View source for Matthew Lloyd

{{Short description|Australian rules footballer}}
{{For|other people with the same name|Matthew Lloyd (disambiguation)}}
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Matthew Lloyd
| image = Matthew Lloyd 2005.jpg
| alt = 
| caption = Lloyd in 2005
| fullname = Matthew James Lloyd
| nickname = Lloydy, Velvet Sledgehammer,<ref>[http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/afl/the-end-hit-lloydy-with-thud/story-e6frepf6-1225778920861 The End Hit Lloydy With Thud] ''The Courier Mail'' {{dead link|date=May 2023}}</ref> Lordo<ref>{{cite tweet|user=MatthewLloyd18|author=Matthew Lloyd|number=326316171345424384|date=22 April 2013|title=“@JakeBourke: @stevesmithffx @crammj @matthewlloyd18 It's actually 'Lordo', folks. No idea why. Billy accidentally called me that, it stuck}}</ref>
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|4|16|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Melbourne]], [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]]
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| originalteam = [[Western Jets]] ([[TAC Cup]])/[[Avondale Heights Football Club|Avondale Heights]]
| draftpick = [[1994 AFL Draft|1995 Pre-Season Draft]]
| height = 192&nbsp;cm
| weight = 93&nbsp;kg
| position = [[Full-forward]]
| statsend = 2009
| years1 = 1995–2009
| club1 = {{AFL Ess}}
| games_goals1 = 270 (926)
| sooyears1 = 1997–1999
| sooteam1 = [[Victoria Australian rules football team|Victoria]]
| soogames_goals1 = 3 (8)
| nationalyears1 = 2001
| nationalteam1 = [[Australian International rules football team|Australia]]
| nationalgames_goals1 = 2 (4)
| careerhighlights = *3× [[Coleman Medal]]: 2000, 2001, 2003 
*12× [[List of Essendon Football Club leading goalkickers|Essendon leading goalkicker]]: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009  
*5× [[All-Australian Team|All-Australian team]]: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003
*[[List of VFL/AFL premiers|AFL premiership player]]: [[2000 AFL Grand Final|2000]] 
*[[Goal of the Year (Australia)|Goal of the Year]]: 2007
*[[Mark of the Year]]: 2008
*[[List of Essendon Football Club captains|Essendon Captain]]: 2006–2009
*[[Jim Stynes Medal]]: 2001
*[[AFL Rising Star]] nominee: [[1996 AFL Rising Star|1996]]
*[[Essendon Football Club|Champions of Essendon]]: No. 22
*[[Australian Football Hall of Fame]]
}}

'''Matthew James Lloyd''' (born 16 April 1978) is a former professional [[Australian rules football]]er, who played for the [[Essendon Football Club]] in the [[Australian Football League]] (AFL).

A highly decorated [[full-forward]], Lloyd's AFL's honours include being the eighth all-time [https://afltables.com/afl/stats/biglists/bg1.txt leading goalkicker] in the history of AFL/VFL, including three [[Coleman Medal]]s as leading goalkicker in the league; AFL life membership; and winning both the [[Mark of the Year]] and [[Goal of the Year (Australia)|Goal of the Year]] awards.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/news.asp?nid=7213 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120906214610/http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/news.asp?nid=7213 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-09-06 |title=Lloyd to be inducted as AFL life Member |publisher=Essendonfc.com.au |access-date=2012-09-25 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/news.asp?nid=5393 |title=Lloyd Awarded Goal of the Year |publisher=Essendonfc.com.au |date=2007-09-26 |access-date=2012-09-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071107103405/http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/news.asp?nid=5393 |archive-date=7 November 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/news.asp?nid=6120 |title=Lloyd Wins Mark of the Year |publisher=Essendonfc.com.au |access-date=2012-09-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106201958/http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/news.asp?nid=6120 |archive-date=6 January 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Among his representative honours are five [[All-Australian]] selections, three times representing the [[Victoria Australian rules football team|Victoria State of Origin team]], as well as twice representing Australia in [[International rules football]].

Lloyd has kicked over 100 goals in a season twice.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/th-goal-sparks-reunion/story-e6frf9jf-1111117178695 |title=Bomber Matthew Lloyd Recalls Reunions Amid Crush |publisher=Heraldsun.com.au |access-date=2012-09-25}}</ref> He also belongs to the relatively small group of players whose [[First kick – first goal (Australian rules football)|first kick in the AFL resulted in a goal]]. With 926 goals from 270 games, he holds the record for the most career goals at Essendon, including winning the leading goalkicker award 12 times—five more times than any other Bomber. Upon his retirement, the award was renamed the [[List of Essendon Football Club leading goalkickers|Matthew Lloyd Medal]] in his honour.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Collecting Bug |url=https://www.thecollectingbug.com/ |access-date=2023-07-19 |website=The Collecting Bug}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-03 |title=Wright claims maiden Crichton Medal |url=https://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/1232525/wright-claims-maiden-crichton-medal |access-date=2023-07-19 |website=essendonfc.com.au |language=en}}</ref>

==Early life==
Matthew Lloyd was born in Melbourne in 1978 to parents [[John Lloyd (Australian footballer)|John]] (a former VFL footballer who played 29 games for the [[Carlton Football Club]] from 1965–1967) and Bev Lloyd. The Lloyds moved to Scotland for three years because of John's work, and it was there that Matthew picked up [[rugby football|rugby]] and [[soccer]] playing for his [[Currie]] club.

