| Caleb Daniel | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Daniel in August 2018 | |||
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Caleb Daniel | ||
| Nickname | CD | ||
| Born | (1996-07-07)7 July 1996 (age 29) Beaudesert,Queensland, Australia | ||
| Original team | South Adelaide(SANFL)/Edwardstown | ||
| Draft | No. 46,2014 national draft | ||
| Height | 171 cm (5 ft 7 in)[1] | ||
| Weight | 72 kg (159 lb) | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | North Melbourne | ||
| Number | 5 | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 2015–2024 | Western Bulldogs | 192 (49) | |
| 2025– | North Melbourne | 23(0) | |
| Total | 215 (49) | ||
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of the 2025 season. | |||
| Career highlights | |||
| |||
| Sources:AFL Tables,AustralianFootball.com | |||
Caleb Daniel (born 7 July 1996) is a professionalAustralian rules footballer who plays for theNorth Melbourne Football Club in theAustralian Football League (AFL). Known for his precise short kicking from half back, Daniel has been recognised statistically as one of the most effective short kicks in the game. When he was recruited in 2014 he was listed as the shortest player at 167cm (standing now at 171 cm) in the AFL,[2] and is one of the few players who regularly wears a protective helmet, having done so since his playing days at junior level.[3] He previously played for theWestern Bulldogs from 2015 to 2024 and was in the 2016 premiership team.
Daniel was born inBeaudesert, Queensland where he lived until the age of five or six[4] before moving toAdelaide. He studied atAberfoyle Park High School and played eleven senior games forSouth Adelaide in theSANFL. He credits his coach at South Adelaide, formerFitzroy andSt Kilda roverBrad Gotch, for instilling confidence in him at the start of his senior career.[5]
Daniel was selected by the Bulldogs with pick 46 of the2014 National Draft. While he was overlooked by other clubs due to his short stature, Simon Dalrymple, the Bulldogs' chief recruiter at the time, had been impressed by Daniel, commenting: "His decision-making stood out, his ball-handling... He can keep on running. And he's got fantastic agility, and when you've got that lateral movement it buys you a bit more time."[4] He made his debut in an 11-point win againstCarlton as the starting substitute in round 14 of the 2015 season.[6]
After the promise shown in his debut season, Daniel took his game to the next level the following season, playing all but two games due to calf injury and playing a key role in the Bulldogs' drought-breaking premiership. In Round 4 2016, he was the round nominee for the2016 AFL Rising Star after collecting 25 disposals in a 36-point win againstCarlton.[7] He would finish runner-up toSydney'sCallum Mills. Daniel was among the Bulldogs' best players in the Elimination Final win overWest Coast atSubiaco Oval, amassing a then career-high 33 disposals and kicking a goal.[8][9]
In February 2017, Daniel signed a two-year contract extension with theWestern Bulldogs, keeping him at the club until 2019.[10] Daniel had required a shoulder reconstruction after the Western Bulldogs2016 Premiership, meaning he trained without contact for some time.[11] Daniel played 20 games in the2017 AFL season, only missing out on rounds 4 and 5, which he spent in theVictorian Football League (VFL).[12][13] In the 2017 season, Daniel had 12 games where he picked up 20 or more disposals. After being recognised for having a strong season, Daniel came fifth in theCharles Sutton Medal voting for 2017.[14]
Daniel played every game in the home and away season, having a career best season and being recognised around the league for his impressive performance. Daniel was ranked as the games best ranked general defender according to AFL Player ratings.[15] He was nominated by the Western Bulldogs for theLeigh Matthews Trophy, alongside teammatesMarcus Bontempelli andJack Macrae.[16] He was named in the initial 40-man squad of the2020 All-Australian team.[17][18][19] Daniel made the 22 man final squad, named on the interchange bench.[20][21]
Daniel won theWestern Bulldogs best and fairest award, theCharles Sutton Medal, with a total of 205 votes over the course of the 18 games he played, beating Western Bulldogs captainMarcus Bontempelli by a mere 10 votes.[22]
Daniel signed a four-year contract extension with the Bulldogs in 2022.[23]
In the same year, Daniel came sixth in the club’s Best and Fairest count[24] despite missing a month of the season due to knee surgery.[25]
Following the2024 AFL season, Daniel was traded toNorth Melbourne.[26]
G | Goals | K | