Anthony Rocca
A Collingwood cult hero whose prodigious long kicking and contested marks thrilled AFL fans for over a decade.
Born 1977 (age 49)·Australian rules footballer, born 1977·Birthday: August 15·Generation X
Biography
Anthony Rocca possessed a weapon that made defenders nervous from the moment he crossed the center line: a monstrous right foot capable of launching goals from well beyond 50 meters. His career began in Sydney, but it was after his trade to Collingwood that he became a fan favorite. Rocca was not a sleek forward; he was a powerful, sometimes ungainly key position player who combined brute strength in marking contests with moments of breathtaking long-range accuracy. He formed a potent partnership with brother Saverio at the Magpies and was a central figure in their 2002 and 2003 Grand Final teams. While inconsistency and injury sometimes marred his output, on his day he was a match-winner who could change a game with a few explosive kicks. His legacy is etched in highlight reels of soaring bombs and the roar of the Magpie army.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Anthony was born in 1977, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Anthony Was Born
The biggest hits of 1977
#1 Movie
Star Wars
Best Picture
Annie Hall
#1 TV Show
Happy Days
Anthony's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1977Born
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1982Started school
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1990Became a teenager
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Could drive
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1995Could vote
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Turned 21
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2007Turned 30
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 40
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 49 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played 220 AFL games, kicking 415 goals, primarily for the Collingwood Football Club.
- Was a key forward in Collingwood's 2002 and 2003 AFL Grand Final teams.
- Won the Collingwood Football Club leading goal-kicker award in 1999.
- Represented Australia in International Rules football in 2000.
Did You Know?
He was originally drafted by the Sydney Swans with the second overall pick in the 1994 National Draft.
His younger brother, Saverio Rocca, also played for Collingwood and later had a notable career in the NFL as a punter.
Rocca famously kicked a goal after the siren to win a match against Richmond in 2004.
After retirement, he transitioned into coaching, serving as a development coach for North Melbourne.
“You back yourself from outside fifty, and the crowd roars when it goes through.”
