Full name Callan Ward Name Callan Ward Career start 2008 | Position(s) Midfielder Weight 82 kg Height/Weight 185 cm / 83 kg Height 1.85 m | |
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Date of birth (1990-04-10) 10 April 1990 (age 25) Role Australian Rules Footballer | ||
Lifebroker mark of the year callan ward round 1 2014
Callan Ward (born 10 April 1990) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Greater Western Sydney Giants in the Australian Football League (AFL). He previously played for the Western Bulldogs between 2008 and 2011. Ward has served as Greater Western Sydney Giants co-captain since the club's inaugural season in 2012, and is also the current games record holder for the Giants with 131 games.
Contents
- Lifebroker mark of the year callan ward round 1 2014
- Callan ward tough nut
- Early life
- Western Bulldogs 20082011
- Greater Western Sydney 2012present
- Statistics
- Honours and achievements
- References
Callan ward tough nut
Early life
Ward is the grandson of former South Melbourne captain Bill Gunn, who played 104 games for the club between 1952 and 1959. Leading into the 2007 AFL draft, five player managers vied to represent him, and a week out from the draft he decided on Paul Connors, who also represented the likes of Chris Judd. Ward was selected by the Bulldogs with their second selection (number 19 overall) after being a mere 20 days old enough to nominate for the draft.
Western Bulldogs (2008–2011)
Ward made his debut against St Kilda in round 11 of the 2008 season, collecting 12 disposals and finishing with one goal. In his debut year, he played six games while juggling full-time football and his last year of high school. Having earned a regular spot in the team in 2009, Ward went on to have a breakout season, playing 22 games and earning an AFL Rising Star nomination for his performance against Fremantle in round 18. Ward missed the first half of the 2010 season through injury, but returned to play in the second half of the season and finals series. Ward had his best season for the Bulldogs in 2011, playing in all 22 games and averaging 21 disposals, including a 29-disposal, best-on-ground performance against Adelaide in round 13.
Greater Western Sydney (2012–present)
On 5 September 2011, Ward announced that he had signed with the Greater Western Sydney Giants; he was the second player to publicly announce his commitment to the new franchise club. Ward was also announced as one of three inaugural co-captains for the club, alongside Phil Davis and Luke Power. On 24 March 2012, in the Giants' debut AFL match against Sydney, he kicked the Giants' first ever goal. Ward went on to win the Giants' inaugural best-and-fairest award, named the Kevin Sheedy Medal after their coach, Kevin Sheedy.
Ward enjoyed a solid season in 2013, despite the club winning only one game for the year; Ward was named best-on-ground for his 31 disposals and four goals in that game, against Melbourne. Ward followed up with another consistent season in 2014, in which he polled fifteen Brownlow Medal votes. This included four best-on-ground performances, two of which were narrow seven-point losses to St Kilda and Hawthorn.
Ward had a career-best season in 2015, playing all 22 games and averaging 25 disposals, and polling a club-record nineteen Brownlow votes. Ward had another consistent season in 2016, during which the Giants made finals for the first time, securing their first finals win against Sydney, and fell six points short of making the Grand Final after losing to Ward's former club, the Western Bulldogs, at home.