Love him or hate him, Warwick Capper is one of the most flamboyant, self promoting and self loving Australian Rules players in the history of AFL Football, but beneath the extrovert personality, lies a very intelligent man who clearly knows how to use his body and mind to provide a very comfortable lifestyle.
Warwick Capper was born in Victoria, Australia.
Capper’s football career started playing alongside David Rhys Jones, in the under 11’s Oakleigh Dragons Football Club. After winning the ‘best and fairest’ award in 1974, it wasn’t long before he caught the attention of talent scouts.
By the end of the 1970s The South Melbourne Football Club had massive debts after struggling for so long and, despite strong supporter opposition, in the early 1980s they were given the “choice” by the VFL of relocation to Sydney or oblivion.
The Swans moved to Sydney (and the SCG) in 1982 as part of the VFL’s attempts to broaden its appeal, a move which ultimately culminated in its extension into a national competition, the AFL.
In 1984, Capper was recruited by the Sydney Swans to play the position of ‘forward’, after relocating to New South Wales.
In July 1985, history was made when Dr Geoffrey Edelsten became the first private owner of a major Australian Football Team. A year later Edelsten also tried to purchase the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks rugby league team, but his offer was refused by the games administrators.
It wasn’t long before Capper was making a name for himself at the club. With his blonde long hair, deeply tanned skin, white boots, and extremely tight shorts, Capper was more renown for his sex symbol status and marking ability rather than his kicking accuracy.
He went on to play 90 games and kick 317 goals during his 6 year reign with the Swans (1983 – 1987, 1991), before heading to the Brisbane Bears (1988 – 1990) for a three year stretch playing 34 games and kicking 71 goals. When Capper moved to the Brisbane Bears at the end of the 1987 season with a $350,000 three year contract, he became the highest paid player in the VFL. Capper didn’t play well at his new club, and for this reason, he returned to Sydney in 1991.
At the end of his VFL career, he returned to Queensland in 1992 to play semi-professionally with the Southport Sharks.
In 1985, Capper as a guest star joined the cast of the popular Australian soap ‘Neighbours’ playing himself. He also entered the recording studio to record his first and only single ‘I Only Take Whats Mine’.
Most people during the course of their life have at least one ‘real job’ but not Capper. Since retiring from football, Capper has juggled media appearances and various jobs. Some of his career choices were less than favourable for example
- A lollypop man/council roadworker
- He became a meter maid
- He has starred in his own porno movie
- Has worked as a stripper
- Charges $3,000 to show up at your function and talk about himself
- And his latest venture, charging die-hard fans $5,000 to spend a weekend with him in his Gold Coast Penthouse.
If that didn’t impress you enough, a Brisbane fast food chain now hopes to become Australia’s latest political party, with the former AFL star as its leader.
Its not Cappers first brush with politics. Capper ran for the position of Gold Coast mayor in 2007.
And back in 2009, he had intended to run against Pauline Hanson for the seat of Beaudesert in the Queensland State Election, but failed to register himself as a candidate before the nominated deadline. His first mistake might have been hiring fellow AFL football star Mark Jackson as his campaign manager. His second might have been letting ‘Zoo Weekly’ magazine bankroll it.
Regardless, Capper later would lay the blame on his financial backer, ‘Zoo Weekly’ magazine.
In 1993, Capper posed in an explicit pictorial with his then wife Joanne Capper for the August issue of Australian Penthouse Magazine.
More recently, he was kicked off of Celebrity Big Brother for exposing himself to fellow housemates, during an argument over celebs talking in the bedroom whilst Capper wanted to sleep. He was sacked by Mr Bouris on Celebrity Apprentice, after being called back into the boardroom for his lackluster attitude towards tasks set.
Capper also every now and then pops up on the Footy Show, most recently entering ‘Big Bills house’ (a comical sketch based on Big Brother) declaring to the housemates Same Newman, Shane Crawford and Garry Lyon that
‘Most people think I’ve got tickets on myself, well I say the concerts sold out”.
His latest venture is opening a café called ‘Capperchino’s. A nice little mix with words there for Cappa.
If your wondering what Cappers next move is, your guess is as good as mine. If you listen to rumours, there is talk about a reality show scheduled for 2018. A show as such would be right up his alley as Capper’s favourite topic is himself.
