Matthew Lloyd only got to enjoy snippets of his illustrious career.



That was the by-product of being so driven by self-doubt throughout his 15 seasons and 270 games for Essendon, so nervous his place in the Bombers' forward line would be in jeopardy if he played two bad games in a row.



Even since the curtains closed on his red and black career at the end of 2009, the champion goalkicker has never felt he belonged among his media colleagues, like Dermott Brereton and Leigh Matthews.



Now, having been inducted straight into the Australian Football Hall of Fame after being out of the game the mandatory three years, he can comfortably do so.



"I'm humbled to be inducted because I never thought I was anything big or thought I was worthy of any accolades. It caps off my career," Lloyd said, adding the occasion will be one of the highlights of his life.



"Some players enjoy things during their career and it hurts them the year after, but I was always one who'd think 'OK, I've got to go better than the next year'.



"I never stopped to smell the roses, and that's one of the reasons I was fairly consistent through my career but also why I probably retired when I did.



"I was pretty drained and mentally fried by the time I was 31."



Lloyd was the quintessential spearhead: a strong, quick and physical full-forward who slotted goals from any angle or distance with his accurate left-foot kick.



Twice he reached the magical 100-goal milestone, but many times over he was imitated by Essendon fans around the country, Lloyd’s trademark toss of grass before every set shot becoming part of his lasting image.



He finished his career as Essendon's greatest goalkicker with 926 goals. He won the Coleman Medal three times, was All-Australian five times, and played a pivotal role in the Bombers' all-conquering 2000 premiership season.



Early in his career, Lloyd admits he was largely motivated by his goal tally. That changed in 1999, when Essendon grew into a powerhouse. He kept kicking goals, but Lloyd was finding the wins more enjoyable and that the losses hurt more. Particularly the one-point defeat in the preliminary final to Carlton when Essendon was red-hot favourites.



"That one still haunts me to this day. I think to myself I should have been a two-time premiership player and we all should have been. That was the one that really cost us by probably being asleep in that first quarter," Lloyd said.



The next year the club made amends, with Lloyd a central figure, booting four goals in the Grand Final triumph over Melbourne.



"There was a time in the fourth quarter of the Grand Final where I turned to James Hird and we just looked at each other and laughed with excitement. It was like 'How exciting is this? We've just won a premiership!' That moment I'll never forget."



Things changed for Lloyd in 2006, when he was appointed captain of Essendon. He had done a year's 'apprenticeship' to ready himself for the job, and started with an eight-goal haul over reigning premiers Sydney. Two weeks later, his season was over with a torn hamstring tendon.



He returned in 2007 and kicked 62 goals, and did the same in 2008. But Essendon was a shadow of its former self, and Lloyd's internal doubts were being matched externally for the first time.



"It was a really challenging last couple of years to my career. I had my own demons," he said.



"I thought I bowed out at a good time. You get to a point like now where I wouldn't have changed too many things, and for that I'm very proud."



That includes his bump on Hawk Brad Sewell in the last round of 2009, when Essendon needed a momentum shift to win the game, and in turn make the finals.



Lloyd was suspended for four weeks for the bump, and never played again. But his side made the finals – for the first time since 2004 – and Lloyd had support from people he respected.



"James Hird and Dermott Brereton left messages on my phone after the game, viewing it as an act of leadership which changed the course of the game," he said.



"It's something I'm not embarrassed about, because I did something for my team when it needed to be done."

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