Byron Pickett | |||
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Pickett playing for Melbourne in 2007
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Personal information | |||
Full name | Byron Pickett | ||
Date of birth | 11 August 1977 | ||
Place of birth | Kellerberrin, Western Australia | ||
Original team(s) | Port Adelaide (SANFL) | ||
Height / weight | 178 cm / 88 kg | ||
Playing career1 | |||
Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
1997–2002 | North Melbourne | 120 | (81)|
2003–2005 | Port Adelaide | 55 (80) | |
2006–2007 | Melbourne | 29 (16) | |
Total | 204 (177) | ||
Representative team honours | |||
Years | Team | Games (Goals) | |
1998–1999 | South Australia | 2 (?) | |
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2007.
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Career highlights | |||
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Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com |
Byron Pickett (born 11 August 1977) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played with three clubs in the AFL. He was known as a big game player as well as for his strength, hard bumps and tough approach to the game. Pickett is one of 12 players with two premiership medallions, a Norm Smith Medal and over 200 AFL games. In 2005 Pickett was acknowledged as one of the finest Aboriginal players in the history of the game, with his selection to the Indigenous Team of the Century. He announced his retirement from AFL at the end of the 2007 season.
After his retirement from the AFL in 2007 he continued playing semi-professionally, including some time with the Port Adelaide Magpies in the South Australian National Football League.
Born in Kellerberrin in country Western Australia to Indigenous Australian parents, Byron Pickett grew up in Tammin and then Geraldton, Western Australia before moving to Port Lincoln in South Australia. Pickett played the majority of his junior football for Port Lincoln Football League club Mallee Park, which was also the junior club of leading footballers like Peter and Shaun Burgoyne, Graham Johncock and Daniel Wells. Pickett's skills were identified by South Australian National Football League (SANFL) club Port Adelaide and Pickett began to play in Port's junior sides, making the long trip each weekend to Adelaide.