Sam Butler
Encyclopedia
Sam Butler is an Australian rules football
er in the Australian Football League
. He is a member of the West Coast Eagles
team who won the 2006 AFL Premiership.
Originally from the South Gawler Football Club
, he was recruited as the number 20 draft pick in the 2003 AFL Draft
from Central District as a silky skilled, smooth moving inside midfielder - very similar attributes to St Kilda midfielder, Lenny Hayes.
Sam made his debut for the West Coast Eagles in Round 10, 2004 against Richmond
, gathering 14 disposals, 5 marks and 1 goal in a 37 point win to the Eagles. He went on to play 12 games that season, including a losing elimination final against Sydney.
In 2005, he played 14 games for the club including the losing grand final against Sydney.
2006 was a much more successful seasons for Sam. He played his first game of the season in round 13 against the Western Bulldogs, picking up 22 disposals and 6 marks, and from that point on he never looked back, notching up a further 13 games (14 games in total for the season) and having a superb 2006 final series, in particular his performances against the Western Bulldogs in the semi final (30 disposal, 3 marks, 6 tackles) Adelaide in the preliminary final (22 disposals, 6 marks, 1 goal), as well as being part of the 2006 premiership winning team over Sydney.
In 2007, he struggled with a persistent groin injury (osteitis pubis) and was restricted in the games he played, not playing any AFL games and only playing a handful of WAFL and WAFL reserve games for Perth.
He has had a slow start to season 2008, having a modified pre-season training program due to his nagging groin injuries and played 5 games for his WAFL side Perth, playing 2 reserves games and 3 senior games. He was given a week off before making his return to the Eagles senior side against Sydney in Round 11.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
. He is a member of the West Coast Eagles
West Coast Eagles
The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
team who won the 2006 AFL Premiership.
Originally from the South Gawler Football Club
South Gawler Football Club
The South Gawler Football Club is a country Australian rules football club, founded by James Fitzgerald in the Gawler South area of the Barossa Valley town of Gawler, South Australia, in 1889. The Lions, who wear royal blue and white hoops, currently compete in the Barossa Light & Gawler Football...
, he was recruited as the number 20 draft pick in the 2003 AFL Draft
2003 AFL Draft
The 2003 AFL Draft was the 2003 instance of the AFL Draft, the annual draft of talented players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League...
from Central District as a silky skilled, smooth moving inside midfielder - very similar attributes to St Kilda midfielder, Lenny Hayes.
Sam made his debut for the West Coast Eagles in Round 10, 2004 against Richmond
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
, gathering 14 disposals, 5 marks and 1 goal in a 37 point win to the Eagles. He went on to play 12 games that season, including a losing elimination final against Sydney.
In 2005, he played 14 games for the club including the losing grand final against Sydney.
2006 was a much more successful seasons for Sam. He played his first game of the season in round 13 against the Western Bulldogs, picking up 22 disposals and 6 marks, and from that point on he never looked back, notching up a further 13 games (14 games in total for the season) and having a superb 2006 final series, in particular his performances against the Western Bulldogs in the semi final (30 disposal, 3 marks, 6 tackles) Adelaide in the preliminary final (22 disposals, 6 marks, 1 goal), as well as being part of the 2006 premiership winning team over Sydney.
In 2007, he struggled with a persistent groin injury (osteitis pubis) and was restricted in the games he played, not playing any AFL games and only playing a handful of WAFL and WAFL reserve games for Perth.
He has had a slow start to season 2008, having a modified pre-season training program due to his nagging groin injuries and played 5 games for his WAFL side Perth, playing 2 reserves games and 3 senior games. He was given a week off before making his return to the Eagles senior side against Sydney in Round 11.