Matt Rowell
Rowell playing for Gold Coast in 2021
Personal information
Full name Matthew Rowell
Date of birth (2001-07-01) 1 July 2001
Place of birth Sydney, New South Wales
Original team(s) Oakleigh Chargers (NAB League)
Draft No. 1, 2019 national draft
Debut Round 1, 2020, Gold Coast vs. Port Adelaide, at Metricon Stadium
Height 180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight 78 kg (172 lb)
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current club Gold Coast
Number 18
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2020– Gold Coast 62 (17)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of the 2023 season.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Matthew Rowell (born 1 July 2001) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Gold Coast Suns in the Australian Football League (AFL). Rowell was recruited by Gold Coast with the first selection in the 2019 AFL draft.[1] He was nominated for the 2020 AFL Rising Star award in round 2 of the 2020 season.

Early life

Rowell was born in Sydney, New South Wales[2] to a mother from Victoria and a father from Queensland.[3] The family moved to Melbourne when Rowell was a child and he began playing football when his father took him to Mont Albert to participate in Auskick.[4] He played majority of his junior football with the Canterbury Cobras and was touted as a future AFL player as early as the under 10 level.[5] As Rowell progressed through the junior ranks, he was given an opportunity to debut in the TAC Cup for the Oakleigh Chargers a month after his 16th birthday. Leading into the 2019 season, Rowell was considered the early favourite to be selected with the number 1 pick in the 2019 AFL draft.[6] He showed his worth by dominating for Victoria Metro at the AFL Under 18 National Championships and playing a pivotal role in Oakleigh's NAB League premiership season, including a Grand Final performance against the Eastern Ranges in which he recorded 44 disposals and two goals.[7] He was subsequently voted best on ground in the NAB League Grand Final and awarded U18 All-Australian selection.[8] Rowell attended Carey Baptist Grammar School with future Gold Coast teammate Noah Anderson throughout his teenage years.[9] The pair were instrumental in delivering Carey's second ever football APS Premiership in 2019 and raising the profile of the school's football program.[10]

AFL career

Gold Coast (2020–present)

2020

Rowell made his AFL debut against Port Adelaide at Metricon Stadium in round 1 of the 2020 AFL season.[11] It was reported before round 2, on 10 June 2020 that he signed a two-year contract extension to remain with the Suns until the end of 2023.[12] The following match, in just his second ever AFL game, Rowell was voted best on ground against one of the then-Premiership favourite teams, the West Coast Eagles, and was awarded the round 2 AFL Rising Star nomination for his 26-disposal, two-goal performance.[13] In round 3, Rowell produced another 20 disposals and two goals in Gold Coast's 53-point win over the Adelaide Crows in another best on ground performance.[14][15] Round 4 saw Rowell collect another 20 disposals and kick two goals against the Fremantle Dockers, in another best on ground performance.[15][16]

In the Suns' round 5 loss to Geelong, Rowell suffered a dislocated shoulder in the first quarter during a heavy tackle from Brandan Parfitt and took no further part in the game.[17] Rowell opted for surgery in order to repair his shoulder, a choice which caused him to be sidelined for three months.[18] The injury was likened to Gary Ablett Jr.'s 2014 injury of the same nature, and was deemed 'eerily similar' as almost six years to the day, Ablett also suffered a season-ending shoulder injury (to Brent Macaffer) during a tackle whilst playing for Gold Coast.[19][20] Both Rowell and Ablett were tackled by players wearing the number 3.[21][22] Ablett offered to be Rowell's mentor during his recovery as Ablett had experience with injury himself.[23]

Rowell’s performance in the early rounds of the year was widely considered extremely impressive, with commenters deeming him among the greatest first-year players.[24][25] Rowell was considered by Gavin Wanganeen at the time to be a potential contender for the Brownlow Medal.[26]

2021

Rowell returned from injury in round 1 of the 2021 AFL season, playing against the West Coast Eagles at Perth Stadium, on Sunday 21 March 2021. Early in the first term, Rowell was forcefully tackled by Zac Langdon, landing heavily on his left knee. He limped to the bench and was assessed in the medical rooms, following which he was substituted out of the game and replaced by Nick Holman. He later emerged with a knee brace.[27]

Coach Stewart Dew provided an update before the start of the third quarter:

It’s not ‘serious’ serious, but it’s serious enough that it’ll keep him out, from what we can tell right now, for a few weeks ... But we don’t think it’s anything too major.

