Lovett-Murray has worked his backside off to play AFL football – his path to Essendon coming via North Ballarat Under 18s, Collingwood (rookie list), Williamstown, Heywood and the Bendigo Bombers. Even now he is only considered to be an elevated rookie – something that is certain to change next season.
In fact Lovett-Murray might have been expecting it to happen this season until Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy called him in pre-season and asked him to remain on the rookie list. His reasoning being that if he agreed to it, the club could use a selection at the pre-season draft.
Lovett-Murray made the sacrifice despite there being no guarantees that he would be elevated onto the senior list. It could have meant another season at the Bendigo Bombers. The deal done, Essendon went ahead and selected Ty Zantuck at that pre-season draft.
As fate would have it Lovett-Murray did get elevated to the senior list on the back of some serious injuries to some senior players. And he didn't let the opportunity slip playing some very good football in his new-found role in defence. Lovett-Murray has now played 37 games of senior football as an elevated rookie.
It was a significant punt for Lovett-Murray to take and one that was not forgotten by those who make the decisions on awards last night. He was rewarded tonight for such a selfless decision and he will be rewarded next year with a two-year deal as a senior listed player.
""It was a big decision by Nathan to do that but I think there were some other things about his football that also added up to him receiving the award,"" Essendon assistant coach Mark Harvey said.
""More than anything his commitment to playing at the top level has been outstanding this season. And there was no sign of him suffering a let down after his first year, in fact I think he took his game to another level playing down back as opposed to being a goalkicker. In some ways he helped us fill the void that was left by the retirement of Sean Wellman.""
