Josh Dunkley Explained

Josh Dunkley
Fullname:Joshua Dunkley
Birth Date:9 January 1997
Birth Place:Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Originalteam:Gippsland Power (TAC Cup)/Sale Magpies
Draftpick:No. 25, 2015 national draft
Height:191 cm
Weight:91 kg
Position:Midfielder
Guernsey:5
Years1:2016–2022
Games Goals1:116 (65)
Years2:2023–
Games Goals2:46 (8)
Games Goalstotal:162 (73)
Statsend:rd 23, 2024
Careerhighlights:

Joshua Dunkley (born 9 January 1997) is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Early life

Dunkley was born in Sydney, the second of three children to footballer Andrew and his wife Lisa.[1] After Andrew retired from AFL football in 2002, the family returned south to country Victoria and lived on a farm near Yarram in the Gippsland region.[1] Dunkley participated in the Auskick program at Yarram.[2] During his time playing for Gippsland Power, Dunkley developed into a promising leader (being the team captain in his final year), and his strong overhead marking skills, along with his ability to win the contested ball, had many comparing him to Sydney star Luke Parker.[3] He also spent time with Sydney's youth academy and played six games for 's VFL team in 2015.[3] In the lead-up to the 2015 AFL draft, Dunkley attracted keen interest from a number of clubs, especially his father's former club Sydney, but when the Western Bulldogs bid for Dunkley with the 25th selection,[4] Sydney chose not to match the bid. After losing players like Nick Malceski and Adam Goodes, the club were looking for players with strong kicking skills and although Dunkley was under serious consideration, it was felt that his kicking skills needed improvement. He thus became the first player under the new father–son drafting rules to have a draft bid placed on him which was not matched by his father's former club.[5]

He graduated from Gippsland Grammar School in 2014 and spent 2015 working at the school as a teacher's assistant prior to being drafted.[6]

AFL career

Dunkley made his AFL debut in round 1, 2016 against . He also scored his first AFL goal in that match.[7] After his performance against in round 20 where he recorded nineteen disposals, four tackles, three clearances, and three inside-50s, he was the round nomination for the Rising Star.[8] Dunkley would then go on to play a key role in the club's amazing finals campaign, showing composure beyond his years on the biggest stage. He kicked two goals in the 47-point upset of in the elimination final in Perth. Then the following week against in the semi-final, Dunkley was rated among the Bulldogs' best players, kicking a crucial goal in the second quarter as well as gathering 23 possessions in a memorable 23-point win. In the heart-stopping preliminary final win against, Dunkley again recorded over 20 possessions, and in the grand final against his father's side, he gathered 15 disposals and seven tackles. At 19, he was the youngest player in the premiership side.[9]

Following a best-and-fairest season for the Bulldogs in 2022, Dunkley requested to be traded to the Brisbane Lions.[10] He was traded on the final day of trade period.[11]

Statistics

Statistics are correct to the end of the 2021 season[12]

|-|- style="background:#eaeaea;"| scope=row bgcolor=F0E68C | 2016# |style="text-align:center;"|| 20 || 17 || 9 || 12 || 152 || 136 || 288 || 76 || 98 || 0.5 || 0.7 || 8.9 || 8.0 || 16.9 || 4.5 || 5.8|-! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2017|style="text-align:center;"|| 20 || 7 || 5 || 7 || 47 || 39 || 86 || 25 || 29 || 0.7 || 1.0 || 6.7 || 5.7 || 12.3 || 3.6 || 4.1|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2018|style="text-align:center;"|| 5 || 19 || 11 || 15 || 193 || 223 || 416 || 93 || 113 || 0.6 || 0.8 || 10.2 || 11.7 || 21.9 || 4.9 || 6.0|-! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2019|style="text-align:center;"|| 5 || 23 || 11 || 8 || 307 || 344 || 651 || 95 || 141 || 0.8 || 0.5 || 13.4 || 15.0 || 28.3 || 4.1 || 6.1|-style="background-color: #EAEAEA"! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2020|style="text-align:center;"|| 5 || 12 || 6 || 5 || 85 || 134 || 219 || 28 || 71 || 0.5 || 0.4 || 7.0 || 11.2 || 18.3 || 2.3 || 5.9|- class="sortbottom"|-! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2021|style="text-align:center;"|| 5 || 15 || 5 || 8 || 129 || 220 || 349 || 56 || 78 || 0.3 || 0.5 || 8.6 || 14.7 || 23.3 || 3.7 || 5.2|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"! colspan=3| Career! 93! 47! 55! 913! 1096! 2009! 373! 530! 0.5! 0.6! 9.8! 11.8! 21.6! 4.0! 5.7|}

Notes

Honours and achievements

2016

Notes and References

  1. News: The Australian. 27 September 2016. Courtney. Walsh. AFL grand final 2016: Josh Dunkley born to kick on grand final day.
  2. AFL Record. Round 1, 2022. pg 52
  3. News: Josh Dunkley must decide whether to nominate as father-son for Sydney. 18 November 2015. Sam. Landsberger. Herald Sun.
  4. Web site: Pick 25 - Josh Dunkley. westernbulldogs.com.au. 19 April 2016. WBFC - D.
  5. News: The Josh Dunkley dilemma: why Sydney opted out. 26 November 2015. Emma. Quayle. The Age.
  6. Web site: The Swans, or the draft? Josh Dunkley has time to make up his mind.
  7. Web site: Josh Dunkley. westernbulldogs.com.au. 19 April 2016. WBFC.
  8. Web site: Son of a gun's 'fairytale' continues with Rising Star. Guthrie. Ben. 8 August 2016. AFL.com.au. Bigpond. 8 August 2016.
  9. News: Leo. Schlink. Herald Sun. 2 October 2016. Western Bulldog Josh Dunkley could have easily been playing for Sydney in the AFL Grand Final.
  10. Web site: Dunkley requests a trade to Brisbane . 2022-09-19 . westernbulldogs.com.au . en.
  11. AFL_House. 1580126705309872129. 12 October 2022. Trade paperwork lodged..
  12. Web site: Josh Dunkley. AFL Tables. 1 March 2021.