Jamie Lawson (Australian footballer) facts for kids

Jamie Lawson was born on 5 October 1971. He is a former Australian rules football player who was part of the Sydney Swans team. He played in the Australian Football League (AFL) during the early 1990s.

Jamie Lawson's Football Journey

Starting His Career

Jamie Lawson began his football journey after being recruited from the Sunraysia Football League. He played as a "rover," which is a type of player in Australian rules football. A rover is usually a smaller, quick player who follows the ball around the field. They try to get the ball from the ground and pass it to teammates.

Jamie is also an Indigenous Australian. He joined the Sydney Swans at a challenging time for the club. During his four seasons with the team, the Swans finished last three times. Finishing last means they received the "wooden spoon," which is a slang term for coming in last place in a sports league.

Key Moments with the Swans

Even though the team faced tough times, Jamie Lawson had some great moments. In 1992, he had one of his best games against the Brisbane Bears. The Bears were another team that was struggling at the time. In that game, played at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), Jamie had 30 "disposals." A disposal means he either kicked or handballed the ball. He also scored two goals in that match.

An Unexpected End to His Career

Jamie Lawson's football career ended suddenly when he was only 22 years old. This happened late in the 1994 AFL season. He broke his leg while playing against the Richmond team at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

This serious leg injury meant he had to stop playing football. Before his injury, Jamie was playing very well. He had even received votes for the Brownlow Medal in his two previous games. The Brownlow Medal is a special award given to the "fairest and best" player in the AFL each season. Players get votes from umpires for their performance in each game.