Trent Croad

Trent Eric Croad (born 9 March 1980) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League (AFL).
During his 222-game AFL career, he achieved some of the Australian Football League's highest honours including an AFL premiership medallion, All-Australian selection, representing Australia and Victoria on multiple occasions.

Born in New Zealand, the grandson of Eric Boggs, an All Blacks rugby union player between 1946–1949 including the tour of South Africa, Trent migrated with his family to Australia and grew up in Narre Warren in Victoria. He began playing at a young age with Endeavour Hills and the Narre Warren Junior Football Club and attended De La Salle College, Malvern.

He was scouted by recruiters and as an 18-year-old and nominated for the 1997 AFL Draft. Croad was invited to the AFL Draft camp where he set the draft camp record for a standing vertical jump at 83 cm, which remains a decade later.

Draft to Hawthorn

Hawthorn picked up Croad with the third overall selection in the draft. He started out as a defender, playing at either centre half-back or fullback. But he showed his versatility as his career went on, being able to play in any number of key positions.

Fremantle years

Croad was traded from Hawthorn to the Fremantle Dockers at the end of 2001. The picks given up by Fremantle were used by Hawthorn to select current Hawthorn stars Luke Hodge and Sam Mitchell, whilst Luke McPharlin joined Croad in moving west. While Croad was reasonable but not spectacular at the Dockers, in 2002, he was Fremantle's leading goalkicker with 42 goals. The following season Croad lost confidence and kicked 18 goals. He cited homesickness and asked to be traded back to Victoria at the end of 2003.

Return to Hawthorn

He was traded back to the Hawks, this time only in return for pick 10, which was used by Fremantle to select Ryley Dunn. Croad was told that he would be the centre half back, with a regular position his form improved once he went back to the Hawks, winning All-Australian selection in 2005.

Croad relished the responsibility of being the senior man down back being strong, athletic type who took the oppositions best forward each week. During the second quarter of the 2008 Grand Final Croad broke his foot, and leaving the ground with the aid of trainers he still managed to lay a bump on Geelong's Joel Selwood before playing no further part in the game. Hawthorn went on to win the match and Croad earned his first Premiership medallion in over 200 games of AFL football.

Croad missed the entire 2009 season because of his Grand Final injury and on 6 January 2010 he announced his retirement.

In 1999, he represented Victoria in State of Origin.
In October 2000 he represented Australia in the International Rules Series played in Ireland.
In 2005, he was an All-Australian selection.
In 2008, he again represented Victoria, playing on Hawthorn teammate Lance Franklin in the AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match.

Croad has a tattoo of the silver fern, the national emblem of New Zealand on the inside of his right arm.

On 14 October 2006, Croad married Tanya Stewart. Together they run a male hair-care company called Gear and they have two daughters, Kiera (born July 2007) and Sierra (born October 2009).

He met with his heroes, the All Blacks in June 2007.

Croad is engaged to actress Kym Valentine. In November 2015, they announced that they are expecting their first child together.

As part of the investigation by the Australian Crime Commission into drugs and organised crime in Australian sport, he was named by Fairfax Media newspapers as being involved in a peptide supply deal that was linked to the Comanchero Motorcycle Club, an outlaw motorcycle gang. Croad later announced that he would sue Fairfax Media for defamation over the story.