Lloyd attended St Martin De Porres Parish Primary School in [[Avondale Heights]] before moving to [[St. Bernard's College, Melbourne|St. Bernard's College]] in [[Essendon, Victoria|Essendon]].<ref>[http://sbc.melb.catholic.edu.au/groups/oc/wof.html St Bernard's Old Collegians Wall of Fame]{{Dead link|date=March 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> He played junior [[Australian rules football|football]] for [[Avondale Heights Football Club]] in the [[Essendon District Football League]].

He supported the [[Fitzroy Football Club]] when he was young because in the first game he attended, Fitzroy player [[Bernie Quinlan]] kicked nine goals.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/208/default.aspx?newsid=37730 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121008000648/http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/208/default.aspx?newsid=37730 |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 October 2012 |title=Unforgettable time for Lloyd |publisher=Afl.com.au |date=2007-02-08 |access-date=2012-09-25}}</ref>

==Career==

===AFL===
Lloyd was drafted into the AFL as a 16-year-old in the [[1994 AFL Draft|1995 Pre-season Draft]] as a "compensatory selection" that was awarded to Essendon by the AFL in return for losing [[Todd Ridley]] to the newly formed [[Fremantle Football Club]]. The Bombers picked up what would be one of their all-time greats for a relative pittance in the draft. Lloyd was heralded as a future football star after his AFL debut in Round 14, 1995, where he scored a goal with his first kick in league football and three for the match.

The key features of Lloyd's game were his powerful [[Mark (Australian football)|mark]]s on the lead (particularly overhead), his use of his body in a defensive capacity and accurate goal kicking, particularly from [[set shot]]s on his left foot. He converted a large majority of set shots inside the [[50-metre arc]] and kicked further than 50 metres on a regular basis.

Lloyd was known for his ritual when taking set shots at goal. Almost every time, he took time to go far back on the mark, pull both his socks up, and then grab some grass and throw it into the air to measure the wind and take a very long run-up before kicking; this was his method of following advice given to him by coaches to bring down his heart rate in order to focus better. In 2006, the AFL introduced a "shot clock" to limit the amount of time that players had to take set shots; although Lloyd's ritual was not the longest in the league, its quirks made it so well known that the rule became commonly known as the "Lloyd Rule".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/afl/lloyd-rule-to-speed-up-goalkicking/2005/11/25/1132703381229.html |title=Lloyd Rule to speed up goalkicking |date=26 November 2005 |publisher=The Sydney Morning Herald |access-date=2012-09-25}}</ref> Lloyd adjusted his ritual to fit into the new rule, and he still retained the most famous aspect (throwing grass) until the end of his career.

Lloyd's goal-scoring ability enabled him to top the Essendon goal scoring every year from 1997 to 2009, except for 2006 when he only played three games due to a serious hamstring injury.

[[File:Matthew lloyd.jpg|220px|thumb|Lloyd in the 2007 AFL season]]

Lloyd was selected in the [[All-Australian team]] on five occasions (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003), won the [[Coleman Medal]] for kicking the most goals in the regular season three times (2000, 2001 and 2003)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.afl.com.au/aflhq/awards/colemanmedal/previouswinners/tabid/15089/default.aspx |title=Coleman Medal - Previous Winners |publisher=Afl.com.au |date=2012-01-04 |access-date=2012-09-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120924113126/http://www.afl.com.au/aflhq/awards/colemanmedal/previouswinners/tabid/15089/default.aspx |archive-date=24 September 2012}}</ref> and twice kicked more than 100 goals in a completed season (109 in 2000 and 105 in 2001; on both occasions he reached the milestone during the finals).

Lloyd was a member of Essendon's [[2000 AFL Grand Final|2000 premiership]] team and was captain of Essendon from 2006 to 2009. He was recognised for his achievements at Essendon in 2002 when he was ranked the 22nd-greatest player ever to play for the club in the "[[Champions of Essendon]]" list.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.essendonfc.com.au/champions/ |title=Champions of Essendon |publisher=Essendonfc.com.au |access-date=2012-09-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120812032019/http://www.essendonfc.com.au/champions/ |archive-date=12 August 2012 }}</ref>

Lloyd was appointed Essendon captain ahead of the [[2006 AFL season|2006 season]] after [[James Hird]] elected to stand down following the side's disappointing [[2005 AFL season|2005 season]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2005-09-27/lloyd-to-lead-bombers/2112816|title=Lloyd to lead Bombers|date=27 September 2005|via=www.abc.net.au}}</ref> Lloyd's first match as Essendon captain resulted in a 27-point win over the defending premiers [[Sydney Swans|Sydney]], where he kicked eight goals (six of them in the first quarter alone). It would be the only win that Essendon would enjoy under Lloyd's captaincy until exactly a year later.<ref name="BombersvSwans2006">{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2006-04-01/bombers-upset-swans/1721794|title=Bombers upset Swans|date=1 April 2006|via=www.abc.net.au}}</ref>

