article on 'buckets'

[bayman]

Country and football mix ensures 'Buckets' gets his kicks
EMMA PARTRIDGE
10/11/2008 4:00:00 AM
AS Jason "Buckets" MacKenzie ran around the change rooms after his Dad's BSR footy games as an ankle-biter, little did he know that one day he would run into AAMI stadium as a SANFL star player.
The 28-year-old ruckman edged the Central Districts to victory in this year's SANFL grand final and took out the Jack Oatey medal.

And Jason says he owes it all to his country roots.

The Bulldogs player was born and bred in Clare and now calls Kapunda home with his wife Tabitha.

Mother Christie and father Herb run Anama at Clare, and did their fair share of kilometres to get Jason to the big smoke.

At the crack of dawn and sometimes travelling up to 100 kilometres, Christie and Herb would drive Jason and his brother Adam to footy games for North Eastern BSR.

"They carted me everywhere as a kid and sometimes training would be 40 or 50 km away," Jason said.

[Big Phil]

It's a great story that Buckets was lured back to Elizabeth, where he did play half a dozen underage games in the mid 90's...

He has proved that you don't have to be the most fittest looking player in the league to be a quality player and in the last few season he has gone on to be one of th most important cogs in Centrals midfield.

Let's hope Buckets goes around for at least another season and helps the Dogs continue their dominance of the SANFL in this decade.

[bayman]

He has proved that you don't have to be the most fittest looking player in the league to be a quality player and in the last few seasons

there are a few before him that have already proved it phil, carey, sashces, (not sure of spelling) your own wilbur wilson, darley etc etc

[Big Phil]

He has proved that you don't have to be the most fittest looking player in the league to be a quality player and in the last few seasons

there are a few before him that have already proved it phil, carey, sashces, (not sure of spelling) your own wilbur wilson, darley etc etc

Yeah, good point bayman...

There are a few people on here that aren't big fans of Buckets and he proved them wrong by being the player of the finals in season 2008

[bayman]

well they can't now phil as he turned 2 finals games by getting on top of his opponents & then with his dominance was the main reason central went top & in finals is where it counts the most

[Big Phil]

well they can't now phil as he turned 2 finals games by getting on top of his opponents & then with his dominance was the main reason central went top & in finals is where it counts the most

EXACTLY

A well deserved winner of the Jack Oatey Medal, the guy has a heart the size of Phar Lap and gives his all for the Red, White and Blue jumper

[Whitelinefever]

Thats one of the reasons I guess so many of us like the SANFL,we get to watch some true footballing talent,just because they all arent 6 foot 3 guys that can vertical leap x amount of cms,sprint 5 metres in under a second
There are heaps of guys who are REAL natural footballers such as Clayton,Allen,the Gowans,Mc Enzie,Dudig,Backwell,the list goes on,but for one reason or another ,whether it be pace ,size,and god knows what else,that the younger generation would say arent the stereotypical footballer.
But when it comes to natural football ability and for crowd pleasing heroics,these guys are all a pleasure to watch for us footy diehards.
Cheers

[EAGLES]

Is he only 28!


He looks about 48.