Liam Jones

Liam Jones (born 24 February 1991) is an Australian rules footballer for the Carlton Football Club who plays as a Key Defender. He was drafted by Australian Football League (AFL) club Western Bulldogs in the second round of the 2008 AFL Draft. He made his debut against North Melbourne[1] in round 18 of the 2010 season. On 16 October 2014, Jones was traded to the Carlton Football Club and is contracted until the end of the 2022 season. Originally a Key Forward, Jones' switch to Carlton saw a revitalisation for his career as player, as he moved into a defensive position.

Liam Jones
Personal information
Date of birth (1991-02-24) 24 February 1991
Place of birth Tasmania
Original team(s) North Hobart Demons
Draft No. 32, 2008 National Draft
Height 198 cm (6 ft 6 in)
Weight 98 kg (216 lb)
Position(s) Key Defender
Club information
Current club Carlton
Number 14
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2010–2014 Western Bulldogs 66 (68)
2015– Carlton 60 (16)
Total 126 (84)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of round 1, 2020.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Early life

Growing up in Tasmania, Liam played his junior football with North Hobart Football Club before being selected to represent Tasmania's U18s. An Indigenous Australian,[2] Jones's father Bob Jones was also a professional footballer, playing with St Kilda.[3] Jones attended Scotch College, Melbourne as part of the school's indigenous program.[4]

AFL career

Western Bulldogs (2008–2014)

At the 2008 National Draft, Liam was drafted with pick #32 by the Western Bulldogs. He spent the 2009 season in the reserves as he was only 17.[5] He debuted in the 2010 season and averaged 9.4 disposals from 5 games.

In round 24, 2011, he was nominated for the AFL Rising Star award.[6] He was nominated after playing in his team's win against Fremantle where he scored 2 goals. He also got 9 disposals and 4 marks.

Jones showed promise and recorded good stats but remained on the fringes of a falling Western Bulldogs side. His stat averages were increasing but he still found himself being picked in less games.[7]

Carlton (2014–present)

Liam Jones was traded to the Carlton Football Club during the 2014 trade period in exchange for pick 46.That pick ended up being used to draft Caleb Daniel.[8]

Jones start to his career at Carlton was met with poor form and he only managed 9 games in his first season with the Blues. He didn't play his first game for the 2016 season until Round 5 against Fremantle, where he kicked 2 crucial goals to see Carlton win by 4 points.

Going into the 2017 season, Jones' AFL career seemed in jeopardy and he was unexpected to play much senior football. Playing for Carlton's VFL side, Jones was moved from the forward line to defense and began to excel in the role of shutting down the opposition's best key-position.[9] He was recalled to the senior team in Round 12 and played out the rest of the season. His performance in the second half of the year drew a lot attention and praise.[10][11] Liam Jones recorded an extremely elite level of spoils per game (10.7) largely due to his preference to punch the ball away instead of attempt a mark (he only recorded 5.1 marks a game). He continued this form into the next season with 7.6 spoils a game, 5.4 marks (1.5 contested, 3.6 intercept) a game, and even helped the team with 8.7 one percenters a game.[12]

Liam Jones signed a 2-year contract extension during the 2017 that would see him at Carlton until the end of 2019.[13] This decision prolonged his unrestricted free agency which would've been at the end of the 2017 season.

His 2019 pre-season was interrupted by a minor fracture to his left hand.[14] After a strong season, Jones had resigned with the Blues for 3 years which meant Jones would remain at Carlton until the end of the 2022 season.

Statistics
Statistics are correct to the end of round 1, 2020 [7]
Legend
 G  Goals  B  Behinds  K  Kicks  H  Handballs  D  Disposals  M  Marks  T  Tackles
AFL playing statistics
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game) Votes
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2009
 Western Bulldogs19000000000.00.00.00.00.00.00.00
2010
 Western Bulldogs1956237104720111.20.47.42.09.44.02.20
2011
 Western Bulldogs192019101366019696381.00.56.83.09.84.81.90
2012
 Western Bulldogs191299753310841190.80.86.32.89.03.41.60
2013
 Western Bulldogs191922151075416177281.20.85.62.88.54.11.50
2014
 Western Bulldogs1910124594110035191.20.45.94.110.03.51.92
2015
 Carlton1497946196531180.81.05.12.17.23.42.00
2016
 Carlton1489744347824181.10.95.54.39.83.02.30
2017
 Carlton141200954013556340.00.07.93.311.34.72.85
2018
 Carlton1417011245618092390.00.17.33.310.65.42.30
2019
 Carlton141300872911662290.00.06.72.28.94.82.2
2020
 Carlton14101549400.01.05.04.09.04.00.0
Career 126 84 58 815 380 1195 538 253 0.7 0.5 6.5 3.0 9.5 4.3 2.0 7

References
  1. Denham, Greg (3 August 2010). "Dogs' run on flag gathering pace – Stars aligning as key players return". The Australian.
  2. "Indigenous young gun Liam Jones puts his hands up for the Bulldogs". Marn Grook Footy Show. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  3. "Four Tasmanians shine in AFL draft". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 30 November 2011. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  4. Smith, Robert (May 2009). Shearer, Tim (ed.). "Two Scotch AFL draftees". Great Scot. Scotch College: 57.
  5. "Liam Jones (born 1991) - Draftguru". www.draftguru.com.au. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  6. Witham, Jennifer (5 September 2011). "Young Dog nominated". Australian Football League. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
  7. "Liam Jones". AFL Tables. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  8. Witham, Jennifer (10 October 2014). "Live: Cooney, Ryder among the deals done on Trade Period deadline day". Australian Football League. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  9. "Liam Jones, Carlton team, AFL 2017, defence, VFL stats, Northern Blues". Fox Sports. 30 May 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  10. "Liam Jones is the best story of the 2017 AFL season". The Roar. 12 July 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  11. "AFL players switching roles, Liam Jones stats in defence, change of position". Fox Sports. 7 July 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  12. "Stats Pro". afl.com.au. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  13. Pierik, Jon (16 July 2017). "Reborn Liam Jones signs two-year contract extension with Carlton". The Age. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  14. "Jones sustains minor hand injury". carltonfc.com.au. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
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