In addition to serving as captain and earning life membership at Essendon,<ref>{{cite web |date=2004-12-17 |title=Lloyd A Life Member |url=http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/news.asp?nid=4020 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050717103921/http://essendonfc.com.au/news/news.asp?nid=4020 |archive-date=17 July 2005 |access-date=2012-09-25 |publisher=Essendonfc.com.au}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Johnson |first=Len |date=28 September 2005 |title=Lloyd tips a new era for Bombers |work=The Age |url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&sy=nstore&docID=AGE050928HT6P05963JH}}</ref> Lloyd is also the team's all-time-highest goal scorer.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/news.asp?nid=2777 |title=A Record Breaking Performance |publisher=Essendonfc.com.au |date=2003-08-10 |access-date=2012-09-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050103162750/http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/news.asp?nid=2777 |archive-date=3 January 2005 |url-status=dead }}</ref> 

In 2013, Lloyd was inducted as a member of the [[Australian Football Hall of Fame]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/essendon-champion-matthew-lloyd-joins-afl-elite/story-fndv8gad-1226657195651 |title=Lloyd joins AFL elite |publisher=news.com.au |date=2013-06-05 |access-date=2013-06-05}}</ref> and as a Legend in the Essendon Football Club Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/2013-03-04/greats-honoured |title=Essendon greats honoured |publisher=essendonfc.com.au |date=2013-03-04 |access-date=2013-06-05}}</ref>

===State of Origin===
Lloyd had a successful [[Interstate matches in Australian rules football|State of Origin]] career, kicking 8 goals in 3 games. He first played for [[Victoria Australian rules football team|Victoria]] in 1997, against [[South Australia Australian rules football team|South Australia]], kicking 3 goals, including a [[snap kick]] along the ground from near the boundary line, which went one way and then curved back another.<ref>{{Citation|last=Costa Sports|title=That Was the Season That Was 1997 AFL|date=2015-04-18|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI5OoBus5dw |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/qI5OoBus5dw |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|access-date=2016-03-31}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In 1998, Lloyd kicked two goals against [[The Allies (Australian rules football)|The Allies]], in Brisbane. Lloyd last played for Victoria in 1999 against South Australia in the second-last-ever State of Origin game, kicking 3 goals and being named in the best players.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://cedric.slv.vic.gov.au/view/action/nmets.do?DOCCHOICE=2192339.xml&dvs=1459417201184~655&locale=en_AU&search_terms=&adjacency=&VIEWER_URL=/view/action/nmets.do?&DELIVERY_RULE_ID=4&divType=&usePid1=true&usePid2=true|title=Digitised Resource Viewer|website=cedric.slv.vic.gov.au|access-date=2016-03-31}}</ref>

==Career highlights==
In Round 20, 2007, Lloyd kicked a backheel goal whilst surrounded by opponents and was awarded the 2007 [[Goal of the Year (AFL)|Goal of the Year]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/best-goal-mark-of-the-year-announced/story-e6frg7mx-1111114508240 |title=Best goal and mark of the year announced |publisher=Theaustralian.com.au |date=2012-02-17 |access-date=2012-09-25}}</ref>

In Round 18 against the [[Melbourne Football Club|Melbourne Demons]], Lloyd took a [[spectacular mark]] above five players to win the 2008 [[Mark of the Year]]. Immediately after the mark, Lloyd recalled in a 2022 episode of ''[[The Sunday Footy Show (AFL)|The Sunday Footy Show]]'' that he roasted his opponent [[Matthew Warnock]] afterwards:<ref>{{Citation |title=Llordo reveals his cheeky sledge after taking mark of the year - Sunday Footy Show {{!}} Footy on Nine |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5n11x6Q6Xw |access-date=2023-04-12 |language=en}}</ref>

"You've always wanted to be on a [[Australian rules football card|footy card]]; now you'll probably be on one."

A haul of eight goals in that match gave Lloyd his best return since Round 1, 2006.

===Performances against the Sydney Swans===
In Round 3, 1999, Lloyd, aged just 21 at the time, kicked a record 13 goals against the [[Sydney Swans]] at the MCG, kicking the first goal of the game and breaking [[John Coleman (Australian footballer)|John Coleman]]'s record for most goals kicked by an Essendon player against the Swans.<ref name="sevenmoments">[http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/seven-controversial-moments-in-career-of-essendon-champ-and-hall-of-fame-inductee-matthew-lloyd/story-fni5f6kv-1226657827182 Seven controversial moments of Essendon champ and Hall of Fame inductee Matthew Lloyd], ''Herald Sun'', 5 June 2013</ref>

In his first game as Essendon captain, also playing against the Sydney Swans, Lloyd kicked eight goals (six in the first quarter against his opponent, [[Leo Barry]])<ref name="BombersvSwans2006"/><ref name="sevenmoments"/> He kicked a total of 69 goals playing against the Swans throughout his career.<ref name="playerstats">[http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/M/Matthew_Lloyd0.html Matthew Lloyd], ''AFL Tables''</ref>

==Injuries==
During Essendon's 1996 preliminary final against the [[Sydney Swans]] in Sydney, Lloyd ruptured his spleen in the second quarter. He suffered a large amount of blood loss and spent 10 days in intensive care in a Sydney hospital.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/caring-dons-laud-dedicated-docs/story-0-1111117210036 |title=Caring Dons laud dedicated docs |publisher=Heraldsun.com.au |access-date=2012-09-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/i-would-ve-died-that-night-lloyd-s-other-1996-prelim-nightmare-20200326-p54e9l.html|title='I would've died that night': Lloyd's other 1996 prelim nightmare|publisher=The Age|first=Ronny|last=Lerner|date=26 March 2020|access-date=27 March 2020}}</ref>

In Round 6, 2002, against [[Fremantle Football Club|Fremantle]], Lloyd ruptured a tendon in his right ring finger when it was caught in his opponent's guernsey. It required surgery to be reattached, and he was out for eight weeks.

