbourne to attend Assumption College
and played for the Calder Cannons
in the TAC Cup
. Geelong acquired the tall forward in the second round of the 2002 AFL Draft
, the 23rd selection overall. After spending two years in the club's VFL
side, Lonergan made his AFL
debut in Round 9 of the 2005 AFL season
.
whilst playing in a Round 21 draw against Melbourne
- which was also just his seventh AFL-level match. Lonergan's kidney was severely damaged when he backed into a marking contest against Melbourne's Brad Miller
.
Lonergan was immediately hospital
ised, taken to the Geelong Hospital
and had been in a stable condition before his blood pressure
rose overnight, forcing him to undergo trauma surgery
to remove his right kidney. His kidney was found to be badly lacerated
and bruise
d, which was accentuated by the scar tissue
caused by a previous footballing injury he had suffered as a 16-year-old. During the six-hour procedure, Lonergan's entire blood
supply had to be replaced three times, flushing it through with up to 40 units of blood, placing him into an induced coma. Lonergan remained in a coma for four days, with it taking six hours to bring him back to consciousness. He also lost 17 kg during the ordeal.
Lonergan decided to continue his AFL career, after considering premature retirement, with Geelong agreeing to delist Lonergan, but then re-draft him via the Rookie Draft, with Geelong hoping that other clubs would avoid drafting Lonergan due to the extent of his injuries. Lonergan believed the outcome would benefit both the club and himself, with the club able to draft a new talented youngster through the National Draft, and himself able to continue his recovery at a stable rate. The club is reported to have taken this decision to help Lonergan if he wished to continue his career. Lonergan himself considered retirement following the surgery, but opted to return. Club doctor Chris Bradshaw compared Lonergan's efforts to return to professional sport with those of Jason McCartney, who was injured in the 2002 Bali Bombing
before playing one final game.
The day after being re-drafted by Geelong, Lonergan was again involved in another potentially life-threatening incident, this time in the form of a serious car accident. The accident occurred when Lonergan was driving to training, and another car careered into his passenger-side door and pushed him into oncoming traffic. He was lucky to escape with just a scratched leg, but the accident did write off his car. This was another chapter in Lonergan's run of bad luck, with his car getting broken into just a week and a half before the accident. Lonergan stated to the media that he hoped his bad luck had finally come to an end, and jokingly attributed the bad luck to the fact he wore the "unlucky" number 13.
, playing for Geelong's VFL
team against Tasmania
. He played the second half of each quarter, kicking one behind, as well as marking
five times and making ten disposals. Speaking to reporters after the match, he indicated that he had no time-line for returning to the top league, but fully intended to do so. He had previously remarked on the unusual nature of his injury, claiming that it was a very different feeling to having damaged a joint or a limb.
To cap a fairytale return to football Lonergan played in the 126-52 VFL Grand Final win over the Coburg Tigers
kicking six goals earning him the Norm Goss Memorial Medal
for best on ground. As a result of his strong form and full recovery from his injuries, Lonergan was elevated to Geelong's senior list for the 2008 AFL Premiership Season
.
Lonergan was the recipient of the club's Community Champion award, presented at the club's Best and Fairest dinner.
. The Geelong senior side wore rainbow-coloured laces (the symbol of the foundation) in their boots during their match against the Brisbane Lions
immediately following Lonergan's VFL match. Lonergan was in fact wearing rainbow laces during the match in which he was injured.
He is the youngest son of Trish and Bernie (Stump) Longergan, who still live in Yarrawonga
. He has two brothers and a sister.
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 for the Geelong Football Club
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
in the Australian 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...
(AFL).
Early career
Lonergan grew up in YarrawongaYarrawonga, Victoria
Yarrawonga is a town in the Shire of Moira Local Government Area in the Australian state of Victoria. The town is situated on the south bank of the Murray River, the border between Victoria and New South Wales and is located approximately north-east of the state capital, Melbourne. Yarrawonga's...
and as a 15-year old made his senior debut for the Yarrawonga Pigeons
Yarrawonga Football Club
The Yarrawonga Football Club, nicknamed the Pigeons, is an Australian Rules Football club playing in the Ovens & Murray Football League.The club is based in the town of Yarrawonga, Victoria located on the Murray River....
against the Wodonga Raiders in the Ovens & Murray Football League
Ovens & Murray Football League
The Ovens and Murray Football League, often referred to locally as the O&M, is a semi-professional Australian rules football league based around ten clubs in north-eastern Victoria and the southern Riverina region of New South Wales, and affiliated with the Victorian Country Football League...
