Nathan Wilson (footballer)

Nathan Wilson
Wilson playing for Greater Western Sydney in June 2017
Personal information
Date of birth (1993-01-07) 7 January 1993 (age 31)
Original team(s) Peel Thunder (WAFL)
Draft Underage recruit, Greater Western Sydney
Height 185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight 83 kg (183 lb)
Position(s) Defender
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2012–2017 Greater Western Sydney 77 (16)
2018–2023 Fremantle 78 (2)
Total 155 (18)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2023.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Nathan Wilson (born 7 January 1993) is a professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Fremantle Football Club and the Greater Western Sydney Giants in the Australian Football League (AFL).

AFL career

Wilson was recruited from Peel Thunder by Greater Western Sydney as an underage selection at the age of 17.[1] Wilson spent 2011 playing for GWS in the newly established North East Australian Football League (NEAFL), as preparation for Greater Western Sydney's entrance into the Australian Football League.[2]

Wilson made his debut in round 1 of the 2012 AFL season during Greater Western Sydney's inaugural game against the Sydney Swans at ANZ Stadium kicking a goal on debut.[3] He finished his debut season having played 9 games.[4]

At the end of the 2017 season, he was traded to the Fremantle Football Club.[5]

In April 2023 Wilson was subjected to racial and homophobic abuse on social media, along with teammate Michael Walters,[6][7] which was being investigated by AFL's integrity unit.[8]

At the conclusion of the 2023 AFL season, Wilson along with teammates Travis Colyer and Eric Benning were informed that they would not be offered contracts in 2024, seemingly ending Wilson's football career after 12 years in the AFL.[9]

Wilson continued playing for Peel Thunder during the 2024 WAFL season. Wilson was a key member of the Peel Thunder team that won the 2024 WAFL Premiership, and finished the season as their leading goal-kicker. After a successful professional career spanning almost 15 years in both the AFL and WAFL, he announced his retirement from football on the 16th of October, 2024, stating "It’s been a great one, to play over 150 AFL games is a dream come true and I’m thankful to every Club that has been involved with myself and family. To come back after my AFL career and to win a Premiership, it means a lot and I’m thankful to the Club".[10]

Statistics

Statistics are correct to the end of 2023[11]
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
2012 Greater Western Sydney 16 9 6 3 37 19 56 15 20 0.7 0.3 4.1 2.1 6.2 1.7 2.2
2013 Greater Western Sydney 16 4 0 1 16 7 23 10 12 0.0 0.3 4.0 1.8 5.8 2.5 3.0
2014 Greater Western Sydney 16 6 1 1 51 15 66 21 8 0.2 0.2 8.5 2.5 11.0 3.5 1.3
2015 Greater Western Sydney 16 13 2 2 102 50 152 41 23 0.2 0.2 7.8 3.8 11.7 3.2 1.8
2016 Greater Western Sydney 16 21 3 3 257 97 354 95 29 0.1 0.1 12.2 4.6 16.9 4.5 1.4
2017 Greater Western Sydney 16 24 4 4 329 89 418 101 46 0.2 0.2 13.7 3.7 17.4 4.2 1.9
2018 Fremantle 14 21 1 3 310 79 389 110 23 0.0 0.1 14.8 3.8 18.5 5.2 1.1
2019 Fremantle 14 18 0 3 256 66 322 66 22 0.0 0.2 14.2 3.7 17.9 3.7 1.2
2020[a] Fremantle 14 15 1 1 153 52 205 50 14 0.1 0.1 10.2 3.5 13.7 3.3 0.9
2021 Fremantle 14 18 0 4 233 71 304 74 18 0.0 0.2 12.9 3.9 16.9 4.1 1.0
2022 Fremantle 14 2 0 0 24 11 35 10 1 0.0 0.0 12.0 5.5 17.5 5.0 0.5
2023 Fremantle 14 4 0 0 44 17 61 22 2 0.0 0.0 11.0 4.3 15.3 5.5 0.5
Career 155 18 25 1812 573 2385 615 218 0.1 0.2 11.7 3.7 15.4 4.0 1.4

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. ^ Michell, Tim (2 December 2010). "GWS Giants snap up three of WA's top talents". Courier Mail.
  2. ^ "GIANTS defeat Thunder". gwsgiants.com.au. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  3. ^ "GIANTS first team annoucement [sic]". Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  4. ^ "Wilson Returns for GIANTS". gwsgiants.com.au. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  5. ^ "Dockers finally land Giant target - AFL.com.au". afl.com.au. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  6. ^ Bourke, Ed (11 April 2023). "Freo pair targeted with vile abuse". news.com.au. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  7. ^ Ryan, Peter (17 April 2023). "AFL 2023: Racism rampant as league braces for impact of Voice to parliament referendum". The Age. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  8. ^ Australian Associated Press (12 April 2023). "AFL opens investigations into racist abuse of four Indigenous players". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  9. ^ Smith, Martin (31 August 2023). "Dockers delist veteran pair as off-season changes begin". AFL.com.au.
  10. ^ Welhan, Monique (29 October 2024). "Peel Thunder's Nathan Wilson announces retirement after stellar footy career".
  11. ^ "Nathan Wilson". AFL Tables. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
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