Lloyd returned in Round 14 against the [[Western Bulldogs]] when [[Steven Kretiuk]] controversially targeted his injured hand.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/07/07/1025667089931.html |title=Review on Kretiuk incident |date=8 July 2002 |publisher=Theage.com.au |access-date=2012-09-25}}</ref>

Midway through the third quarter of the Essendon vs. Western Bulldogs match on 16 April 2006 (which happened to be Lloyd's 28th birthday), opponent [[Brian Lake|Brian Harris]] accidentally fell on Lloyd as he tried to mark the ball. Lloyd walked off the ground with the aid of trainers and did not return for the rest of the match. Following scans, a week later it was revealed that the hamstring tendon had been snapped off the bone. Surgery to repair the career-threatening injury took place, which ruled him out for the rest of the season.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/news.asp?nid=4662 |title=Lloyd Injury Shock |publisher=Essendonfc.com.au |date=2006-04-22 |access-date=2012-09-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070816043530/http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/news.asp?nid=4662 |archive-date=16 August 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2006/04/23/1621921.htm |title=Lloyd Shattered By Hamstring Injury |publisher=Abc.net.au |date=2006-04-23 |access-date=2012-09-25}}</ref> Lloyd's absence from the team was felt hard, as the Bombers, despite high expectations, finished 15th on the ladder at season's end with a final win-loss record of 3&ndash;1&ndash;18.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2006-09-01/bulldogs-earn-gritty-win/1254454|title=Bulldogs earn gritty win|publisher=ABC News ([[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]])|date=1 September 2006|accessdate=14 October 2021}}</ref> As Lloyd was captain of Essendon and was unable to play for the remainder of the season (his first year of captaincy, in fact), [[David Hille]] was promoted to team captain in Lloyd's absence.

Lloyd made a successful comeback against [[Adelaide Football Club|Adelaide]] at [[AAMI Stadium]] in Round 1, 2007. He kicked two goals while working further up the ground, putting to rest any concerns about his injured hamstring. Essendon beat Adelaide by 31 points.

==Brad Sewell incident==
In Round 22, 2009, Lloyd hit [[Hawthorn Football Club|Hawthorn]] player [[Brad Sewell]] with a heavy bump that left him unconscious and with facial injuries, and it led to a brawl between the two teams.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/matthew-lloyd-bump-fires-up-essendon/story-e6frfb9x-1225767349823 |title=Matthew Lloyd bump fires up Essendon |publisher=Heraldsun.com.au |access-date=2012-09-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=714jxXF7LLc  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/714jxXF7LLc |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|title=Matthew Lloyd clashes with Brad Sewell footage |publisher=YouTube |date=2009-08-29 |access-date=2012-09-25}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The [[Rivalries in the Australian Football League#Hawthorn v Essendon|Essendon–Hawthorn rivalry]] is fierce, first reaching a flashpoint in the 1980s and peaking in the infamous [[Line in the Sand Match]] in 2004. In the bitter aftermath of the 2009 match in which four players were suspended for a total of seven matches and $27,000 in fines were handed out, Hawthorn's [[Campbell Brown (footballer)|Campbell Brown]] called Lloyd "one of the biggest snipers in the game" and said that "his time is coming".<ref>{{cite web|last=Barrett |first=Damian |url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-premiership/campbell-brown-says-matthew-lloyd-is-one-of-the-biggest-snipers-in-the-game/story-e6frf3e3-1225767452130 |title=Brown Slams Lloyd The 'Sniper' |publisher=Foxsports.com.au |date=2009-08-30 |access-date=2012-09-25}}</ref> Hawthorn coach [[Alastair Clarkson]] threatened Lloyd and abused an interchange steward and had to be restrained by Hawthorn football manager Mark Evans as the teams left the field.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/what-hawthorns-alastair-clarkson-really-said-to-essendons-matthew-lloyd/story-e6frf9jf-1225769304064 |title=What Clarkson Said To Lloyd |publisher=Heraldsun.com.au |access-date=2012-09-25}}</ref> AFL CEO [[Andrew Demetriou]] defended Lloyd's reputation;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/afl-finals-matthew-lloyd-no-sniper-andrew-demetriou/story-e6freck3-1225768274699 |title=Matthew Lloyd No Sniper |publisher=Adelaidenow.com.au |date=2009-09-01 |access-date=2012-09-25}}</ref> Clarkson was fined for his comments<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/alastair-clarkson-fined-for-matthew-lloyd-spray/story-e6frf9jf-1225769275418 |title=Alastair Clarkson fined for Matthew Lloyd comments |publisher=Heraldsun.com.au |access-date=2012-09-25}}</ref> and later apologised for the outburst.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/-/afl/5898826/clarkson-sorry-for-post-match-outburst/ |title=Clarkson sorry for post-match outburst |publisher=Au.news.yahoo.com |date=2009-08-31 |access-date=2012-09-25}}</ref>

Essendon went on to win the match by 17 points after trailing by 22 points at the time of the incident, and in the week after the match, Lloyd was given a six-match suspension by the match review panel for the hit on Sewell. This was reduced to four matches after he decided not to appeal the sanction.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afl-finals-matthew-lloyd-bombers-accept-penalties/story-e6frf9jf-1225768125484 |title=Lloyd, Bombers accept penalties |publisher=Heraldsun.com.au |access-date=2012-09-25}}</ref> Lloyd only served one match of his suspension, missing Essendon's 96-point elimination final loss to {{AFL Ade}} at [[Football Park|AAMI Stadium]], before announcing his retirement on 23 September 2009.

==Statistics==
:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/M/Matthew_Lloyd0.html |title = AFL Tables - Matthew Lloyd - Stats - Statistics}}</ref>

{{AFL player statistics legend}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|style="background:#CFECEC; width:1em"|
|Led the league for the season only
|-
|style="background:#b7e718; width:1em"|
|Led the league after finals only
|-
|style="background:#DD6E81; width:1em"|
|Led the league after season and finals
|}

{{AFL player statistics start}}
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1995 AFL season|1995]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 18 || 5 || 7 || 6 || 31 || 17 || 48 || 22 || 1 || 1.4 || 1.2 || 6.2 || 3.4 || 9.6 || 4.4 || 0.2
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1996 AFL season|1996]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 18 || 11 || 18 || 7 || 78 || 34 || 112 || 46 || 11 || 1.6 || 0.6 || 7.1 || 3.1 || 10.2 || 4.2 || 1.0
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1997 AFL season|1997]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 18 || 20 || 63 || 33 || 212 || 125 || 272 || 125 || 17 || 3.2 || 1.7 || 10.6 || 3.0 || 13.6 || 6.3 || 0.9
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1998 AFL season|1998]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 18 || 23 || 70 || 38 || 249 || 77 || 326 || 156 || 24 || 3.0 || 1.7 || 10.8 || 3.3 || 14.2 || 6.8 || 1.0
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[1999 AFL season|1999]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 18 || 22 || 87 || 40 || 239 || 54 || 293 || 142 || 22 || 4.0 || 1.8 || 10.9 || 2.5 || 13.3 || 6.5 || 1.0
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2000 AFL season|2000]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 18 || 25 || bgcolor="DD6E81"| '''109''' || bgcolor="DD6E81"| '''60''' || 323 || 68 || 391 || 186 || 21 || bgcolor="DD6E81"| '''4.4''' || bgcolor="DD6E81"| '''2.4''' || 12.9 || 2.7 || 15.6 || 7.4 || 0.8
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2001 AFL season|2001]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 18 || 21 || bgcolor="DD6E81"| '''105''' || bgcolor="b7e718"| '''36''' || 244 || 49 || 293 || 158 || 23 || bgcolor="DD6E81"| '''5.0''' || bgcolor="b7e718"| '''1.7''' || 11.6 || 2.3 || 14.0 || 7.5 || 1.1
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2002 AFL season|2002]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 18 || 16 || 47 || 29 || 143 || 40 || 183 || 96 || 11 || 2.9 || bgcolor="CFECEC"| '''1.8''' || 8.9 || 2.5 || 11.4 || 6.0 || 0.7
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2003 AFL season|2003]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 18 || 22 || bgcolor="DD6E81"| '''93''' || 30 || 204 || 66 || 270 || 140 || 21 || bgcolor="DD6E81"| '''4.2''' || 1.4 || 9.3 || 3.0 || 12.3 || 6.4 || 1.0
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2004 AFL season|2004]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 18 || 24 || 96 || 39 || 228 || 49 || 277 || 134 || 35 || 4.0 || 1.6 || 9.5 || 2.0 || 11.5 || 5.6 || 1.5
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2005 AFL season|2005]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 18 || 20 || 59 || 29 || 181 || 51 || 232 || 104 || 23 || 3.0 || 1.5 || 9.1 || 2.6 || 11.6 || 5.2 || 1.2
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2006 AFL season|2006]]
|style="text-align:center;"|[[Essendon Football Club|Essendon]]
| 18 || 3 || 13 || 3 || 34 || 17 || 51 || 23 || 1 || 4.3 || 1.0 || 11.2 || 5.7 || 17.0 || 7.7 || 0.3
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2007 AFL season|2007]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 18 || 19 || 62 || 31 || 214 || 59 || 273 || 124 || 33 || 3.3 || 1.6 || 11.3 || 3.1 || 14.4 || 6.5 || 1.7
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2008 AFL season|2008]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 18 || 21 || 62 || 16 || 199 || 83 || 282 || 144 || 35 || 3.0 || 0.8 || 9.5 || 4.0 || 13.4 || 6.9 || 1.7
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2009 AFL season|2009]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ess}}
| 18 || 18 || 35 || 27 || 131 || 88 || 219 || 104 || 26 || 1.9 || 1.5 || 7.3 || 4.9 || 12.2 || 5.8 || 1.4
|- class="sortbottom"
! colspan=3| Career
! 270
! 926
! 424
! 2710
! 812
! 3522
! 1704
! 304
! 3.4
! 1.6
! 10.0
! 3.0
! 13.0
! 6.3
! 1.1
|}

