Anthony Vallejo
“Chopper”
as he is known around the club. Anthony played all his junior football with St Marys where he played
44 U/18’s and 28 U/16’s where he became a bit of a goal sneak with 30 goals. In junior football He represented
the Northern Territory at Secondary Schoolboy level in 1994 and 1995 as NT vice Captain at U/18 level in 1996. He was a member of St Marys 1994/95 U/18 premiership side and
won the 1994/95 Haritos Medal for best on ground performance in the grand final
In 1995/96 Anthony won the
Abala Medal for that season as NTFL best and fairest in
The U/18 grade and was a member
of the 1995/96 Reserves premiership side. Anthony also won the second ever NT Thunder Rising Star award in 1997 and only one
of five St Marys players so far to win this prestigious award
The man with the cheeky smile
and very likeable personality commenced his league career as a backman in 1995/96 under the great John Taylor and cemented
his place in the league side in 1996/97. Anthony has played in 5 St Marys Premierships 1996/97, 2002/03, 2003/04, 2004/05
and 2009/10 being captain of the 2002/03, 2003/04 and 2004/05 sides.
He has been asked to perform
some big tasks on some very good centre half forwards and full forwards and vary rarely gets his colours lowered. Anthony
also played in two loosing grand finals in 1997/98 and 2005/06 but from season 2007/08 has played most of his games up forward
where he is a very good set shot for goal
Anthony was also invited down
south to play with the Eagles in the SANFL in 1997 where he played 17 U/19’s games and kicked 2 goals. He also played
2 reserve games in the same year, but the lures of home life were too great and to St Marys delight the next year stayed home
to embark on an NTFL career
In season 2005/06 Anthony played
his 150th League game which qualified him for
St Mary’s player Life
Member. Along with his brother Iggy who became an NTFL life member in 2008/09, Anthony became St Marys 11th 200
game player and St Marys 14th player NTFL life member in 2009/10 when he played his 200th game on 17/01/2010 against Palmerston. After 226 games and 119 goals and many injuries later
“Chopper” decided to hang up his boots against Darwin in Rd 14 of 2011/12 but he suddenly reappeared with the
Tiwi Bombers where he has added another 8 games and 5 goals to his total up to 2014/15
Anthony like Iggy is not only
a champion player but is a champion person and an absolute credit to his family. Anthony is happily married to his charming
wife Tracy and to make his life complete she has presented him with a future St Mary’s player whom they named Xavier
in 2004 and a future St Mary’s player for the Womens team in 2006 that they named Sienna
