Ted Lovett

A member of the distinguished Gunditjmara Lovett family and son of Carlton’s first Indigenous player Alf Egan, Ted Lovett overcame a difficult childhood as a ward of the state to forge a respected footballing reputation in country Victoria. After moving to Ballarat in 1962, he caught the eye of Fitzroy recruiters but played his early VFL football under unusual circumstances, managing two games on match permits in 1963 while remaining a North Ballarat player. A skilled and elusive ball-winner standing 175cm, he added seven games to his tally in 1964 but struggled to secure a permanent foothold at Brunswick Street. His quality was undeniable at regional level, where he became the first player to win two Henderson Medals as the Ballarat Football League's best and fairest (1963 and 1965). Lovett later became a highly significant figure in public life, recognised with an Order of Australia Medal for his extensive work in Aboriginal health and welfare services across western Victoria.