==Honours and achievements==
{| style="margin-right:4px; margin-top:8px; float:right; border:1px #000 solid; border-radius:8px; background:#fff; font-family:Verdana; font-size:8pt; text-align:center;"
|- style="background:#fff;"
| colspan="2;" style="padding:3px; margin-bottom:-3px; margin-top:2px; font-family:Arial; "| '''[[Brownlow Medal]] votes'''
|-
! style="width:50%;"| Season
! style="width:50%;"| Votes
|-
| [[1995 Brownlow Medal|1995]]
| 0
|-
| [[1996 Brownlow Medal|1996]]
| 3
|-
| [[1997 Brownlow Medal|1997]]
| 7
|-
| [[1998 Brownlow Medal|1998]]
| 5
|-
| [[1999 Brownlow Medal|1999]]
| 9
|-
| [[2000 Brownlow Medal|2000]]
| 14
|-
| [[2001 Brownlow Medal|2001]]
| 15
|-
| [[2002 Brownlow Medal|2002]]
| 6
|-
| [[2003 Brownlow Medal|2003]]
| 14
|-
| [[2004 Brownlow Medal|2004]]
| 10
|-
| [[2005 Brownlow Medal|2005]]
| 3
|-
| [[2006 Brownlow Medal|2006]]
| 3
|-
| [[2007 Brownlow Medal|2007]]
| 0
|-
| [[2008 Brownlow Medal|2008]]
| 5
|-
| [[2009 Brownlow Medal|2009]]
| 3
|-
| '''Total'''
| '''97'''
|}

*'''Team'''
**'''[[AFL Premiership]] ([[Essendon Football Club|Essendon]])''': 2000
**'''[[McClelland Trophy]] ([[Essendon Football Club|Essendon]])''': 1999, 2000, 2001
**'''[[Australian Football League pre-season competition|Pre-Season Cup]] ([[Essendon Football Club|Essendon]])''': 2000
*'''Individual'''
**'''[[Coleman Medal]]''': 2000, 2001, 2003
**'''[[All-Australian team|All-Australian]]''': 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003
**'''[[List of Essendon Football Club leading goalkickers|Essendon F.C. Leading Goalkicker]]''': 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009
**'''[[List of Essendon Football Club captains|Essendon F.C. Captain]]''': 2006-2009
**'''[[Australian international rules football team|Australian Representative Honours in]] [[International rules football|International Rules Football]]''': 2001
**'''[[International Rules Series#Jim Stynes Medal|Jim Stynes Medal]]''': 2001
**'''[[Goal of the Year (AFL)|Goal of the Year]]''': 2007
**'''[[Mark of the Year|Alex Jesaulenko Medal - Mark of the Year]]''': 2008
**'''[[AFL Rising Star|AFL Rising Star Nominee]]''': 1996 (Round 19)
**'''[[Essendon Football Club#Champions of Essendon|Champions of Essendon - No. 22]]'''
**'''[[Australian Football Hall of Fame]] inductee'''

==Retirement==
On 23 September 2009, Lloyd announced his retirement to a packed media conference at the Essendon Football Club Hall of Fame. Although he had been offered another contract,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/news.asp?nid=7035 |title=Lloyd requests more time |publisher=Essendonfc.com.au |access-date=2012-09-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090923004305/http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/news.asp?nid=7035 |archive-date=23 September 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Lloyd said that "now is my time from a physical and mental point of view" and that he would "...prefer to go a year too early than a year too late."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/85180/default.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090925152221/http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/85180/default.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 September 2009 |title=Lloyd quits |publisher=Afl.com.au |date=2009-09-23 |access-date=2012-09-25}}</ref>

To celebrate Lloyd's career, the Coventry End of [[Docklands Stadium]] is renamed the Lloyd End for Essendon home games.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/honour-a-fitting-end-for-matthew-lloyd/story-e6frf9jf-1225809744183 |title=Honour a fitting end for Matthew Lloyd |publisher=Heraldsun.com.au |access-date=2012-09-25}}</ref>

In 2009, Lloyd was appointed assistant coach at the AIS-AFL Academy;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/sports/australian_football/news/afl_stars_lloyd_and_oloughlin_lend_support_to_emerging_talent |title=Lloyd and O'Loughlin Lend Support To Emerging Talent |publisher=Ausport.gov.au |access-date=2012-09-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110330165928/http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/sports/australian_football/news/afl_stars_lloyd_and_oloughlin_lend_support_to_emerging_talent |archive-date=30 March 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> however, he ruled out applying for an AFL coaching position.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theadvocate.com.au/news/local/sport/football-australian-rules/lloyds-coaching-aspirations-on-hold/2370200.aspx |title = Lloyd's coaching aspirations on hold {{!}} The Advocate {{!}} Burnie, TAS| date=24 November 2011 }}</ref>

==Media work==
Lloyd co-hosted children's AFL show ''Auskick'n Around'' on [[Fox Footy Channel]] with [[Brad Johnson (Australian footballer)|Brad Johnson]] from the [[Western Bulldogs]] from 2003 until it was cancelled at the end of 2005.

