Jack Buckley (footballer, born 1997)
Jack Buckley (born 17 December 1997) is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Greater Western Sydney Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was selected by the Greater Western Sydney Football Club as a Category B rookie from the NSW zone in 2017.[1][2] He is the son of former Australian rules footballer and former chairman of the North Melbourne Football Club, Ben Buckley.[3]
Jack Buckley | |||
---|---|---|---|
Personal information | |||
Full name | Jack Buckley | ||
Date of birth | 17 December 1997 | ||
Place of birth | Japan | ||
Original team(s) | UNSW-Easts (Sydney AFL) | ||
Draft | 2017 Category B Rookie Selection | ||
Debut | 12 September 2020, Greater Western Sydney vs. Melbourne, at The Gabba | ||
Height | 193 cm (6 ft 4 in) | ||
Weight | 87 kg (192 lb) | ||
Position(s) | Key defender | ||
Club information | |||
Current club | Greater Western Sydney | ||
Number | 44 | ||
Playing career1 | |||
Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
2018– | Greater Western Sydney | 66 (1) | |
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2024. | |||
Career highlights | |||
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com |
Early football
editBuckley played junior football for the Maroubra Saints, where he played in their Under 16 division's premiership.[4] Buckley played for the UNSW-Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs in the Sydney AFL league.[5][6] He was recruited as a part of the Sydney's academy team at the age of 12, but quit 3 years later at the age of 15 after he found the academy 'too intense'.[6] In the 8th round of his 2017 season with the Bulldogs, he won the league's rising star nomination after kicking four goals in his team's win.[7]
AFL career
editDespite being signed as a Category B rookie in late 2017, Buckley he did not debut for the Giants until late into the 2020 AFL season. After a strong 2020 pre-season, in one game kicking 7 goals in a 93-point win over the Canberra Football Club alongside teammate Jake Riccardi,[8] Buckley debuted in Greater Western Sydney's 5-point loss to Melbourne in the 17th round of the 2020 AFL season.[9] On debut, Buckley collected 12 disposals, 3 marks, 3 tackles and a clearance.[10] Buckley was upgraded from the rookie list at the conclusion of the season.[11]
Isaac Heeney mark
editIn GWS's 2024 qualifying final against Sydney, Sydney player Isaac Heeney took what many to be considered Mark of the Year with a high-flying specky over Buckley, although Heeney was ineligible for the award due to it being in a finals match, something that attracted criticism in the press.[12] In any case, Buckley received widespread respect and acclaim for his act of sportsmanship for holding Heeney's hand to ensure his fall was safe, as Heeney was otherwise falling head-first and could have suffered a severe injury had Buckley not intervened. Among the many that praised Buckley's quick thinking, Heeney's own mother public thanked Buckley on Facebook.[13]
Statistics
edit- Statistics are correct to the end of 2024[14]
G
|
Goals | K
|
Kicks | D
|
Disposals | T
|
Tackles |
B
|
Behinds | H
|
Handballs | M
|
Marks |
Season | Team | No. | Games | Totals | Averages (per game) | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G | B | K | H | D | M | T | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | ||||
2018 | Greater Western Sydney | 41 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
2019 | Greater Western Sydney | 44 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
2020[a] | Greater Western Sydney | 44 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 7 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5.5 | 4.0 | 9.5 | 3.5 | 2.5 |
2021 | Greater Western Sydney | 44 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 112 | 57 | 169 | 68 | 34 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 7.5 | 3.8 | 11.3 | 4.5 | 2.3 |
2022 | Greater Western Sydney | 44 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
2023 | Greater Western Sydney | 44 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 198 | 143 | 341 | 114 | 79 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7.6 | 5.5 | 13.1 | 4.4 | 3.0 |
2024 | Greater Western Sydney | 44 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 202 | 117 | 319 | 133 | 46 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8.8 | 5.1 | 13.9 | 5.8 | 2.0 |
Career | 66 | 1 | 2 | 523 | 325 | 848 | 322 | 164 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7.9 | 4.9 | 12.8 | 4.9 | 2.5 |
- ^ The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
References
edit- ^ Gleeson, Michael (26 November 2017). "GWS Giants to pick son of North Melbourne boss in AFL rookie draft". The Age. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- ^ "Another Buckley Lands at the GIANTS". Greater Western Sydney Giants Media. 27 November 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- ^ "Giants snap up son of Kangaroos chairman". AFL Media. 26 November 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- ^ "Pocket Profile: Jack Buckley". Greater Western Sydney Giants Media. 22 August 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- ^ "Jack Buckley". North Eastern Australian Football League. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- ^ a b Keenan, Claire (31 March 2018). "An Unconventional Rise To The Top". University of New South Wales. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- ^ "XBlades AFL Sydney Round 8 Men's Rising Star – Jack Buckley (UNSW Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs)". UNSW-ES Bulldogs Media. 8 June 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- ^ Miller, Ryan (9 March 2020). "Riccardi and Buckley Star in NEAFL Pre-Season Clash". Greater Western Sydney Giants Media. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- ^ "Buckley to Debut". Greater Western Sydney Giants Media. 11 September 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- ^ "Round 17 • GWS Giants v Melbourne - Player Stats". Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- ^ Cleary, Mitch (27 November 2020). "UPDATE: Locked and loaded: What your club's 2021 list will look like". AFL Media. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ "'100 per cent intensity': Swans coach reveals skipper's strict deadline to prove GF fitness". Fox Sports. 24 September 2024. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
- ^ "Why Heeney's mum wants to hug a Giants defender". PerthNow. 8 September 2024. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
- ^ "Jack Buckley". AFL Tables. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
External links
edit- Jack Buckley's profile on the official website of the Greater Western Sydney Giants
- Jack Buckley's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- Jack Buckley at AustralianFootball.com