Warwick Capper

Warwick Capper
Born	Warwick Richard Capper (1963-06-12) June 12, 1963 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Occupation(s)	Australian rules footballer, media personality
Years active	1983–1992 (football)
Known for	AFL player for Sydney Swans and Brisbane Bears, Mark of the Year 1987

Warwick Richard Capper (born 12 June 1963) is a retired Australian rules football player who represented the Sydney Swans and the Brisbane Bears in the Australian Football League (AFL), previously known as the Victorian Football League (VFL). As a skilled full-forward, Capper amassed 388 goals across 124 games, finishing as the runner-up for the Coleman Medal twice, with his highest tally being 103 goals in the 1987 season. He also secured the Mark of the Year accolade in 1987 for one of his spectacular aerial marks.

Capper was widely recognized for his extravagant personality and unique style, which included a blond mullet hairstyle, brightly colored white or pink boots, and form-fitting shorts. He served as a significant promotional figure during the VFL’s expansion into New South Wales and Queensland. In the mid-1980s, he became the league’s top-paid athlete and was among the few players to achieve notable fame beyond the traditional Australian rules football heartlands. Off the field, he was associated with Swans owner Geoffrey Edelsten and ventured into pop music with his 1985 single "I Only Take What's Mine," which referenced luxury items such as Edelsten’s helicopter.

Following his retirement from professional football, Capper explored various media opportunities including comedy performances and a bid for political office in Queensland. His post-sport career also involved roles as a stripper, male escort, and working as a Surfers Paradise Meter Maid.

Early career

Raised in Huntingdale, an eastern suburb of Melbourne, Capper briefly attended Brighton Grammar School. His father Wally had played football in the Ovens & Murray League before an injury ended his playing days; he subsequently worked for Melbourne City Council. Warwick began his junior football journey at Northvale Junior Football Club in Mulgrave before moving to Oakleigh District Football Club, where he played alongside future VFL teammate David Rhys-Jones.

Capper was recruited by South Melbourne (which later became the Sydney Swans) and competed in under-19s football during 1980–81. He returned to Oakleigh District in 1982 to gain senior-level experience. After an impressive season that earned him best and fairest honors, he made his senior debut for the Swans in 1983 and relocated to Sydney as part of the club’s early establishment there.

VFL/AFL career

Capper was celebrated more for his marking prowess than for kicking precision, receiving multiple nominations for Mark of the Year and winning it in 1987 with a mark immortalized in Jamie Cooper's artwork The Game That Made Australia, commissioned by the AFL to commemorate its 150th anniversary.

During the 1987 season, he kicked 103 goals at an average of 4.48 per game and finished second in the Coleman Medal race twice—once in 1986 behind Brian Taylor and again in 1987 behind Tony Lockett.

His trademark look—long blond hair, deeply tanned skin, white boots, and tight shorts—captured the flamboyant spirit of the Sydney Swans during Geoffrey Edelsten’s ownership. Capper often traveled aboard Edelsten’s pink helicopters, further boosting his public profile.

At the close of 1987, Capper signed a three-year contract worth $350,000 with the Brisbane Bears, making him the highest-paid player in VFL history at that time. However, his output declined while at Brisbane, where he scored only 71 goals over 34 matches before returning to Sydney. He later competed at a semi-professional level with the Southport Sharks in 1992.

Outside of football, Capper released a pop single titled "I Only Take What's Mine" in 1985 and made a guest appearance on the soap opera Neighbours in 1986. Additionally, he featured in an adult film, contributing to his controversial public image.

Post-football career

Following his retirement from professional football, Capper has managed a combination of media engagements alongside various employment roles, such as working as a council roadworker. In 1993, he appeared with his then-wife Joanne Capper in the August edition of Australian Penthouse magazine and revealed intentions to pursue a career as a male stripper.

His connection to football persisted primarily through participation in the charitable E. J. Whitten Legends Game. In 2002, he briefly took on the role of skills coach at Southport.

In 2003, Capper made a guest appearance portraying AFL player "Dwayne Carey" in the third season of the television series Pizza. He was a frequent guest on programs like The AFL Footy Show and had a short stint on reality TV's Celebrity Big Brother Australia, from which he was removed due to inappropriate behavior.

Capper released his autobiography titled Fool Forward in 2005, where he confessed to using illegal amphetamines during his time in the VFL/AFL.

In 2006, he attracted media attention after an incident with film director Kayran Noskca that resulted in Capper sustaining a broken nose. Two years later, in 2008, he underwent cosmetic treatments including botox and liposuction and issued a challenge to former boxer Jeff Fenech for a fight. The next year, Capper took part in a charity boxing event against Wendell Sailor but was defeated.

2009 Queensland state election

Capper intended to stand as an independent candidate for the electoral district of Beaudesert in the 2009 Queensland state election, prompted by Pauline Hanson's decision to contest the seat. Nonetheless, his bid fell through after failing to meet the registration deadline on 3 March 2009. His campaign manager, Mark Jackson, commented that politics was not to be taken seriously. Although Zoo Weekly magazine sponsored Capper’s short-lived campaign, it denied accountability for missing the registration cutoff and attributed the failure to the campaign manager.

2009 to present

By late 2010, Capper became the spokesperson for Quickbeds.com, a budget accommodation platform, appearing in advertisements and promoting the site with the slogan 'cheap and easy – just like me'.

In 2011, he made a brief appearance during the premiere episode of The Joy of Sets, reconnecting with former hosts from Get This. He continued to feature in later episodes, often donning gold hotpants during reenactments.

Capper competed in The Celebrity Apprentice Australia, where he was the first participant eliminated. He remains active with celebrity guest appearances at various events and television programs, including regular segments on Richard Stockman’s Breakfast Show on SEN.

External links

• 60 minutes interview