Jordan Gallucci Explained

Jordan Gallucci
Fullname:Jordan Gallucci
Birth Date:4 May 1998
Originalteam:Eastern Ranges (TAC Cup)
Draftpick:No. 15, 2016 national draft
Debutdate:Round 9, 2017
Debutstadium:the Gabba
Height:182 cm
Weight:76 kg
Position:Midfielder
Years1:2017 - 2020
Games Goals1:27 (19)
Statsend:2020 season

Jordan Gallucci (born 4 May 1998) is a former professional Australian rules footballer, last playing for the Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was drafted by Adelaide with their first selection and fifteenth overall in the 2016 national draft.[1] He made his debut in the 80-point win against the at the Gabba in round nine of the 2017 season.[2]

Early life

Gallucci grew up in the hills to the east of Melbourne.[3] He attended Yarra Valley Grammar School where he also starred at volleyball as well as football. In 2016 he captained the Eastern Ranges in the TAC Cup where he impressed as a midfielder-forward, kicking five goals and getting 21 disposals against the Western Jets late in the season. He was also a co-captain of Vic Metro in the 2016 AFL Under 18 Championships, where he ranked second out of all mid-forwards for metres gained.[4]

Gallucci was part of the 2016 Draft Combine, where he broke the record in the standing vertical jump test, reaching 89 cm. This broke the previous record of 88 cm and was 13 cm above any others at the combine that year. He also won the repeat sprint test and was in the top ten of both the running vertical jump test and the beep test.[4] In the leadup to the 2016 AFL draft, Gallucci attracted interest from the Adelaide Football Club.[3]

AFL career

Gallucci was drafted by the Adelaide Football Club with their first pick in the 2016 AFL National Draft, the fifteenth selection overall.[4] His good friend Myles Poholke was also drafted by the Crows with their second draft pick.[5] When he joined the team, Gallucci was given the number 7 jumper, which had previously been worn by dual premiership player Nigel Smart and club captain Nathan van Berlo.[6]

Gallucci got his first opportunity to play for Adelaide in the 2017 JLT Community Series. After being left out of the Crows’ side for the opening match, he played against, where he had nine possessions, including five in the last quarter, in a thrilling six-point win.[7] Once the AFL season started he was playing for the Crows’ reserves team in the SANFL. In the first match of the season against, he performed a full-body smother to help save the match, leading to a two-point victory for the Crows.[8] In an SANFL game against he injured his shin and was unable to play in the second half,[9] which caused him to miss the next game, but he was able to return for the SANFL Showdown against ’s reserves team.[10] He returned from injury well and finished with 24 disposals and five clearances against the Magpies.[11]

Gallucci made his AFL debut in an eighty-point win against the at the Gabba in round nine.[2] He finished with 11 possessions and a goal for the match,[12] which wasn’t enough to retain his position in the side as he was omitted from the team the next week.[13] He was selected as a non-playing emergency against, then returned to the SANFL side.[14]

Gallucci was among Adelaide’s best in the second SANFL Showdown of the season, with 24 possessions and seven tackles to his name in a 58-point loss, the side’s worst loss since joining the SANFL.[15] As his form continued to improve, he started to be selected more regularly as an emergency for AFL matches,[16] but his season came to a premature end when he was put on the long-term injury list after breaking his jaw in a SANFL match against and was ruled out for the rest of the season.[17]

Gallucci was delisted by Adelaide at the end of 2020 and he moved to Williamstown in the VFL where he played 24 games and kicked 17 goals in 2021 and 2022.

Player profile

As a junior, Gallucci was an outstanding athlete. He played as a midfielder capable of carrying the ball with pace, but also has the versatility to play across half-forward. He was a good mark with his powerful leap and had a strong work ethic. He showed leadership skills as well, being a co-captain of Vic Metro in the 2016 AFL Under 18 Championships and also captaining the Eastern Ranges in the TAC Cup.[4] He was described by four-time Hawthorn premiership player Gary Buckenara as a “polished player who has good pace and is very athletic”,[18] and his Eastern Ranges coach, former Essendon premiership player Darren Bewick, compared him favourably to 2016 Norm Smith medallist Jason Johannisen.[19]