In 2006, Lloyd had a weekly spot as a panelist on [[Fox Footy]]'s ''White Line Fever'' and, after being forced to spend extended time off the field because of injury, he became recognised for his informative views on all things football – his roles included being a [[special comments]] commentator on [[Triple M]]'s football coverage as well as more regular appearances on ''[[The AFL Footy Show]]'' as a panelist.

In 2009, Lloyd appeared as a regular panelist on a new show, ''One Week at a Time'', as well as doing special comments on [[Network Ten]] and writing a regular column for  ''[[The Age]]'' newspaper. Following his retirement, Lloyd has been heavily involved in the media.

Lloyd signed with the Network Ten<ref>{{cite web|url=http://onehd.com.au/shows-matthew-lloyd.htm| title = OneHD: Matthew Lloyd profile| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110723224346/http://one.com.au/shows-matthew-lloyd.htm | archive-date=23 July 2011}}</ref> AFL team as an expert commentator for the [[2010 AFL season|2010]] and [[2011 AFL season|2011]] AFL seasons on Channel Ten and [[10 Bold|One HD]] (he had already provided special commentary during various matches of the [[2009 AFL season]] for the network), until [[Ten Sport]] lost the rights at the end of the 2011 AFL season. He also worked for radio station [[SEN 1116|SEN]], was a co-host of ''[[The Game Plan (AFL)|The Game Plan]]'' on One HD during 2011, and continued working for ''The Age''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.theage.com.au/afl/by/matthew-lloyd |title=The Age: Matthew Lloyd |access-date=31 March 2011 |archive-date=1 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110401095447/http://www.theage.com.au/afl/by/matthew-lloyd |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Lloyd's autobiography (co-authored with Andrew Clarke), ''Straight Shooter'', was released in July 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/matthew-lloyds-final-stand-for-the-bombers/story-e6frf9jf-1226098631937 |title=Lloyd's Final Stand for the Bombers |publisher=Heraldsun.com.au |access-date=2012-09-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/a-fear-of-failure-was-my-greatest-spur-from-the-very-start-20110720-1howe.html |title=A fear of failure was my greatest spur from the very start |date=20 July 2011 |publisher=Theage.com.au |access-date=2012-09-25}}</ref>

After Network Ten lost the AFL broadcasting rights, Lloyd joined the [[Nine Network]] for 2012 to be a panelist on ''[[The Footy Show (AFL)|The Footy Show]]'' and ''[[The Footy Show (AFL)|The Sunday Footy Show]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/tv-radio/channel-9-signs-matthew-lloyd/story-e6frf9ho-1226171130199 |title=Channel 9 signs Matthew Lloyd |publisher=Heraldsun.com.au |access-date=2012-09-25}}</ref> He also left SEN to join [[3AW]]'s AFL special comments team.

In 2013, he joined ''[[Footy Classified]]'' as a panelist alongside [[Gary Lyon]], [[Craig Hutchison (broadcaster)|Craig Hutchison]] and [[Caroline Wilson (journalist)|Caroline Wilson]]; as well as continuing his regular roles on ''The Sunday Footy Show'' and 3AW Football. Lloyd is also a recurring panelist on ''The Footy Show'' and on occasion appears on ''[[Nine News Melbourne]]'' to provide insights into the weekly round of matches.<ref>{{cite tweet |user=9NewsMelb |number=1045595844425072641 |date=28 September 2018 |title=Tomorrow's Grand Final tips with @MatthewLloyd18. Who will win? #9News }}</ref>

In March 2022, Lloyd announced on ''[[Footy Classified]]'' that he had [[Bell's palsy]], a form of facial paralysis.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-14 |title=AFL great Matthew Lloyd reveals shock health diagnosis |url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/essendon-bombers/afl-news-2022-matthew-lloyd-former-essendon-player-diagnosed-with-bells-palsy-facial-paralysis-symptoms-how-to-treat/news-story/e2aac72b5b973c3b6a14e7c9a7404d4a |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=Fox Sports |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-04-28 |title=A footy legend said 'heart issues and Bell's palsy has gone through the roof since the boosters'. Is he correct? |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-29/checkmate-matthew-lloyd-vaccine-side-effects-bells-pallsy-heart/101022222 |access-date=2023-10-02}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Matthew Lloyd opens up on his Bell's Palsy battle {{!}} "The worst part of it is I can't blink or shut my right eye properly, so your eye continually dries out, you have to tape it down to sleep." Matthew... {{!}} By Footy on Nine {{!}} Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/FootyonNine/videos/matthew-lloyd-opens-up-on-his-bells-palsy-battle/364868498983381/ |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=www.facebook.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Coaching career==
On 14 November 2014, it was announced that Lloyd would return to the Essendon Football Club as a part-time forwards coach, working closely with the club's forwards.<ref>[http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/2014-11-14/lloyd-back-in Lloyd Back In for 2015], Essendon Football Club official website, 14 November 2014</ref>

He currently coaches the school football side at [[Haileybury (Melbourne)|Haileybury College]] in Melbourne.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matthew Lloyd {{!}} TLA {{!}} Powered by TGI Sport |url=https://tlaworldwide.com/talent/matthew-lloyd/ |access-date=2024-03-04 |website=TLA}}</ref> 

==Personal life==
Lloyd's parents are [[John Lloyd (Australian footballer)|John]] and Bev Lloyd. John Lloyd played 29 games for [[Carlton Football Club|Carlton]] from 1965–1967 and coached the Braybrook Football Club to three premierships. The family moved to Scotland for three years because of John Lloyd's work and it was there that Lloyd played [[rugby football|rugby]] and [[soccer]] for his [[Currie]] club.

