Unlikely and legendary career earns Allastair Pickett WA football hall of fame honour

Jarred Cross Published September 13, 2023 at 10.00am (AWST)

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After a career including two Sandover Medals and four premierships - mostly in his 30's, Allistair Pickett is now a WA Football Hall of Fame member. (Image: Subiaco Football Club Inc. Facebook)

Two-time Sandover medallist, Noongar man and owner of one of footy's more unique CV's, Allistair Pickett, entered the WA Football Hall of Fame on Monday night.

When many get to the age where the thoughts of hanging up the boots creep in, Pickett was only just getting started.

In a WAFL career spanning across three decades and three clubs, the small, quick, gifted midfielder and goal sneak won two league best-and-fairests and four premierships, mostly back-ended into his thirties.

After colts with East Perth a handful of senior games with West Perth in 1996, knee issues saw Pickett give the game away.

The Gnowangerup local headed back towards and spent some time playing in Narrogin.

In 2001, Five years on from his first go at WAFL footy, Pickett arrived at Peel with a bang as a 27 year old young again on the scene.

His first Sandover Medal, also Peel's first, came the following year despite suffering a broken jaw through the season.

After 22 games with the Thunder a move across to Subiaco came in 2003 ahead of an unmatched period of success for the club.

In an elite midfield, Pickett lifted four WAFL premierships with the Lions between 2004 and 2008.

He represented WA three times and took home a second Sandover medal during those years.

A favourite of umpires, Pickett picked up 115 points in the voting across four consecutive seasons.

"My role was to go out there and play the game and play the game the best that I could and, umpires thought that was good enough in 2002 and 2004," Pickett said at the Sandover awards ceremony on Monday.

He then stuck around to create another piece of history.

During the 2010 season, Pickett, with son Alliston, became the first father-son pair to play in the same league game.

He did eventually play his last WAFL game at 38 years old after 205 games and 259 goals.

Pickett was inducted into the states football hall of fame beside women's football pioneer, administrator and West Coast Eagles AFLW wellbeing manager Jan Cooper, Richmond premiership player Alex Rance and Claremont and North Melbourne icon Phil Krakouer.