. He kicked 6 goals and received an injury to his kidney that may have contributed to his later kidney injury. He also played a few games for the Murray Bushrangers
Murray Bushrangers
Murray Bushrangers is an Australian rules football team playing in TAC Cup since 1993 based in Wangaratta. The team trains in WJ Findlay Oval. The team is coached by Darren Ogier...
before he moved to Melbourne to attend Assumption College
Assumption College
Assumption College is a private, Roman Catholic, liberal arts college located on 185 acres in Worcester, Massachusetts. Assumption has an enrollment of about 2,117 undergraduates...
and played for the Calder Cannons
Calder Cannons
The Calder Cannons are an Australian rules football club from Melbourne, Australia.The club competes in the TAC Cup and fields squads in the U15, 16 and most importantly the U18s. The club was formed in 1995 after the need for two more metropolitan clubs...
in the TAC Cup
TAC Cup
The TAC Cup is an under 18 Australian rules football representative competition held in Victoria, Australia. It is based on geographic regions throughout country Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne with each team representing 12 Victorian regions....
. Geelong acquired the tall forward in the second round of the 2002 AFL Draft
2002 AFL Draft
The 2002 AFL Draft consisted of a pre-season draft, a national draft, a trade period and the elevation of rookies. The AFL Draft is the annual draft of talented players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.In 2002...
, the 23rd selection overall. After spending two years in the club's VFL
VFL
VFL can refer to:Sport* Victorian Football League, an Australian rules football league formerly known as the Victorian Football Association prior to 1996....
side, Lonergan made his AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
debut in Round 9 of the 2005 AFL season
2005 AFL season
Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2005.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-National Cup:...
.
2006: Injury
On 26 August 2006, Lonergan suffered serious internal injury to his kidneyKidney
The kidneys, organs with several functions, serve essential regulatory roles in most animals, including vertebrates and some invertebrates. They are essential in the urinary system and also serve homeostatic functions such as the regulation of electrolytes, maintenance of acid–base balance, and...
whilst playing in a Round 21 draw against Melbourne
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
- which was also just his seventh AFL-level match. Lonergan's kidney was severely damaged when he backed into a marking contest against Melbourne's Brad Miller
Brad Miller (footballer)
Brad Miller is an Australian rules footballer, who currently plays with Richmond after previously playing with the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League until he was delisted at the end of the 2010 season.-Early life:Brad is the son of Neville Miller, who played 30 games with...
.
Lonergan was immediately hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
ised, taken to the Geelong Hospital
Geelong Hospital
The Geelong Hospital is an Australian public hospital located in Ryrie Street, Geelong, Victoria. The hospital is part of Barwon Health, Victoria's largest regional health care provider, which has 21 sites. It is the largest hospital in regional Victoria and the only tertiary hospital outside of...
and had been in a stable condition before his blood pressure
Blood pressure
Blood pressure is the pressure exerted by circulating blood upon the walls of blood vessels, and is one of the principal vital signs. When used without further specification, "blood pressure" usually refers to the arterial pressure of the systemic circulation. During each heartbeat, BP varies...
rose overnight, forcing him to undergo trauma surgery
Trauma surgery
Trauma surgery is a surgical specialty involved in the invasive treatment of physical injuries, typically in an emergency setting. Trauma surgeons generally complete residency training in general surgery and often fellowship training in trauma or surgical critical care...
to remove his right kidney. His kidney was found to be badly lacerated
Wound
A wound is a type of injury in which skin is torn, cut or punctured , or where blunt force trauma causes a contusion . In pathology, it specifically refers to a sharp injury which damages the dermis of the skin.-Open:...
and bruise
Bruise
A bruise, also called a contusion, is a type of relatively minor hematoma of tissue in which capillaries and sometimes venules are damaged by trauma, allowing blood to seep into the surrounding interstitial tissues. Bruises can involve capillaries at the level of skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscle,...
d, which was accentuated by the scar tissue
Granulation tissue
Granulation tissue is the perfused, fibrous connective tissue that replaces a fibrin clot in healing wounds. Granulation tissue typically grows from the base of a wound and is able to fill wounds of almost any size it heals...
caused by a previous footballing injury he had suffered as a 16-year-old. During the six-hour procedure, Lonergan's entire blood
Blood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....
supply had to be replaced three times, flushing it through with up to 40 units of blood, placing him into an induced coma. Lonergan remained in a coma for four days, with it taking six hours to bring him back to consciousness. He also lost 17 kg during the ordeal.