On 23 March 2021, it was reported that scans had confirmed "a partial tear of his posterior cruciate ligament" and would be unable to play for 10 to 12 weeks.[28]

On 20 April 2021, it was reported that Rowell was on track for a mid-season return in round 14 against the Port Adelaide Power at Carrara Stadium.[29]

On 10 June 2021, it was reported that Rowell would be selected to play against Fremantle in round 13. "He's ready, he's absolutely ready", Coach Dew said. "Physically his body is better prepared than what it was leading into round one." "We're just excited he can play a game of footy again and the most excited person is Rowelly himself, which is great to see, it just shows what footy means to him and it's good to see that spring in his step again."[30]

Rowell played out the rest of the season, however played injured and looked "noticeably out of sorts", averaging just 14.1 disposals in the 2021 season, well below his output before his 2020 injury.[31]

2022

Following a "solid off-season",[32] Rowell returned in round one and produced a career best performance with 33 disposals (17 kicks and 16 handballs), 22 contested possessions, 10 score involvements, nine clearances and six tackles, in a 27 point win over the West Coast Eagles.[33][34] Rowell played all 22 home and away season games for the Gold Coast in 2022 at an average of 19 disposals. He signed a contract extension following the season, committing to the club through to the end of 2025[35]

2023

Rowell had another brilliant season in 2023 in which he played 23 out of 23 possible match for the Gold Coast Suns. Rowell received 12 Brownlow votes in 2023 including two 3 vote games (rounds 9 & 11) and polled the 2nd most votes for the Suns, only behind fellow young superstar Noah Anderson.[36]

Statistics

Updated to the end of the 2023 season.[37]

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
2020[lower-alpha 1]Gold Coast18 5603849874261.20.07.69.817.40.85.29
2021Gold Coast18 12206610316922490.20.05.58.614.11.84.10
2022Gold Coast18 2224214194408271580.10.29.78.818.51.27.24
2023Gold Coast18 2372273214487431900.30.111.99.321.21.98.312
Career 621765915601151964230.30.19.59.018.61.56.825

Notes

  1. ↑ The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Honours and achievements