Lloyd has two older brothers, Simon, who is an assistant coach at the [[Geelong Football Club]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fremantlefc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/7009/newsid/104367/default.aspx |title=Assistant coaching role for Simon Lloyd |publisher=Fremantlefc.com.au |date=2010-10-22 |access-date=2012-09-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110302075336/http://www.fremantlefc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/7009/newsid/104367/default.aspx |archive-date=2 March 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and [[Brad Lloyd|Brad]], who is a former [[Hawthorn Football Club|Hawthorn]] player (and former captain of the [[Williamstown Football Club]]) and now head of football at the [[Carlton Football Club]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fremantlefc.com.au/Default.aspx?tabid=7009&newsId=55446 |title=National Recruiting Manager appointed |publisher=Fremantlefc.com.au |date=2008-02-20 |access-date=2012-09-25 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706104827/http://www.fremantlefc.com.au/Default.aspx?tabid=7009&newsId=55446 |archive-date=6 July 2011 }}</ref> as well as one older sister, Kylie, who is the Finance Manager at Nine Network Australia.

On 9 November 2002, Lloyd married his childhood sweetheart, Lisa-Marie Caparello, usually known as "Lisa", at [[Xavier College (Melbourne)|Xavier College]] Chapel. Their wedding was covered by ''[[New Idea]]'' magazine, and a documentary of the day, titled ''One Day in November'', was also aired on [[Fox Footy]] Channel. 
Lisa Lloyd appeared on [[The Footy Show (AFL)|''The Footy Show'']]'s singing competition, ''Screamers'', in 2005<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/news.asp?nid=4209 |title=Support our latest Bomber star |publisher=Essendonfc.com.au |date=2005-04-28 |access-date=2012-09-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050619023559/http://essendonfc.com.au/news/news.asp?nid=4209 |archive-date=19 June 2005 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and was also a regular presenter on [[Fox Footy]]'s ''Living With Footballers''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/03/31/1080544543170.html |title=Living With Footballers |publisher=The Age |date=2004-04-01 |access-date=2012-09-25}}</ref>

The Lloyds have three children: Jaeda Ruby (born December 2006),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/news.asp?nid=4978 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120913230751/http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/news.asp?nid=4978 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-09-13 |title=Lloyd Family Grows By One |publisher=Essendonfc.com.au |date=2006-12-16 |access-date=2012-09-25 }}</ref> Kira Grace (born September 2009)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/another-baby-girl-for-lloyd/story-e6frf7jo-1225769757156 |title=Another baby girl for Lloyd |publisher=Heraldsun.com.au |access-date=2012-09-25}}</ref> and Jacob Matthew (born November 2012).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/a/Lloyd-family-welcomes-baby-boy/10227 |title=Lloyd family welcomes baby boy |publisher=Essendon footy Club |access-date=2012-11-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121130214636/http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/a/Lloyd-family-welcomes-baby-boy/10227 |archive-date=30 November 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
*{{Cite book| first=Matthew |last=Lloyd | year=2011 |publisher=Random House Australia |isbn= 978-1-86471-293-3 |title=Matthew Lloyd: Straight Shooter}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
*{{Essplayer|ref=13223}}
*{{AFL Tables|ref=M/Matthew_Lloyd0.html}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110226171645/http://www.essendonfc.com.au/team/player-past.asp?id=542#profile Essendon Past Players Profile: Matthew Lloyd]

{{AFL Coleman Medallists}}
{{2000 Essendon premiership players}}
{{Essendon Football Club captains}}
{{Essendon leading goalkickers}}
{{1998 All-Australian team}}
{{1999 All-Australian team}}
{{2000 All-Australian team}}
{{2001 All-Australian team}}
{{2003 All-Australian team}}
{{Alex Jesaulenko Medal}}
{{Goal of the Year}}
{{1996 AFL Rising Star nominees}}
{{Jim Stynes Medal}}
{{1998 Australian international rules team}}
{{2001 Australian international rules team}}
{{1997 Victoria State of Origin players}}
{{1998 Victoria State of Origin players}}
{{1999 Victoria State of Origin players}}
{{1995 AFL pre-season draft}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lloyd, Matthew}}
[[Category:Essendon Football Club players]]
[[Category:Essendon Football Club premiership players]]
[[Category:Coleman Medal winners]]
[[Category:All-Australians (AFL)]]
[[Category:Victorian State of Origin players]]
[[Category:Champions of Essendon]]
[[Category:People educated at St. Bernard's College, Melbourne]]
[[Category:1978 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Australian rules footballers from Melbourne]]
[[Category:Western Jets players]]
[[Category:Australian Football Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Australia international rules football team players]]
[[Category:VFL/AFL premiership players]]
[[Category:People from the City of Moonee Valley]]