Many a South Fremantle supporter would recall the flowing locks of Jamie Lockyer as he sprinted around the members wing on Fremantle Oval during the late seventies.Lockyer played just sixty one league games over five seasons with the Bulldogs, but firmly entrenched himself into the hearts of supporters with his fast running, tenacious style of play. While his size(five foot eight) was a disadvantage, Jamie didn’t necessarily see it as a negative. “I was often told I wasn’t big enough, but it made me all the more determined to succeed,” he said. He made up for his lack of inches with ball getting ability and pace, but it sometimes wasn’t enough for coaches. That changed when Malcolm Brown took over at South Fremantle. “Brownie showed a bit of faith in me. He was a good coach,” Jamie said. Son of a Swan Districts reserves player, Jamie Lockyer was outstanding in his junior days at Willagee, where he began as a nine year old playing in the under twelves, and was selected in Western Australia’s State Schoolboys side that competed in Melbourne in 1972, the same year  cousin Laurie McPherson became a premiership player with East Perth. Also in that schoolboys squad were Peter Le Cras, Larry Dwyer, Brad Reynolds, Mick Fuller, and Geoff Ironmonger, all of whom went on to play at league standard or higher. Jamie made the All Australian team that year.  Playing with South Fremantle’s fourths the following year, Lockyer made his league debut during the 1976 season, playing on East Fremantle and former South player Tony Micale. An electrifying player and crowd favourite from the start, Jamie found it hard to claim a permanent place in the side, due mainly to the presence of  Tony Morley and Allan Rose. In 1978 he showed his ability to perform in the big matches when prominent during the Bulldogs’ finals campaign. On a wing for the first semi final against West Perth and in the losing side to East Perth in the preliminary final, he was awarded the club trophy for best player in the finals. A hamstring injury caused Lockyer’s absence from the 1979 grand final side that lost to East Fremantle, but he was part of the action a year later, when South Fremantle defeated Swan Districts. “I’d been out of the league team earlier in the season, but Brownie brought me back for a mid season clash with Swan Districts, and put me on Phil Narkle,” Jamie said. “I guess we were similarly built players and I had the pace to match him. I must have gone alright because I stayed in the side and copped him again on grand final day.”Lockyer’s efforts in subduing the star wingman were a factor in the premiership win. It turned out to be Jamie’s swansong.“I’d recently qualified as a teacher, and was obliged to serve some time in the country,” he explained. “My wife Leonie and I decided to get that out of the way early. It was a tough decision, but one we never regretted. I was realistic about my place in the side.”The Lockyers moved to Exmouth for a three year stint, one that Jamie describes as some of the best years of his life. Jamie captain coached Towns to three flags in a row in a three team competition, with games played under lights on a Tuesday night. It was to be the beginning of a thirty year involvement in junior coaching for Lockyer, including the State under eighteens and at South Fremantle. He has spent the last seven seasons with Aquinas College, and was at the helm when the school’s 1st XVIII regained the Alcock Cup for the first time since 2003, going through the season undefeated with 9 wins and 1 draw from their 10 games.Still teaching, Jamie treasures his time at South Fremantle. “Playing on the centreline alongside Maurice Rioli and Benny Vigona was the pinnacle for me,” he said. “I have some extremely fond memories of those days.”  He also paid tribute to the support of his father, mother, and two younger sisters, who went to every game he played, and were a constant source of support.While not getting to many games in recent times, he still takes an interest in the red and whites. But his local allegiances end there. “When we played in the State Schoolboys Carnival in Melbourne we were billeted out, and the people I stayed with were avid St Kilda supporters and members of the club,” he said. “Since then I have been a Saints man.”Jamie and Leonie Lockyer’s four boys have shown sporting ability in various fields, with Ryan representing East Fremantle at league level, Adam playing in Aquinas’s first eighteen, Kyle is a two-handicapper at golf, and Kim was a member of the Western Australian team that won a gold medal at the 2006 Australian Volleyball Championships. He is a keen swimmer and is a regular on the annual Rottnest Swim.  Phil Narkle(Swans), Perth’s Alan Johnson, Phil Kelly(East Perth), and Alan Reid from East Fremantle were Lockyer’s nominations as hardest to beat, and, like most South players of his era, couldn’t separate Michael and Rioli as best team mate.  While his time on the WAFL stage was relatively brief, Jamie Lockyer was an exciting player, and a favourite with supporters. He has no regrets about his early exit from the league scene. “I loved my footy, but have enjoyed coaching just as much, with the added satisfaction of watching the young blokes progress in their careers.”