White Pages® News

How conventional are our footy champs?

September 20, 2011

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You probably know the number of goals they’ve scored in their career, the hot WAG they’re dating and the sportscar they drive, but do you know just how ordinary your favourite footy champs really are?

With AFL and rugby league football finals just around the corner, White Pages® has taken a closer look at Australia’s favourite footy champs to see just how their surnames measure up against the rest of the population. Using data from White Pages® books across Australia, we have broken down just who is popular on the field and in the White Pages® and who isn’t.

With Collingwood hoping to defend its AFL premiership this year, captain Nick Maxwell should have a pretty good cheer squad among the 1800 Maxwells listed in the White Pages® around Australia. He should definitely have the advantage over St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt, with just three Reiwoldt’s listed in the White Pages® across the country. If Geelong can keep kicking goals and secure a berth in the grand final, captain Cameron Ling will have some cheer squad recruiting to do with only 953 Lings listed in the White Pages® in Australia.

In rugby league, Melbourne Storm captain Cameron Smith might have genius football skills, but there are plenty of people who share his name. There are 59,755 Smiths listed in White Pages® around Australia. His rival Manly Sea Eagles captain Jason King is slightly more unique, with  11,907 Kings listed in the White Pages® around the country.

Brisbane Broncos captain Darren Lockyer might be one of rugby league’s most popular players, but when it comes to his surname’s popularity, he falls short. There are only 379 Lockyers listed in the White Pages® across the entire country.

So whose surname is as popular as a Brownlow Medal winner in a fan-packed MCG? St Kilda AFL midfielder Clint Jones has the second most listed surname in the White Pages® across Australia, Sea Eagles player David Williams has the third most listed surname, former St George Illawarra captain Nathan Brown comes in with the fourth most listed surname, while West Coast forward Callum Wilson comes in at fifth.

This footy season when you are cheering on your favourite player’s inspiring physical feats on game day, pause a minute and take solace in the fact that their surname makes them just like you after all.