Laura Gardiner
Personal information
Full name Laura Gardiner
Date of birth (2002-11-21) 21 November 2002
Original team(s) Geelong Falcons (NAB League Girls)
Draft No. 20, 2020 national draft
Debut Round 4, 2021, Geelong vs. St Kilda, at RSEA Park
Height 165 cm (5 ft 5 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current club Sydney
Number 31
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2021–2022 (S7) Geelong 18 (2)
2023– Sydney 12 (2)
Total 30 (4)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of the 2023 season.
Career highlights
Source: AustralianFootball.com

Laura Gardiner (born 21 November 2002) is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Sydney Swans in the AFL Women's (AFLW). She previously played for the Geelong Football Club from 2021 to season 7.

A hard-working midfielder, Gardiner has been a prolific ball-winner throughout her career. She set records for most disposals in a game in the NAB League Girls in 2020 with 38, and in the VFL Women's (VFLW) in 2021 with 49.[1][2] She also came within one disposal of the AFLW record in 2023 with 41.[3]

AFL Women's career

Geelong (2021–2022)

Gardiner was drafted by Geelong with pick no. 20 in the 2020 AFL Women's draft from local club the Geelong Falcons.[1] Gardiner made her AFLW debut in the Cats' 29-point loss to St Kilda in round 4, 2021, going on to play 3 senior games in her first season.[2] She played another 15 games for Geelong across the two seasons in 2022, but struggled to cement her position in the senior side and the midfield. Despite this, Gardiner performed strongly at VFLW level, winning Geelong's best and fairest in 2021 and being named in the team of the year in 2022.[4] She was traded to Sydney in exchange for pick no. 1 in the 2023 AFL Women's supplementary draft on the final day of the corresponding trade period.[5]

Sydney (2023–present)

Gardiner played all 12 games for Sydney in 2023 as the side reached its first ever finals series. She ranked third in the competition for both disposals and tackles as her consistent standout performances led to a runner-up finish in the AFL Coaches Association (AFLCA) Champion Player of the Year award. This was the only known case of an AFLW player polling votes from each coach in each game of a season.[6] Gardiner also earned her first All-Australian selection on the interchange bench, and was voted into the AFL Players' Association 22under22 team.[7][8]

Statistics

Updated to the end of the 2023 season.[9]

Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game) Votes
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2021Geelong18 3001820383190.00.06.06.712.71.06.32
2022 (S6)Geelong18 5012839675220.00.25.67.813.41.04.40
2022 (S7)Geelong18 1024485410224330.20.44.85.410.22.43.30
2023Sydney31 1222169180349321090.20.214.115.029.12.79.17
Career 3047263293556641830.10.28.89.818.52.16.19

Honours and achievements

References

  1. 1 2 "AFLW Draft Wrap". geelongcats.com.au. 6 October 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Laura Gardiner | AFL". sydneyswans.com.au. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  3. ↑ "Lethal Lions hit overdrive to record first Springfield win". afl.com.au. 17 September 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  4. ↑ McKirdy, Lachlan (8 September 2023). "AFLW news: Why Laura Gardiner moved from Geelong to Sydney". Daily Telegraph.
  5. ↑ "AFLW trade 2023: All the player movement as it happened". afl.com.au/aflw. 20 March 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  6. ↑ "Gardiner finishes second in AFLW Champion Player of the Year". sydneyswans.com.au. 8 November 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  7. ↑ "Eight straight for Kearney, 11 debutants in All-Aus team". afl.com.au/aflw. 27 November 2023. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  8. ↑ "STAR CYGNETS LEAD FINAL 22UNDER22". AFL Players' Association Limited. 21 November 2023. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  9. ↑ "Laura Gardiner – player stats by season". Australian Football. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
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