The Loveable Larrikin

But statistics only tell part of the Stocky story. For his 100th game, someone at Boulder penned a wonderfully affectionate poem celebrating the little bloke with the Tiger heart. It remembered the injuries, the determination and the bloke who would always lend a hand on match day. It also captured his considerable enthusiasm for a good time, a beer, a dance and the occasional bit of mischief. The poem called him the club's “Loveable Larakin Lout” — an affectionate description that probably raised more than a few knowing smiles around the Boulder clubrooms. It was the sort of tribute that could only have been written about someone genuinely loved by his football family. Behind the humour was a deeper message. Stocky belonged. And Boulder belonged to Stocky.
 

Not Everyone Can Stay on the Bull

Then there is another side of Craig Stockwell. The unpredictable one. The bloke who could turn an ordinary moment into something worth remembering. Not everyone can stay on the bull. But Stocky? Different breed.
 

Tough. Unpredictable. And apparently built for the ride. The sort of character you could never quite predict — but you knew there was every chance of a story worth telling afterwards. And fortunately, some of those moments have survived on film.
 

The Ultimate Clubman

Football clubs need champions. They need premiership players, coaches, administrators and volunteers. But they also need the people who simply keep turning up. The ones who help without being asked. Who make others feel welcome. Who bring laughter into the clubrooms and carry the club's traditions from one generation to the next.

Stocky's contribution has never been confined to the football field. His 1999 tribute remembered him helping as a runner, carrying water and supporting the team even when injuries prevented him from playing. That willingness to contribute, whatever the role, says as much about the man as any premiership medal. Craig Stockwell is the ultimate clubman.