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 (1997-12-17) 17 December 1997 (age 26)
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

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Buckley 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

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Despite 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

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In 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

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Statistics are correct to the end of 2024[14]
Legend
  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
  1. ^ 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

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  1. ^ Gleeson, Michael (26 November 2017). "GWS Giants to pick son of North Melbourne boss in AFL rookie draft". The Age. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  2. ^ "Another Buckley Lands at the GIANTS". Greater Western Sydney Giants Media. 27 November 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  3. ^ "Giants snap up son of Kangaroos chairman". AFL Media. 26 November 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  4. ^ "Pocket Profile: Jack Buckley". Greater Western Sydney Giants Media. 22 August 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Jack Buckley". North Eastern Australian Football League. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  6. ^ a b Keenan, Claire (31 March 2018). "An Unconventional Rise To The Top". University of New South Wales. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  7. ^ "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.
  8. ^ Miller, Ryan (9 March 2020). "Riccardi and Buckley Star in NEAFL Pre-Season Clash". Greater Western Sydney Giants Media. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  9. ^ "Buckley to Debut". Greater Western Sydney Giants Media. 11 September 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  10. ^ "Round 17 • GWS Giants v Melbourne - Player Stats". Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  11. ^ Cleary, Mitch (27 November 2020). "UPDATE: Locked and loaded: What your club's 2021 list will look like". AFL Media. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  12. ^ "'100 per cent intensity': Swans coach reveals skipper's strict deadline to prove GF fitness". Fox Sports. 24 September 2024. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  13. ^ "Why Heeney's mum wants to hug a Giants defender". PerthNow. 8 September 2024. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  14. ^ "Jack Buckley". AFL Tables. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
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