Luke Russell is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Penguin Football Club in the Tasmanian North West Football League (NWFL). Formerly a player in the Australian Football League (AFL), he was drafted by Gold Coast Football Club as an underage player from Burnie Dockers. He made his AFL debut against Melbourne[1] in round 4 of the 2011 season.

Luke Russell
Russell playing for Gold Coast in 2012
Personal information
Full nameLuke Russell
Date of birth (1992-01-24) 24 January 1992 (age 32)
Place of birthBurnie, Tasmania, Australia
Original team(s)Burnie Dockers (TFL)
DraftUnderage recruit, Gold Coast
Height186 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight90 kg (198 lb)
Position(s)Forward / Midfielder
Club information
Current clubPenguin
Playing career1
YearsClubGames (Goals)
2011–2016Gold Coast73 (29)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2016.
Career highlights

nil

Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Early life

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Luke Russell was born in Burnie, Tasmania and grew up playing Basketball. He represented Tasmania at the state level in Basketball and would be chosen in the Australian u19 development squad in 2007. Due to many injuries he would give up playing Basketball in 2008 and focus on Australian rules football solely.

Junior football

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Russell began his junior football with the Burnie Dockers who compete in the Tasmanian Football League and made his debut in the seniors team in 2008 as a 16-year-old. His form for Burnie in 2008 would earn him a spot in the Tasmanian team that competed in the Australian U16 Championships and was given an AIS scholarship later that year. At 17 years old he would be selected as the captain of the U18 Tasmanian team that competed in the 2009 AFL Under 18 Championships. Following his performance in the National Championships he was signed as an underage recruit by the Gold Coast Football Club to compete in the Victorian Football League in 2010. In November 2009 he relocated to the Gold Coast with Burnie teammate Maverick Weller to play for the Gold Coast in the VFL.

Senior career

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He made his AFL debut against Melbourne at the Gabba in round 4 of the 2011 season. In his second game for the Gold Coast he would come on as a substitute and kick the winning goal in the club's first ever AFL victory. He was delisted at the conclusion of the 2016 season.[2]

Russell joined VFL side, Northern Blues, in November 2016.

Russell, along with fellow former AFL player, Mav Weller, joined the Penguin Football Club as coach-players for the 2021 season.[3]

Luke won The Penguin Football Club's Tommy Kaine Medal in 2021 for The Best and Fairest. He also took out The Advocate Newspaper's Player of the Year award.

Russell will Coach the Penguin Football Club's Under 18 team in 2022.

Statistics

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[4]
Legend
  G  
Goals
  K  
Kicks
  D  
Disposals 
  T  
Tackles
  B  
Behinds 
  H  
Handballs 
  M  
Marks
SeasonTeamNo.GamesTotalsAverages (per game)
GBKHDMTGBKHDMT
2011Gold Coast81159694911830270.50.86.34.510.72.72.5
2012Gold Coast814651328521766360.40.49.46.115.54.72.6
2013Gold Coast8186515311226574390.30.38.56.214.74.12.2
2014Gold Coast81364916015142270.50.37.04.611.63.22.1
2015Gold Coast814661057818342340.40.47.55.613.13.02.4
2016Gold Coast8302141933770.00.74.76.311.02.32.3
Career7329315644039672611700.40.47.75.513.23.62.3

References

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  1. ^ Stubbs, Brett (18 April 2011), "Footy Confidential", Hobart Mercury
  2. ^ Boswell, Tom (1 September 2016). "Gold Coast Suns delist four players from their list". Gold Coast Bulletin. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  3. ^ Publisher, Online News (1 March 2021). "Boredom worries for Penguin;s Luke Russell ahead of a likely 20-round NWFL season | The Advocate". Hobart Online News. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  4. ^ "Luke Russell stats". AFL Tables. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
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