Alex Witherden
Witherden playing for the Brisbane Lions reserves in April 2017
Personal information
Full name Alex Witherden
Date of birth (1998-09-10) 10 September 1998
Original team(s) Geelong Falcons (TAC Cup)/St Joseph’s
Draft No. 23, 2016 national draft
Debut Round 14, 2017, Brisbane Lions vs. Greater Western Sydney, at the Gabba
Height 188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight 80 kg (176 lb)
Position(s) Half-back flank
Club information
Current club West Coast
Number 23
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2017–2020 Brisbane Lions 59 (5)
2021– West Coast 44 (2)
Total 103 (7)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2023.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Alex Witherden (born 10 September 1998) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Early life

Witherden was a successful junior athlete in basketball and cricket but his biggest aspiration was to play in the AFL. He loved football so much that his mother forged his age in order to go to Auskick a year early.[1] He regularly played football above his age group as a junior for Barwon Heads in the Bellarine Football League, mainly playing as a midfielder.

In 2009 as a 10 year old he played under 12s and under 14s for Barwon Heads then he just played under 14s in 2010. In 2011 he moved to St Joseph's Football & Netball Club where he played two seasons of under 14s. Alex moved up to under 16s for 2013 and in 2014 he was named in the Vic Country team for the Under 16 National Championships. Witherden had arthroscopes on both hips at the end of the 2014 season.[2]

2015 was when Witherden made his debut for the Geelong Falcons in the TAC Cup as a bottom age player, he played 12 games and kicked 5 goals. He also played in the AFL Academy game on AFL Grand Final day, drawing strong praise from coach Brenton Sanderson.

Witherden's draft year started off strongly in 2016, he was named the captain of the Geelong College 1st XVIII football team after an impressive season in 2015.[3] Witherden played two Academy games and two Falcons games where he averaged 23 disposals and five marks per game in the TAC Cup, playing mostly as a skilful defender.[4] Playing for Geelong College in early May, Witherden was sick before the game so he was playing forward. Geelong College was losing by about 90 points when Witherden decided to put himself into the midfield for a centre bounce. He broke his leg in a tackle from fellow AFL prospect Tim Taranto who was playing for St Kevin's. Witherden's leg was in an awkward position when Taranto came down on it with his full body weight, Alex was in severe pain and had to be stretchered off the ground. He broke one of the bones in his right leg in four places, cracked another one and tore the syndesmotic ligaments which connect them. The injury meant Witherden would finish the most important year of junior football having played just two games of TAC Cup. He missed the Under 18 National Championships, the Under 18 All Stars match and was in doubt for the National Draft Combine, to which he was invited.

Witherden focused on his rehab, he rode an electric scooter around school as it was the best way to keep weight off his leg, he also hit the Geelong Falcons gym after dropping down to 75kg during his injury, his weight improved to 80kg and improved his diet, cutting down on his favourite McDonald's frozen Coke plus ate less bread. Where at one time he would have three or four sandwiches in his lunchbox, he then would opt for a chicken salad.[5] He took advice during the setback from fellow draftee and friend Jy Simpkin, who broke his right leg a month earlier[6] and Carlton player Darcy Lang who suffered a similar injury.[7]

AFL career

He was drafted by Brisbane with pick 23 in the 2016 national draft.[8] He made his debut in the loss to Greater Western Sydney at the Gabba in round 14 of the 2017 season.[9] After the thirty-one point loss to Richmond at Etihad Stadium in round 17, in which he recorded twenty-eight disposals and four tackles, he was the round nominee for the 2017 AFL Rising Star.[10] In 2018 Witherden became the 11th player to receive a second AFL Rising Star nomination after a match against Hawthorn.

After a difficult 2020 season in which he struggled to break into Brisbane's best 22, Witherden was traded to West Coast on a two-year deal.[11]

Statistics

Statistics are correct to the end of 2020.[12]
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
2017 Brisbane Lions 299201436921248230.20.015.97.723.65.32.6
2018 Brisbane Lions 292113336135471152340.10.216.06.422.47.21.6
2019 Brisbane Lions 29232333289421127380.20.014.43.818.25.51.6
2020 Brisbane Lions 296--92231153970.10.215.33.819.16.51.2
Career 59 5 6 903 316 1219 366 102 0.08 0.10 15.3 5.3 20.6 6.2 1.7

References

  1. ↑ "From top to bottom and back: Alex Witherden". Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
  2. ↑ "Riding a motor scooter helped draft hopeful Alex Witherden heal". 13 November 2016.
  3. ↑ "DraftSENtral | Witherden takes lessons from unlucky break".
  4. ↑ "Draft Watch Geelongs Alex Witherden - NAB League".
  5. ↑ "Riding a motor scooter helped draft hopeful Alex Witherden heal". 13 November 2016.
  6. ↑ "'The next Goddard' sinks teeth into Rising Star".
  7. ↑ "DraftSENtral | Witherden takes lessons from unlucky break".
  8. ↑ "Brisbane Lions select Alex Witherden with pick 23". Lions.com.au. Telstra. 25 November 2016. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  9. ↑ Hamilton, Andrew (23 June 2017). "Alex Witherden to debut for Brisbane Lions, Josh Schache building form in NEAFL". The Courier-Mail. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
  10. ↑ Gardiner, Gilbert (17 July 2017). "Brisbane Lions defender Alex Witherden earns AFL Round 17 Rising Star nomination". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  11. ↑ @AFL_House (12 November 2020). "Trade paperwork lodged. The Brisbane Lions trade Alex Witherden and Rd 5 (86) to the West Coast Eagles for Rd 3 (58) and Future Rd 3 Selection" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  12. ↑ "Alex Witherden". Retrieved 6 October 2020.
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