Luke Dunstan Explained

Luke Dunstan
Fullname:Luke Dunstan
Birth Date:1995 1, df=yes
Birth Place:South Australia, Australia
Originalteam:Woodville-West Torrens (SANFL)
Draftpick:Pick 18, 2013 National Draft
Height:185 cm
Weight:86 kg
Position:Midfielder
Guernsey:27
Years1:2014–2021
Games Goals1:116 (46)
Years2:2022-2023
Games Goals2:5 (0)
Games Goalstotal:121 (46)
Statsend:round 13, 2023
Careerhighlights:

2021

2022

Luke Dunstan (born 29 January 1995) is an Australian rules footballer currently playing for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL), having previously played for the St Kilda Football Club. As an under-18, he played for the Woodville-West Torrens Football Club in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL).

Career

Dunstan was drafted by St Kilda in the 2013 AFL Draft from the Woodville-West Torrens Football Club in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). Before he was playing for the Woodville-West Torrens Football Club, Dunstan played for South Clare Sports Club in the North Eastern Football League in the Mid North.

In Round 1, 2014, he played his first game for St Kilda against Melbourne. He was awarded the AFL Rising Star nomination for his performance.[1]

Dunstan became an integral part of St Kilda's midfield over the course of 2014 before bowing out after round 19 for shoulder surgery. Following his last game in round 23, St Kilda icon and Dunstan's mentor Lenny Hayes handed his number 7 guernsey over to Dunstan.[2] Soon afterwards, Dunstan signed a contract extension, keeping him at the Saints until 2017.

Dunstan turned his back on a potential move home to South Australia after playing an important role in the Saints' climb to ninth in 2016. The 22-year-old averaged 17 disposals from 18 games in 2016, before being forced to undergo his second shoulder reconstruction in three years – but this time to his opposite (left) shoulder.[3]

In 2017, Dunstan signed a two-year contract extension with St Kilda to remain at the club until the end of 2019.[4]

At the conclusion of the 2021 AFL season, Dunstan moved to as an unrestricted free agent.[5] The move was documented in the Stan series Show Me The Money.[6]

Statistics

Updated to the end of round 13, 2023.[7] |-| 2014 || || 36| 16 || 9 || 6 || 143 || 157 || 300 || 59 || 60 || 0.6 || 0.4 || 8.9 || 9.8 || 18.8 || 3.7 || 3.8 || 2|-| 2015 || || 7| 19 || 12 || 8 || 168 || 156 || 324 || 62 || 70 || 0.6 || 0.4 || 8.8 || 8.2 || 17.1 || 3.3 || 3.7 || 0|-| 2016 || || 7| 18 || 5 || 11 || 131 || 182 || 313 || 44 || 86 || 0.3 || 0.6 || 7.3 || 10.1 || 17.4 || 2.4 || 4.8 || 0|-| 2017 || || 7| 16 || 10 || 9 || 166 || 180 || 346 || 67 || 79 || 0.6 || 0.6 || 10.4 || 11.3 || 21.6 || 4.2 || 4.9 || 1|-| 2018 || || 7| 16 || 5 || 5 || 178 || 169 || 347 || 56 || 70 || 0.3 || 0.3 || 11.1 || 10.6 || 21.7 || 3.5 || 4.4 || 0|-| 2019 || || 7| 18 || 4 || 12 || 208 || 194 || 402 || 59 || 87 || 0.2 || 0.7 || 11.6 || 10.8 || 22.3 || 3.3 || 4.8 || 2|-| 2020 || || 7| 1 || 0 || 0 || 13 || 8 || 21 || 3 || 9 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 13.0 || 8.0 || 21.0 || 3.0 || 9.0 || 1|-| 2021 || || 7| 12 || 1 || 4 || 169 || 134 || 303 || 51 || 59 || 0.1 || 0.3 || 14.1 || 11.2 || 25.3 || 4.3 || 4.9 || 11|-| 2022 || || 27| 5 || 0 || 1 || 22 || 41 || 63 || 10 || 11 || 0.0 || 0.2 || 4.4 || 8.2 || 12.6 || 2.0 || 2.2 || 0|-| 2023 || || 27| 0 || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || |- class=sortbottom! colspan=3 | Career! 121 !! 46 !! 56 !! 1198 !! 1221 !! 2419 !! 411 !! 531 !! 0.4 !! 0.5 !! 9.9 !! 10.1 !! 20.0 !! 3.4 !! 4.4 !! 17|}

Notes

Notes and References

  1. News: Luke Dunstan wins AFL Rising Star award after debut for St Kilda. 24 March 2014. ABC News. 24 March 2014.
  2. News: Hayes passes No.7 to Dunstan. 31 August 2014. Morris. Tom. 31 August 2014.
  3. News: Important Saints duo locked in for two more. 24 March 2014. AFL.com. 7 October 2021.
  4. Web site: Caiafa . Alex . 2019-08-16 . Dunstan signs extension . 2022-03-17 . Zero Hanger . en-US.
  5. Web site: Dunstan checks in: Premiers score unwanted Saints ball-magnet . 2022-03-17 . afl.com.au . en.
  6. Web site: Pierik . Jon . 2022-02-09 . Dunstan shares trade period stress in new AFL documentary . 2022-03-17 . The Age . en.
  7. Web site: Luke Dunstan. AFL Tables. 7 October 2021.