Josh Bruce
Bruce playing for St Kilda in 2017
Personal information
Full name Joshua Bruce
Nickname(s) Babie Jabie
Date of birth (1992-06-08) 8 June 1992
Place of birth Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Debut Round 5, 2012, Greater Western Sydney vs. Western Bulldogs, at Manuka Oval
Height 197 cm (6 ft 6 in)
Weight 102 kg (225 lb)
Position(s) Key forward
Club information
Current club Western Bulldogs
Number 17
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2012–2013 Greater Western Sydney 014 00(3)
2014–2019 St Kilda 099 (168)
2020–2023 Western Bulldogs 050 0(63)
Total 163 (234)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of the 2023 season.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Joshua Bruce (born 8 June 1992) is a former professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Western Bulldogs in the Australian Football League (AFL). He previously played for the Greater Western Sydney Giants between 2012 and 2013 and the St Kilda Saints between 2014 and 2019. Bruce was St Kilda's leading goalkicker in 2015 and the Western Bulldogs' leading goalkicker in 2021.

Early life

Bruce was born in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory and attended St Edmund's College and Canberra Grammar School. His older brother, Aaron, was rookie-listed by Sydney in 2008. Bruce played junior football for the Eastlake Football Club in the AFL Canberra competition. Greater Western Sydney drafted Bruce as an ACT zone selection to play with their TAC Cup team in 2010.[1] He continued to play with the Giants in 2011 while the club was competing in the North East Australian Football League (NEAFL).

AFL career

Greater Western Sydney (2012–2013)

Bruce made his debut in round 5, 2012 against the Western Bulldogs at Manuka Oval, in his home territory, as a late replacement for the injured Chad Cornes.[2] Bruce played just the three games in his debut season, kicking two goals. Bruce played in eleven games for just the one win in 2013, playing mostly as a key defender. At the end of 2013, Bruce was traded to St Kilda.

St Kilda (2014–2019)

Bruce at training in June 2015

Bruce played his first game for St Kilda in round 5, 2014 against Essendon. While quiet initially, he was tried as a forward in round 19 against Gold Coast. After a three-goal display, his next pre-season was spent training with the forwards. In 2015, he had a break-out year up forward, playing in all 22 games, and kicking a six-goal haul against Gold Coast and five-goal displays against Essendon (twice) and Adelaide. He went on to become St Kilda's leading goalkicker for 2015, kicking 50 goals and finishing eighth in that year's Coleman Medal tally. Bruce had a similarly consistent year in 2016; though he kicked less goals for the year, this still included another five-goal haul against Essendon. Bruce's output dropped slightly in the first half of the 2017 season, and he was dropped for the first time since 2014, having played every game in 2015–2016. Upon his return to the senior team, he kicked four goals against Adelaide and had an improved finish to the year.

At the conclusion of the 2019 season Bruce requested a trade to the Western Bulldogs. He was traded on 16 October.[3]

Western Bulldogs (2020–2023)

After a mediocre 2020 AFL season, Bruce stamped his credentials as one of the competition's menacing key forwards when he kicked 10 goals against North Melbourne in the 3rd round of the 2021 AFL season.[4] Bruce enjoyed a consistent year in 2021, kicking 48 goals in 20 matches before his season was cut short by an ACL rupture. On the 22nd of August 2023, Bruce announced his retirement effective immediately.

Statistics

Statistics are correct to the end of round 3 2021.[5]
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 473211617331220.70.35.35.711.04.00.7
2013 Greater Western Sydney 471110854713246270.10.07.74.312.04.22.5
2014 St Kilda 271041694511445160.40.16.94.511.44.51.6
2015 St Kilda 2722502416575240110562.31.17.53.410.95.02.5
2016 St Kilda 27223822127106233100591.71.05.84.810.64.52.7
2017 St Kilda 2720362714394237104411.81.47.24.711.95.22.1
2018 St Kilda 273401322351271.30.04.37.311.64.02.3
2019 St Kilda 2722362015110926096401.60.96.75.011.84.41.8
2020[lower-alpha 1] Western Bulldogs 1717148558113647280.83.24.88.012.81.62.5
2021 Western Bulldogs 1720482113828221100264.70.711.33.715.08.71.0
Career 133 199 105 858 607 1465 598 278 1.5 0.8 6.5 4.6 11.0 4.5 2.1

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.

Honours and achievements

Brownlow Medal votes
Season Votes
2012 0
2013 0
2014 0
2015 4
2016 1
2017 0
Total 5

Coaching

Bruce was appointed as the development coach of the Bulldogs' AFLW team in October 2021.[6]

References

  1. ↑ Player of the week: Josh Bruce
  2. ↑ Polkinghorne, David (28 April 2012). "Bruce well grounded for shock AFL debut". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
  3. ↑ @AFL_House (16 October 2019). "Trade paperwork lodged: St Kilda..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  4. ↑ Cleary, Mitch (2 April 2021). "Bruce boots massive bag in brutal demolition of dismal Roos". AFL Media. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  5. ↑ "Josh Bruce". AFL Tables. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  6. ↑ "AFLW Bulldogs confirm 2022 coaching panel". Western Bulldogs Media. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
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