John Noble (footballer)

John Noble
Personal information
Date of birth (1997-03-25) 25 March 1997 (age 27)
Original team(s) West Adelaide (SANFL)
Draft No. 14, 2019 mid-season draft
Debut Round 17, 2019, Collingwood vs. West Coast, at Optus Stadium
Height 180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight 72 kg (159 lb)
Position(s) Half-back/winger
Club information
Current club Gold Coast
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2019–2024 Collingwood 112 (8)
2025– Gold Coast 000 (0)
Total 112 (8)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of the 2024 season.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

John Noble (born 25 March 1997) is an Australian rules footballer playing for Gold Coast in the Australian Football League (AFL). Playing as a half-back or winger, he was selected in the 2019 mid-season draft after spending several years in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). He made his AFL debut late in the 2019 season.

SANFL career

Noble, originally from Adelaide, was born prematurely[1] as an identical twin. As a result, he was required to take medication during childhood which delayed his physical development.[2] He began playing for West Adelaide in the SANFL from 2016, playing 43 games and kicking 24 goals during his time at the club.[3] Noble represented his league in a 2019 match against a West Australian Football League (WAFL) representative side, laying four tackles and amassing 24 disposals.[4]

AFL career

Noble was recruited by Collingwood as a rookie with pick 14 in the 2019 mid-season draft, replacing Lynden Dunn after he was moved to the long-term injury list. The club's recruiting manager, Derek Hine, cited Noble's combination of speed and endurance, together with his performance in the state-league representative match as the reasons he was selected.[4] Ben Hopkins, West Adelaide's chief executive, congratulated Noble on his selection but pointed out the club's disadvantage and lack of compensation for losing him to the AFL.[5]

Noble initially wore guernsey number #49 at Collingwood.[6] He began playing in the club's reserves side in the Victorian Football League (VFL), and after three matches was called up to the AFL team in a round 17 match against West Coast.[2] Noble accumulated 17 possessions on debut but injured his calf. He returned in the last two rounds of the home-and-away season and went on to play in Collingwood's two finals.[7] Ahead of the 2020 season he re-signed with Collingwood until the end of 2021,[8] and inherited guernsey number #9 from Sam Murray, who had been delisted.[9]

Noble was elevated from the rookie list to a senior spot during the 2022 AFL draft.[10] Noble played every game of Collingwood's first-place home-and-away season in 2023, amassing a streak of 83 games, which was the highest of any mid-season draft pick at the time. However, Noble was omitted for Collingwood's qualifying final against Melbourne, and was not selected in the winning team of the 2023 Grand Final.[11] Noble made his return to the side in 2024,[12] playing a further 20 games, including his 100th game against Adelaide in round 10.[13] Due to family reasons, Noble requested a trade to Gold Coast at the conclusion of the season, despite being contracted until the end of 2026.[14] The trade was completed on 15 October.[15]

Family

Noble is the son of David Noble, a premiership player with North Hobart Football Club in the Tasmanian Football League,[16] and later a professional sports administrator with experience at Adelaide and the Brisbane Lions. Noble was able to use his father's connections, knowledge and advice to assist him as a prospective draftee.[1] David was appointed as the senior coach of North Melbourne in November 2020,[17] and would be sacked midway through the 2022 season after a series of poor results.[18]

Statistics

Updated to the end of the 2024 season.[19]

Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game) Votes
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2019 Collingwood 49 5 0 1 55 38 93 20 11 0.0 0.2 11.0 7.6 18.6 4.0 2.2 0
2020[a] Collingwood 9 17 2 0 161 116 277 56 29 0.1 0.0 9.5 6.8 16.3 3.3 1.7 1
2021 Collingwood 9 22 2 0 260 149 409 114 57 0.1 0.0 11.8 6.8 18.6 5.2 2.6 0
2022 Collingwood 9 25 0 0 291 149 440 116 66 0.0 0.0 11.6 6.0 17.6 4.6 2.6 0
2023 Collingwood 9 23 3 1 322 148 470 123 56 0.1 0.04 14.0 6.4 20.4 5.3 2.4 1
2024 Collingwood 9 20 1 1 235 143 378 93 54 0.1 0.1 11.8 7.2 18.9 4.7 2.7 3
Career 112 8 3 1324 743 2067 521 273 0.1 0.0 11.8 6.6 18.5 4.7 2.4 5

Notes

  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

  1. ^ a b Gabelich, Josh (21 September 2019). "Collingwood rookie John Noble has gone from stacking shelves to playing blockbuster games in a very short space of time". Fox Sports. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
  2. ^ a b Grieve, Charlotte (10 July 2019). "'Very overwhelming': Magpie Noble the third mid-season draftee set for AFL". The Age. Nine Entertainment Co. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
  3. ^ "13 John Noble". SANFL.com.au. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
  4. ^ a b McNicol, Adam (27 May 2019). "Pies make Noble choice". collingwoodfc.com.au. Telstra Media. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
  5. ^ "AFL criticised for having 'little or no regard' for state teams after players get poached in mid-season draft". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 28 May 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
  6. ^ Noble, John (17 July 2019). "John's Noble Prize". AFLPlayers. AFL Players' Association. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
  7. ^ Gabelich, Josh (9 October 2019). "Collingwood mid-season recruit John Noble to be rewarded for eye-catching first five games". Fox Sports. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
  8. ^ Gabelich, Josh (18 November 2019). "Collingwood re-signs mid-season rookie pick John Noble and first-round pick Isaac Quaynor for two more years". Fox Sports. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
  9. ^ "2020 AFL guernsey numbers revealed". collingwoodfc.com.au. Telstra Media. 4 December 2019. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
  10. ^ Lovett, Michael (March 2023). AFL Record Season Guide 2023. Australian Football League. p. 98. Draft history: 2019 Mid-Season Rookie Draft selection (Collingwood) No. 14; 2022 NAB AFL Draft rookie elevation (Collingwood).
  11. ^ Gabelich, Josh (9 April 2024). "'I'm getting emotional talking about it': Pie re-lives brutal axing".
  12. ^ Reid, Harrison (7 March 2024). "Collingwood confirm John Noble to make AFL return after premiership heartbreak as Charlie Dean handed debut". Seven Network.
  13. ^ "How Craig McRae decided to celebrate John Noble ahead of his 100th game!". 3AW. 18 May 2024.
  14. ^ Niall, Jake; Gleeson, Michael (27 August 2024). "Pie Noble asks for trade to Gold Coast". The Age.
  15. ^ @AFL_House (15 October 2024). "Three club trade approved" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  16. ^ "302. David Noble". Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  17. ^ "North Melbourne appoints David Noble to replace Rhyce Shaw as AFL head coach". ABC News. 20 November 2020.
  18. ^ Waterworth, Ben (12 July 2022). "David Noble was 'North's man' seven weeks ago. These 'issues' forced change – and he leaves with a horror record". Fox Sports.
  19. ^ "John Noble statistics". AFL Tables. Retrieved 23 September 2024.