On this day in 1999 a long-standing record was broken by a Swans great.

Although Collingwood had always been a major drawcard for any match, there was another far more impelling reason why 42,264 crammed into the SCG for the Round 10 Swans-Magpies match on June 6, 1999.  

Champion Sydney full-forward Tony “Plugger” Lockett was almost certain to break the career goalkicking record of 1299, which was held by Collingwood’s Gordon “Nuts” Coventry who played 306 games from 1920-37.

It had been thought that Coventry’s phenomenal record would stand forever, but Lockett kicked his 1300^th goal early in that SCG match against Collingwood.

At precisely 1.35pm that sunny Sunday afternoon, Lockett marked a low pass from his great mate, Swans captain Paul Kelly.

The SCG buzzed with excitement as Lockett went back for his kick about 35 metres from goal on a 45 degree angle .

Lockett slightly miskicked the ball and it wobbled, wobbled and wobbled towards goal rather than spinning through the air.

Never had so many people at a football match held their breath. Behind or goal? Would it be the record?

The ball might have floated awkwardly through the air but as soon the goal umpire gave his signal for a goal the crowd went berserk.

Thousands of Swan fans raced onto the ground to mob their goalkicking hero, who had to be shielded by teammates and security guards.  

Lockett said later of his famous shot for goal: “It was a shocking kick; it just floated through. But if you are going to duff it, you might as well duff it straight.”

Kelly said: “I always liked to think that I’d be the one who would give it (the pass) to him.”

With Lockett’s nerves about his 1300^th career goal out of the way, he went on to play a sensational part in the Swans’ 51-point defeat of Collingwood.

He finished the match with nine goals, while the Swans’ other best players included Leo Barry, Stuart Maxfield, Darryn Cresswell and Matthew Nicks.

Lockett went on to kick a career total of 1360 goals from 281 games at an average of 4.84 goals per game.

He kicked 898 goals from 183 games with St Kilda from 1982-94 and 462 goals from 98 games with the Swans from 1995-99 and in a brief comeback in 2002.

The man known as “the big fella” booted a goal with his first kick in League football and his 1360-goal haul is unlikely to be broken.

However, Lockett had one slight regret in his magnificent career, saying soon after his 1300^th goal that he would swap all his goals for one premiership medallion.

Of course, the closest he went to achieving his premiership dream was when he kicked six goals in the Swans’ 1996 Grand Final defeat by North Melbourne.