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Luke Parker (footballer)

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Not to be confused with Luke Parks.

Luke Parker
Parker playing for Sydney in June 2017
Personal information
Full name Luke Parker
Date of birth (1992-10-25) 25 October 1992 (age 32)
Original team(s) Dandenong Stingrays (TAC Cup)
Draft No. 40, 2010 National Draft
Height 183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 85 kg (187 lb)
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current club North Melbourne
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2011–2024 Sydney 293 (213)
2025– North Melbourne 0 (0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2024.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Luke Parker (born 25 October 1992) is a professional Australian rules footballer who plays for the North Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He plays as a midfielder.

Originally from Langwarrin, Victoria, Parker played for the Dandenong Stingrays before being drafted by Sydney with the 40th pick in the 2010 National Draft. He made his senior debut in round eight of the 2011 season, and quickly established himself in the line-up. Parker won a premiership in his second season, and has since played in four more losing grand finals (in 2014, 2016, 2022 and 2024). He won the Bob Skilton Medal as Sydney's best and fairest player in 2014, 2017 and 2021. He also finished runner-up to Patrick Dangerfield in the 2016 Brownlow Medal, a season in which he was also named in the All-Australian team for the first time.

Early life

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Parker grew up in Langwarrin, Victoria, on Melbourne's south-eastern outskirts. He played both basketball and football as a youngster, eventually choosing to pursue the latter at the age of 16. In the TAC Cup, Parker played for the Dandenong Stingrays and won the club best and fairest in his first season. He made the TAC Cup Team of the Year in 2010, although he broke his jaw in the competition's preliminary final. Parker also played for Victoria Country in the 2010 AFL Under 18 Championships.[1][2]

Parker was educated at St Peter’s Catholic College in Cranbourne West.

AFL career

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Parker was drafted by Sydney with the club's second pick (and 40th overall) in the 2010 National Draft. He made his debut in Round 8 of the 2011 AFL season against Port Adelaide.[3] He received his first career Brownlow Medal vote in the Swans' Round 16 victory over the Gold Coast Suns where he had 26 disposals and kicked two goals, helping the side to its first win on the Gold Coast for twenty-four years.

It was an impressive debut year from Parker playing as small, tackling forward and in the midfield. He was compared to his teammate Jude Bolton, due to his hardness at the contest, strong tackling and ability to win contested possession.[4]

The young midfielder took a significant step forward in 2013, moving from a regular substitute at the back end of the previous season to a dangerous and highly valued member of the starting line-up. Playing every game, he averaged 21 disposals and five marks and proved a more than handy forward, finishing with 22 goals.

In 2014, Parker further made his mark on the team becoming the youngest player since Michael O'Loughlin in 1998 to be awarded the Bob Skilton Medal recognised by the coaches as the Swans' Best and Fairest. He also won the Paul Kelly Players’ Player award which is voted on each week by the playing group.

In 2015, Parker became a member of the leadership group, at just 22 years of age. His courage and determination on the field was recognised by his peers, as Parker won the Robert Rose Award for the AFL’s Most Courageous Player.[5] Unfortunately his season ended prematurely when he suffered a fractured fibula when had his right leg twist awkwardly in a tackle against Collingwood in round 20.[6]

Parker made a strong comeback in 2016, being awarded the Brett Kirk Medal (best on ground in the Sydney Derby) in round three.[7] He won the Most Courageous Player award for the second year running and polled second in the Brownlow Medal with 26 votes, only beaten by Patrick Dangerfield of the Geelong Cats. He was also rewarded with his first ever All Australian honours in a career best season.

Parker had a consistent year in 2017, averaging 25.4 disposals a game. After the Swans lost their first six games of the season, they would then only lose two of their last sixteen home-and-away matches. Parker's role in the Swans' form turnaround was particularly prominent, once again winning the Bob Skilton Medal.

Round 1, 2018, saw Parker kick a stunning goal from a bicycle kick that was shortlisted for the 2018 goal of the year.[8][9]

Parker played in the Swans team that lost the 2024 Grand Final to Brisbane.

In October 2024, Parker requested a trade to the North Melbourne Football Club.[10]

Statistics

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Updated to the end of the 2024 season.[11]

Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
  #  
 Played in that season's 
premiership team
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game) Votes
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2011 Sydney 26 13 8 8 71 81 152 28 24 0.6 0.6 5.5 6.2 11.7 2.2 1.8 1
2012# Sydney 26 19 5 5 140 164 304 54 53 0.3 0.3 7.4 8.6 16.0 2.8 2.8 4
2013 Sydney 26 25 22 12 265 259 524 76 125 0.9 0.5 10.6 10.4 21.0 3.0 5.0 0
2014 Sydney 26 25 25 14 286 362 648 104 151 1.0 0.6 11.4 14.5 25.9 4.2 6.0 12
2015 Sydney 26 19 18 14 219 267 486 65 40 1.2 0.8 11.6 14.5 26.1 4.0 5.0 9
2016 Sydney 26 26 25 18 330 369 699 90 170 1.0 0.7 12.7 14.2 26.9 3.5 6.5 26
2017 Sydney 26 24 14 17 304 304 608 85 134 0.6 0.7 12.7 12.7 25.3 3.5 5.6 16
2018 Sydney 26 22 25 9 261 245 506 88 123 1.1 0.4 11.9 11.1 23.0 4.0 5.6 10
2019 Sydney 26 22 13 7 302 256 558 91 114 0.6 0.3 13.7 11.6 25.4 4.1 5.2 16
2020[a] Sydney 26 17 6 5 190 187 377 54 84 0.3 0.3 11.2 11.0 22.2 3.2 4.9 15
2021 Sydney 26 23 15 8 298 343 641 87 106 0.6 0.3 13.0 14.9 27.9 3.8 4.6 17
2022 Sydney 26 25 14 10 320 291 611 103 150 0.6 0.4 12.8 11.6 24.4 4.1 6.0 16
2023 Sydney 26 23 9 5 269 274 543 86 114 0.4 0.2 11.7 11.9 23.6 3.7 5.0 10
2024 Sydney 26 10 14 4 81 60 141 32 23 1.4 0.4 8.1 6.0 14.1 3.2 2.3 0
Career 293 213 136 3336 3462 6798 1042 1459 0.7 0.5 11.4 11.8 23.2 3.6 5.0 152
  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

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Team

Individual

References

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  1. ^ Parker drives on
  2. ^ Young gun Luke Parker firing for Sydney Swans in AFL
  3. ^ Adelaide dump three players for clash with Suns
  4. ^ Bolton's record run spoiled, but Parker makes presence felt
  5. ^ "Sydney Swan Luke Parker the AFL's Most Courageous". AFLPA. 15 September 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  6. ^ "Season over for Parker as Swans count cost". 15 August 2015.
  7. ^ "Luke parker wins the brett kirk medal for best on ground. #goswans #aflswansgiants - scoopnest.com". Scoopnest. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  8. ^ The finalists: Coates Hire Goal of the Year | 2018 | AFL, retrieved 8 November 2023
  9. ^ Luke Parker's obscene bicycle goal - Round 1 2018 - AFL, retrieved 8 November 2023
  10. ^ https://www.sydneyswans.com.au/news/1670447/parker-requests-trade
  11. ^ "Luke Parker stats". AFL Tables. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
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