Sam Butler

For other people of the same name, see Samuel Butler (disambiguation).

Sam Butler
Personal information
Full name	Samuel Butler
Date of birth	(1986-01-14) 14 January 1986
Original team(s)	Central District (SANFL)
Draft	20th pick, 2003 National Draft (West Coast)
Height/Weight	187cm / 82kg
Position(s)	Defender
Club information
Current club	West Coast
Number	26
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
2004–	West Coast	146 (16)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of rd10 2016 season.
Career highlights
South Australia under-18 team 2002, 2003 AFL Rising Star nominee 2004 West Coast Grand finalist Player 2005,2015 West Coast premiership side 2006 Chris Mainwaring Medal 2014 West Coast Grand finalist Player 2015

Samuel Butler (born 14 January 1986) is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League (AFL). A talented underage soccer player from Gawler, South Australia, who only took up football as a teenager, he was drafted by West Coast with the 20th pick at the 2003 National Draft, having played in a SANFL reserves premiership for Central District the year he was drafted. Butler debuted for West Coast during the 2004 season, and was nominated for the AFL Rising Star award. A mid-sized defender and occasional midfielder, he played in West Coast's 2006 premiership team, but missed the entire next season due to injury. Butler has struggled with injury throughout his career, only playing his 100th game during the 2013 season, ten seasons after his debut.

Career

From Gawler in country South Australia, Butler only took up football when he was a teenager, having previously played under-16 soccer for his state. He played junior football for the South Gawler Football Club (subsequently becoming the first South Gawler player in the AFL), and then for underage Central District Football Club teams. A member of the AIS/AFL Academy, Butler played for South Australia at the AFL Under 18 Championships in both 2002 and 2003, and also won a reserves SANFL premiership with Central District in the latter season. He went on to be drafted by West Coast with the 20th pick in the 2003 National Draft.

Butler 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. He notched 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.

Playing against Collingwood in round 20 of the 2014 season, Butler recorded 32 disposals and took 14 marks, both career highs. In the 2015 AFL Grand final, he was one of the Eagles best players during the game.

2015 was a succesfull year for Butler, he played a personal record of 17 games and was one of the best players for the Eagles in the 2015 Finals series. He was also in the top 5 best Eagles players in the 2015 AFL Grand final with 25 disposals. He is contracted with the Eagles till the end of 2016.

Statistics

Statistics are correct to the end of the 2014 season

Season	Team	#	Games	G	B	K	H	D	M	T	G	B	K	H	D	M	T
			Totals								Averages (per game)
2004	West Coast	26	12	1	2	87	77	164	33	16	0.1	0.2	7.3	6.4	13.7	2.8	1.3
2005	West Coast	26	14	3	2	103	62	165	51	18	0.2	0.1	7.4	4.4	11.8	3.6	1.3
2006	West Coast	26	14	6	5	156	123	279	58	59	0.4	0.4	11.1	8.8	19.9	4.1	4.2
2007	West Coast	26	0	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2008	West Coast	26	5	0	3	49	30	79	21	11	0.0	0.6	9.8	6.0	15.8	4.2	2.2
2009	West Coast	26	16	1	1	132	124	256	60	38	0.1	0.1	8.3	7.8	16.0	3.8	2.4
2010	West Coast	26	5	0	0	45	47	92	26	17	0.0	0.0	9.0	9.4	18.4	5.2	3.4
2011	West Coast	26	13	0	0	160	68	228	80	51	0.0	0.0	12.3	5.2	17.5	6.2	3.9
2012	West Coast	26	14	1	3	177	68	245	74	33	0.1	0.2	12.6	4.9	17.5	5.3	2.4
2013	West Coast	26	15	1	2	167	101	268	78	58	0.1	0.1	11.1	6.7	17.9	5.2	3.9
2014	West Coast	26	12	1	1	108	84	192	47	34	0.1	0.1	9.0	7.0	16.0	3.9	2.8
Career			120	14	19	1184	784	1968	528	335	0.1	0.2	9.9	6.5	16.4	4.4	2.8

Personal life

Butler married Natasha "Tash" Leembruggen, a Perth fashion designer, in October 2012, at a ceremony in the Barossa Valley.

See also

• List of AFL debuts in 2004
• List of West Coast Eagles players

External links

• Sam Butler's profile on the official website of the West Coast Eagles
• Sam Butler's statistics from AFL Tables