References

  1. ↑ "SUNS take Matt Rowell with Pick 1". Gold Coast Football Club. Suns Media. 27 November 2019. Archived from the original on 28 November 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  2. ↑ "Matt Rowell was always driven to make it in the AFL". 24 November 2019.
  3. ↑ "Rowell and Anderson can lead Suns off the bottom: Pickering". 21 September 2019. Archived from the original on 5 December 2019. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  4. ↑ "Opposites attract: The origins of Rowell and Anderson's bond". 26 November 2019. Archived from the original on 5 December 2019. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  5. ↑ "From U10 rivals to teammates to best friends to picks No.1 and No.2?". 17 May 2019. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  6. ↑ "AFL draft 2019, best prospects, players to watch: Noah Anderson, Matthew Rowell, Will Gould, Luke Jackson". 21 March 2019. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  7. ↑ "Matt Rowell looks a certainty to go Pick 1 after being best on ground in 2019 NAB League Grand Final". 21 September 2019. Archived from the original on 1 May 2021. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  8. ↑ "AFL Draft 2019: Matt Rowell selected by Gold Coast Suns with number one pick". 27 November 2019. Archived from the original on 28 November 2019. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  9. ↑ "From school mates to top of the AFL draft". 26 November 2019.
  10. ↑ "How private schools have taken over the AFL". 23 November 2019. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
  11. ↑ Cheadle, Josh (19 March 2020). "Three debutants for season opener". Gold Coast Football Club. Suns Media. Archived from the original on 14 June 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  12. ↑ Gleeson, Michael (10 June 2020). "Young gun set to stay a Sun". The Age. Archived from the original on 14 June 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  13. ↑ McGarry, Andrew (16 June 2020). "Gold Coast Suns' winning return to football puts the spotlight on young gun Matt Rowell". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 17 June 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  14. ↑ "AFL Tables - Gold Coast v Adelaide - Sun, 21-Jun-2020 3:05 PM - Match Stats". afltables.com. Archived from the original on 19 January 2021. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  15. 1 2 "2020 Brownlow Medal: All the votes". www.afl.com.au. Archived from the original on 19 January 2021. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  16. ↑ "AFL Tables - Gold Coast v Fremantle - Sat, 27-Jun-2020 7:40 PM - Match Stats". afltables.com. Archived from the original on 22 January 2021. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  17. ↑ Twomey, Callum (4 July 2020). "Ablett offers to mentor Rowell after Sun's shoulder injury". Australian Football League. Archived from the original on 4 July 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  18. ↑ Ryan, Peter (7 July 2020). "Rowell out for three months after opting for shoulder operation". The Age. Archived from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  19. ↑ Coast, Gold (5 July 2014). "Gary Ablett injures shoulder against Magpies". The Age. Archived from the original on 29 March 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  20. ↑ "AFL 2020: Joel Selwood and Gary Ablett milestones, Matt Rowell shoulder injury, legacies enhanced". Fox Sports. 4 July 2020. Archived from the original on 29 March 2022. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  21. ↑ "AFL Tables - Gold Coast v Collingwood - Sat, 5-Jul-2014 4:40 PM - Match Stats". afltables.com. Archived from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  22. ↑ "AFL Tables - Geelong v Gold Coast - Sat, 4-Jul-2020 4:35 PM - Match Stats". afltables.com. Archived from the original on 23 January 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  23. ↑ "AFL - News, Fixtures, Scores & Results". afl.com.au. Archived from the original on 4 July 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  24. ↑ Elliott, Josh (17 June 2020). "Investigated: Is Matt Rowell the AFL's GOAT second-gamer?". The Roar. Archived from the original on 25 June 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  25. ↑ Jackson, Ed (14 June 2020). "Gold Coast's number one draft pick Matt Rowell stuns AFL with performance against West Coast". Perth Now. Archived from the original on 27 June 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  26. ↑ Cherny, Daniel (22 June 2020). "'Not out of the question': Could Rowell win the Brownlow?". The Age. Archived from the original on 27 June 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  27. ↑ "'It's hard to get your head around this': Suns hopeful Matt Rowell has escaped 'major injury'". Fox Sports. 21 March 2021. Archived from the original on 23 March 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  28. ↑ Gleeson, Michael (22 March 2021). "Rowell out for up to three months with knee injury". The Age. Archived from the original on 23 March 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
  29. ↑ "Rowell on track for AFL mid-season return". 7NEWS.com.au. 20 April 2021. Archived from the original on 19 May 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  30. ↑ "Dew confident 'hardened' Suns will buck trend of costly fadeouts". afl.com.au. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  31. ↑ "Can Matt Rowell get back to his best in 2022?". www.sen.com.au. Archived from the original on 11 February 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  32. ↑ "'I'll back myself': Suns coach opens up a contract pressure". Fox Sports. 25 February 2022. Archived from the original on 9 March 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  33. ↑ "Matt Rowell's act of courage was so inspiring the Suns coach showed it to his players post-match". Fox Sports. 21 March 2022. Archived from the original on 21 March 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  34. ↑ "AFL Tables - West Coast v Gold Coast - , 20-Mar-2022 4:40 PM (6:40 PM) - Match Stats". afltables.com. Archived from the original on 29 March 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  35. ↑ Whiting, Michael (12 December 2022). "Suns gun inks new contract after career-best year". AFL.com.au. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  36. ↑ "Brownlow Medal Votes 2023". Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  37. ↑ "Matt Rowell". AFL Tables. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
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