Statistics

Statistics are correct to the end of the 2020 season[20]

|-|- style=! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2017|style="text-align:center;"|| 7 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 7 || 4 || 11 || 2 || 3 || 1.0 || 0.0 || 7.0 || 4.0 || 11.0 || 2.0 || 3.0|- style=! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2018|style="text-align:center;"|| 7 || 16 || 15 || 11 || 146 || 40 || 186 || 42 || 39 || 0.9 || 0.7 || 9.1 || 2.5 || 11.6 || 2.6 || 2.4|- style=! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2019|style="text-align:center;"|| 7 || 10 || 3 || 2 || 90 || 32 || 122 || 36 || 15 || 0.3 || 0.2 || 9.0 || 3.2 || 12.2 || 3.6 || 1.5|- style=! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2020|style="text-align:center;"|| 7 || - || - || - || - || - || - || - || - || - ||-|| - || - || - || - || -|- class="sortbottom"! colspan=3| Career! 27! 19! 13! 243! 76! 319! 80! 57! 0.7! 0.5! 9.0! 2.8! 11.8! 2.9! 2.1|}

Notes and References

  1. News: Jordan Gallucci recruited to Adelaide with pick No. 15 in AFL National Draft. Prime. Toby. 27 November 2016. Lilydale & Yarra Valley Leader. News Corp Australia. 23 May 2017.
  2. News: Hugh Greenwood makes sparkling AFL debut as Crows smash woeful Lions at the Gabba. Earle. Richard. 20 May 2017. The Advertiser. News Corp Australia. 23 May 2017.
  3. News: New Adelaide Crow Jordan Gallucci could be the next Rory Sloane. Fjeldstad. Jesper. The Advertiser. News Corp Australia. 26 November 2016. 17 October 2017.
  4. Web site: Pick 15: Jordan Gallucci. 25 November 2016. 17 October 2017. AFC.com.au. Bigpond.
  5. Web site: New Crows hope to deliver one-two midfield punch. Gaskin. Lee. 28 November 2016. 17 October 2017. AFL.com.au. Bigpond.
  6. News: Adelaide Crows' first round draft pick Jordan Gallucci to wear the No.7 jumper. Fjeldstad. Jesper. 30 November 2016. 17 October 2017. The Advertiser. News Corp Australia.
  7. Web site: Nine-touch Jordan Gallucci impresses Crows coach. Gaskin. Lee. 5 March 2017. 17 October 2017. AFL.com.au. Bigpond.
  8. Web site: SANFL Preview: Crows v Panthers. Phillips. Max. 11 April 2017. 17 October 2017. AFC.com.au. Bigpond.
  9. Web site: Injury Update: Round Five. 18 April 2017. 17 October 2017. AFC.com.au. Bigpond.
  10. Web site: SANFL: Gallucci good to go. Phillips. Max. 27 April 2017. 17 October 2017. AFC.com.au. Bigpond.
  11. Web site: All systems go for Gallucci. Phillips. Max. 29 April 2017. 17 October 2017. AFC.com.au. Bigpond.
  12. Web site: Match report: Crows soar back to top form. https://web.archive.org/web/20170315033448/http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2017/9/bl-v-adel. dead. 15 March 2017. Rugari. Vince. 20 May 2017. 18 October 2017. AFL.com.au. Bigpond.
  13. Web site: AFL Team: Experienced pair picked. 25 May 2017. 18 October 2017. AFC.com.au. Bigpond.
  14. Web site: SANFL: Menzel to make return. Phillips. Max. 1 June 2017. 18 October 2017. AFC.com.au. Bigpond.
  15. Web site: Port punish SANFL Crows. Phillips. Max. 8 July 2017. 18 October 2017. AFC.com.au. Bigpond.
  16. Web site: SANFL: Seven into squad. Phillips. Max. 20 July 2017. 18 October 2017. AFC.com.au. Bigpond.
  17. Web site: Adelaide's top draft pick Jordan Gallucci to miss rest of season with broken jaw. Capel. Andrew. 22 August 2017. 18 October 2017. The Advertiser. News Corp Australia.
  18. News: Crows' top draft pick Jordan Gallucci not feeling the pressure. Capel. Andrew. 28 November 2016. 17 October 2017. The Advertiser. News Corp Australia.
  19. News: 'High-end talent' — including speedster Jordan Gallucci — set to shine for Crows. Capel. Andrew. 3 March 2017. 17 October 2017. The Advertiser. News Corp Australia.
  20. https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/J/Jordan_Gallucci.html Jordan Gallucci's player profile at AFL Tables