Originally from Clare, South Australia, Hocking began training with South Australian National Football League (SANFL) club Central District aged sixteen and within 12 months made his SANFL league debut.
[3] He came off the interchange bench in Adelaide's Round One, 1991 and played ten further games that year.
[5] Hocking’s trademark was his ability to baulk the player on the mark when lining up for goal.
The clever onballer would make out he was going to take the set shot, and then at the last minute dodge around his opponent, who by that point was mid-air, and run into an open goal.
Hocking finished his SANFL career with the West Adelaide Football Club.