Lonergan decided to continue his AFL career, after considering premature retirement, with Geelong agreeing to delist Lonergan, but then re-draft him via the Rookie Draft, with Geelong hoping that other clubs would avoid drafting Lonergan due to the extent of his injuries. Lonergan believed the outcome would benefit both the club and himself, with the club able to draft a new talented youngster through the National Draft, and himself able to continue his recovery at a stable rate. The club is reported to have taken this decision to help Lonergan if he wished to continue his career. Lonergan himself considered retirement following the surgery, but opted to return. Club doctor Chris Bradshaw compared Lonergan's efforts to return to professional sport with those of Jason McCartney, who was injured in the 2002 Bali Bombing
2002 Bali bombing
The 2002 Bali bombings occurred on 12 October 2002 in the tourist district of Kuta on the Indonesian island of Bali. The attack was claimed as the deadliest act of terrorism in the history of Indonesia according to the current police general, killing 202 people,...
before playing one final game.
The day after being re-drafted by Geelong, Lonergan was again involved in another potentially life-threatening incident, this time in the form of a serious car accident. The accident occurred when Lonergan was driving to training, and another car careered into his passenger-side door and pushed him into oncoming traffic. He was lucky to escape with just a scratched leg, but the accident did write off his car. This was another chapter in Lonergan's run of bad luck, with his car getting broken into just a week and a half before the accident. Lonergan stated to the media that he hoped his bad luck had finally come to an end, and jokingly attributed the bad luck to the fact he wore the "unlucky" number 13.
2007: VFL comeback and glory
Lonergan made his return to the sport on June 17, 20072007 AFL season
The 2007 AFL Season was the 111th season of the Australian Football League, the highest-level professional Australian rules football league in Australia...
, playing for Geelong's VFL
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
team against Tasmania
Tasmanian Devils Football Club
Tasmania Football Club, nicknamed The Devils, was an Australian rules football club which competed in the Victorian Football League in Australia. Formed in 2001, it was the youngest and the only non-Victorian club in the league. The club was based in the state of Tasmania at Bellerive Oval and was...
. He played the second half of each quarter, kicking one behind, as well as marking
Mark (Australian football)
A mark is a skill in Australian rules football where a player cleanly catches a kicked ball that has travelled more than 15 metres without anyone else touching it or the ball hitting the ground....
five times and making ten disposals. Speaking to reporters after the match, he indicated that he had no time-line for returning to the top league, but fully intended to do so. He had previously remarked on the unusual nature of his injury, claiming that it was a very different feeling to having damaged a joint or a limb.
To cap a fairytale return to football Lonergan played in the 126-52 VFL Grand Final win over the Coburg Tigers
Coburg Tigers
Coburg Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club based in Coburg, a northern suburb of Melbourne, and currently playing in the Victorian Football League. Coburg have an alignment in place with the AFL's Richmond Football Club which saw the Coburg club change its...
kicking six goals earning him the Norm Goss Memorial Medal
Norm Goss Memorial Medal
The Norm Goss Memorial Medal is awarded to the player judged to be the best afield in the Victorian Football League grand final.It is named after former player and administrator Norm Goss, Sr....
for best on ground. As a result of his strong form and full recovery from his injuries, Lonergan was elevated to Geelong's senior list for the 2008 AFL Premiership Season
2008 AFL season
-Round 1 :-Round 2:-Round 3 :-Round 4:-Round 5:-Round 6 :-Round 7:-AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match:-Round 8:...
.
Lonergan was the recipient of the club's Community Champion award, presented at the club's Best and Fairest dinner.
