Tom Lonergan plays game 200 against the Brisbane Lions on Saturday night. Lonergan becomes the 38^th Cats player to make it to the 200 game mark. Incredibly 16 of the other players on that list have been teammates of Lonergan’s. And ask all of them if they’ve had a more likable, resilient or inspirational teammate than Tom and the answer would be a clear no. So we look at the five reasons why Tom Lonergan should and will go down as a Cats great.

The making of “Domsy”

For his entire career Lonergan has been bestowed with the nickname “Domsy”. The nickname arose in the early months of Lonergan’s career at the Cats when he would have to miss multiple training sessions following long runs when he would suffered debilitating DOMS or Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. The nickname stuck even after he became one of the AFL’s most courageous and toughest players.

2007 VFL GF – Norm Goss Medallist

After disaster struck in the 2006 season (see below), 2007 would end up being a year of triumph for Lonergan. Following his return to football in June, Lonergan continued to work hard to get back to AFL football. Whilst an AFL opportunity didn’t arise in 2007 the year culminated in Lonergan winning the Norm Goss medal for best on ground in the VFL grand final. Lonergan turned the game single handedly in the third term booting five goals turning a 14 point lead at half time into a 61 point three quarter time lead. He’d boot one more goal in the final term before declaring in his emotional acceptance speech that it was the best day of his life.

Back to go forward

Following the sickening collision that saw Lonergan lose a kidney and nearly his life in round seven, 2006 many thought his ability to return to AFL football was slim. The year following the incident the Cats won the AFL premiership with a forward line of Cam Mooney and Nathan Ablett and with Tom Hawkins waiting in the wings. So not only would Lonergan have to get past the physical and mental scars he would also need to fight for his spot in a powerful forwardline.

When Lonergan made his AFL return in round 10, 2008 it was as a forward. And testament to what would come in his career he kept his spot for the rest of the season culminating in him booting the first and last goals of the 2008 grand final. 2009 didn’t provide as many opportunities for Lonergan but it did provide him with a turning point. With Tom Hawkins and Cameron Mooney solidified in the side which would go on to win the premiership, Lonergan began the first steps in becoming a defender. When Tom Harley retired following the 2009 triumph the Cats were in need of a reliable and hard key defender, Lonergan stepped up and the rest as they say is history. 

2011 AFL Grand Final

When Travis Cloke booted his third goal early in the second term of the 2011 grand final, Chris Scott made the move. Tom Lonergan was moved onto the big forward whilst Harry Taylor made his way to Chris Dawes. That was it for Cloke, as Lonergan blanketed him for the rest of the game, keeping him goalless and going a long way to winning the game for the Cats. Whilst Jimmy Bartel was incredible, Joel Selwood and Paul Chapman immense and Tom Hawkins dominant up forward, it could be argued that Lonergan’s influence on the game was the most important.  

The Buddy slayer

There are few pundits who don’t rate Buddy Franklin as one of the greatest to play our game. His athleticism, power and skill are nearly unmatched. But he’s found one player to be his kryptonite; Tom Lonergan. Since they began playing on each other in 2010, Franklin has averaged 2.5 goals per game against the Cats. This is well below his overall average in that time of 3.3 goals per game and his career average of 3.17 goals per game. Lonergan wears Franklin like a cheap suit when they play, much to Buddy’s chagrin. Across Franklin’s career very few players have been able to say they got the better of him but without doubt Lonergan has managed to do it, even through the most dominant period of Buddy’s career.