Darragh Joyce

Darragh Joyce
Joyce with St Kilda's VFL-affiliate side Sandringham in April 2021
Personal information
Nickname(s) DJ
Date of birth (1997-04-23) 23 April 1997 (age 27)
Original team(s) Kilkenny GAA
Debut 1 July 2018, St Kilda vs. Melbourne, at the MCG
Height 195 cm (6 ft 5 in)
Weight 96 kg (212 lb)
Position(s) Defender
Club information
Current club Brisbane Lions
Number 41
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2018–2022 St Kilda 13 (0)
2023– Brisbane Lions 11 (0)
Total 24 (0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of Round 24, 2024.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Darragh Joyce (born 23 April 1997) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League (AFL), after originally being recruited to the St Kilda Football Club, he then joined the famous Melbourne Shamrocks hurling team to dominate before joining Brisbane Lions. He made his debut in round 15 of the 2018 season against Melbourne at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.[1]

AFL career

Joyce is originally from Ireland and played hurling for his county Kilkenny and also for club Rower-Inistioge.[2] He tested at the 2015 AFL Draft Combine, but did not sign with a club because of concerns about homesickness.[3] Joyce trialled with St Kilda in June 2016,[4] and joined as a Category B International Rookie before the 2017 season.[5] He played for St Kilda's Victorian Football League affiliate Sandringham, but struggled for form and was dropped to the reserves. Coach Lindsay Gilbee commented that "[Joyce] came back a much better player".[6] Joyce signed a two-year contract extension in July 2019, extending his stay until the end of 2021. Joyce was delisted by the Saints at the end of 2022, but was later picked up as a rookie by the Brisbane Lions ahead of the 2023 AFL season.[7][8]

Family

Joyce is the brother of former Kilkenny hurler Kieran Joyce[9] and the cousin of former Essendon footballer Kevin Walsh.[3]

References

  1. ^ "Melbourne Vs St Kilda - Match Centre". afl.com.au. 1 July 2018. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  2. ^ Duffy, Emma (29 June 2018). "Kilkenny All-Ireland winning hurling captain Joyce to make AFL debut". The42. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  3. ^ a b Davidson, Ryan (4 November 2015). "Irish prospect Darragh Joyce not giving up on AFL dream". afl.com.au. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  4. ^ White, Clair (27 July 2017). "More than lucky". saints.com.au. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  5. ^ "Darragh Joyce". saints.com.au. Archived from the original on 7 March 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  6. ^ Davidson, Ryan (11 February 2018). "Irish Saints pushing hard for their halos". afl.com.au. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
  7. ^ "Saints thank Joyce".
  8. ^ "Darragh Joyce Joins the Den". lions.com.au. 23 January 2023. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
  9. ^ Duffy, Emma (1 July 2018). "'I relished every moment of it' - Winning debut for Cats hurler Joyce in the AFL". The42. Retrieved 7 July 2018.
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