2008-2011 Geelong Cats
Tom played in the Geelong team in the 2008 Grand Final, and missed selection into the Geelong 2009 Premiership Team. However, during 2011 Tom became a key member of Geelong's defensive back six players, and played a critical role in the 2011 Grand Final holding Travis Cloke goalless in the second half, after Cloke had kicked three goals early in the game while playing on Harry Taylor. The job he executed was crucial for the Cats as it helped stemmed the flow of Collingwood goals and took the red-hot Cloke out of the game.Personal life
Following his injuries, Lonergan became an ambassador for Zaidee's Rainbow Foundation, an organisation raising awareness of organ donationOrgan donation
Organ donation is the donation of biological tissue or an organ of the human body, from a living or dead person to a living recipient in need of a transplantation. Transplantable organs and tissues are removed in a surgical procedure following a determination, based on the donor's medical and...
. The Geelong senior side wore rainbow-coloured laces (the symbol of the foundation) in their boots during their match against the Brisbane Lions
Brisbane Lions
The Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996...
immediately following Lonergan's VFL match. Lonergan was in fact wearing rainbow laces during the match in which he was injured.
He is the youngest son of Trish and Bernie (Stump) Longergan, who still live in Yarrawonga
Yarrawonga, Victoria
Yarrawonga is a town in the Shire of Moira Local Government Area in the Australian state of Victoria. The town is situated on the south bank of the Murray River, the border between Victoria and New South Wales and is located approximately north-east of the state capital, Melbourne. Yarrawonga's...
. He has two brothers and a sister.
Statistics
- Statistics are correct as of 2 May 2010 (Round 6, 2010 season). Averages are in brackets.
| Season | Team | No. | Games | Disposals | Kicks Kick (football) Kicking is a method used by many types of football, including:* Association football* Australian rules football* International rules football* American football* Canadian football* Gaelic football* Rugby league* Rugby union... |
Handballs Handball (Australian rules football) Handball is a term in the sport of Australian rules football which describes a method of disposing of possession of the football by hand. It is the most frequently used alternative to kicking the ball... |
Marks Mark (Australian football) A mark is a skill in Australian rules football where a player cleanly catches a kicked ball that has travelled more than 15 metres without anyone else touching it or the ball hitting the ground.... |
Tackles Tackle (football move) Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend.... |
Goals | Behinds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 2003 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2003.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-National Cup:... |
Geelong | 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 2004 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2004.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-Wizard Home Loans Cup:The Wizard Home Loans Cup Final saw St... |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005 2005 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2005.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-National Cup:... |
4 | 25 (6.2) | 13 (3.2) | 12 (3.0) | 12 (3.0) | 2 (0.5) | 5 (1.2) | 3 (0.8) | ||
| 2006 2006 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2006.-National Cup: 3.10.5 defeated 1.10.15 in the 2006 NAB Cup Final... |
3 | 24 (8.0) | 17 (5.7) | 7 (2.3) | 12 (4.0) | 5 (1.7) | 1 (0.3) | 2 (0.7) | ||
| 2007 2007 AFL season The 2007 AFL Season was the 111th season of the Australian Football League, the highest-level professional Australian rules football league in Australia... |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008 2008 AFL season -Round 1 :-Round 2:-Round 3 :-Round 4:-Round 5:-Round 6 :-Round 7:-AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match:-Round 8:... |
16 | 191 (11.9) | 121 (7.6) | 70 (4.4) | 87 (5.4) | 25 (1.6) | 36 (2.2) | 21 (1.3) | ||
| 2009 2009 AFL season -Round 1 :-Round 2:-Round 3 :-Round 4:-Round 5 :-Round 6:-Round 7:-Round 8:-Round 9 :-Round 10:... |
9 | 107 (11.9) | 40 (4.4) | 67 (7.4) | 36 (4.0) | 20 (2.2) | 2 (0.2) | 1 (0.1) | ||
| 2010 2010 AFL season -Premiership season:The draw for the 2010 AFL Premiership Season is not a random selection of matches, but rather is planned by the AFL. It is intended to produce a balanced draw while also providing the fans and television networks with blockbuster games. In a competition with 16 teams and 22... |
22 | 295 (16.0) | 99 (4.5) | 196 (11.5) | 109 (5.5) | 46 (1.8) | 0 (0.0) | 1(0.0) | ||
| Totals | 54 | 443 (11.7) | 218 (5.7) | 225 (5.9) | 180 (4.7) | 63 (1.7) | 44 (1.2) | 27 (0.7) | ||