Rory Atkins

Rory Atkins
Atkins in June 2019
Personal information
Full name Rory Atkins
Nickname(s) Rat, Kenny
Date of birth (1994-07-12) 12 July 1994 (age 30)
Original team(s) Maribrynong Park
Calder Cannons (TAC Cup)
Draft No. 81, 2012 national draft
Debut Round 16, 2015, Adelaide vs. Port Adelaide, at Adelaide Oval
Height 186 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight 85 kg (187 lb)
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current club Port Adelaide
Number 32
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2013–2020 Adelaide 101 (47)
2021–2024 Gold Coast 37 (5)
2025– Port Adelaide 0 (0)
Total 138 (52)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2024.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Rory Atkins (born 12 July 1994) is a professional Australian rules football player who plays for Port Adelaide in the Australian Football League (AFL). He has previously played for Adelaide and for the Gold Coast.

AFL career

Adelaide

Atkins played seven matches for SANFL club Sturt in 2013, and twelve matches for Sturt's reserves team.[1] The following season, Adelaide's reserves team was introduced into the SANFL and Atkins played in their first ever game, kicking a classy goal in the second quarter of a 47-point loss to North Adelaide.[2] Atkins performed impressively throughout the season, averaging 19 disposals and six marks per match, twice being named as an emergency for the Crows' senior AFL side, and finishing 6th in the reserves team's Club Champion award.[3]

In February 2015, Atkins injured the posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, resulting in him being sidelined for three months.[4] He made a successful return to the SANFL with a career-best 32 disposals and 10 clearances in a 20-point loss to Central District.[5] After continuing to show good form, Atkins was selected in the AFL team's 25-man squad for the match against Geelong,[6] but the match was cancelled due to the death of coach Phil Walsh.[7] After returning to the reserves team the next week,[8] Atkins finally made his debut against Port Adelaide the week after.[9] He went on to play eight AFL games in the latter part of the season, making an impact with his pace and left-foot kicking.[10]

Atkins played his 100th AFL game in round 3, 2020, against Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium, but the milestone was not to be remembered as the Crows lost the match by 53 points.[11] In October 2020, Atkins exercised his rights as a free agent and joined Gold Coast on a four-year deal.[12]

Gold Coast

While struggling for selection at Gold Coast, Atkins was transformed into a rebounding defender under coaches Stuart Dew and Damien Hardwick. Following the departure of Dew as head coach, Atkins found good form, averaging 24.1 disposals in the last seven games of 2023.

In 2024, Rory Atkins prominently played in the VFL for Gold Coast's reserves. He finished second in the JJ Liston Trophy and was selected in the VFL Team of the Year.[13] Despite being contracted until the end of 2025, Atkins was officially traded away from the Suns in the 2024 trade period as part of a three-way trade involving Dan Houston, John Noble, Jack Lukosius, and Joe Richards.[14][15]

Statistics

Statistics are correct to the end of 2024[16]
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
2013 Adelaide 21 0 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
2014 Adelaide 21 0 — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
2015 Adelaide 21 8 4 0 62 41 103 26 9 0.5 0.0 7.8 5.1 12.9 3.3 1.1 0
2016 Adelaide 21 24 11 12 262 230 492 103 39 0.5 0.5 10.9 9.6 20.5 4.3 1.6 1
2017 Adelaide 21 25 11 8 307 229 536 118 61 0.4 0.3 12.3 9.2 21.4 4.7 2.4 10
2018 Adelaide 21 20 13 8 264 140 404 98 46 0.7 0.4 13.2 7.0 20.2 4.9 2.3 3
2019 Adelaide 21 20 6 9 296 135 431 115 31 0.3 0.5 14.8 6.8 21.6 5.8 1.6 1
2020[a] Adelaide 21 4 2 0 20 17 37 4 8 0.5 0.0 5.0 4.3 9.3 1.0 2.0 0
2021 Gold Coast 2 8 2 2 47 41 88 16 9 0.3 0.3 5.9 5.1 11.0 2.0 1.1 0
2022 Gold Coast 2 9 0 0 58 31 89 15 8 0.0 0.0 6.4 3.4 9.8 1.6 0.8 0
2023[b] Gold Coast 2 17 3 3 241 104 345 87 19 0.2 0.2 14.2 6.1 20.3 5.1 1.1 0
2024 Gold Coast 2 3 0 1 23 14 37 9 1 0.0 0.3 7.7 4.7 12.3 3.0 0.3 0
Career 138 52 43 1580 982 2562 591 231 0.4 0.3 11.4 7.1 18.6 4.3 1.7 15

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.
  2. ^ Statistics include 2 games when Atkins was used as the substitute (Round 15 & 16).

References

  1. ^ Phillips, Max (6 June 2014). "Rat on track". AFC.com.au. Adelaide Football Club. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  2. ^ Phillips, Max (6 April 2014). "Crows crash in SANFL opener". AFC.com.au. Adelaide Football Club. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  3. ^ Phillips, Max (15 December 2014). "Rory ready for next level". AFC.com.au. Adelaide Football Club. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  4. ^ Morgan, Kym (27 February 2015). "Three-month injury blow for young Crow Rory Atkins". The Advertiser.
  5. ^ Phillips, Max (30 May 2015). "Comeback Crows shine in SANFL". AFC.com.au. Adelaide Football Club. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  6. ^ "AFL: Two in mix to debut against Cats". AFC.com.au. Adelaide Football Club. 2 July 2015. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  7. ^ Ralph, Jon (3 July 2015). "Phil Walsh murdered: AFL confirms cancellation of Adelaide v Geelong, rest of Round 14 to go ahead". Herald Sun.
  8. ^ Phillips, Max (11 July 2015). "Dogs down courageous Crows". AFC.com.au. Adelaide Football Club. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  9. ^ Rucci, Michelangelo (17 July 2015). "Adelaide opts for second new Crow in two weeks with Rory Atkins to debut in Showdown 39". The Advertiser.
  10. ^ "Rory Atkins - AFC.com.au". AFC.com.au. Adelaide Football Club.
  11. ^ "Nicks says Crows in 'world of hurt' after Suns hiding". The Age. 22 June 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  12. ^ Twomey, Callum (30 October 2020). "Crow flies north: Suns secure free agent on lengthy deal". AFL Media. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  13. ^ "Atkins, Moyle named in VFL Team of the Year". goldcoastfc.com.au. 17 September 2024.
  14. ^ "Mega deal done! Five players move in three-club trade". afl.com.au. 15 October 2024.
  15. ^ @AFL_House (15 October 2024). "Three club trade approved" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  16. ^ "Rory Atkins". AFL Tables. Retrieved 2 April 2022.
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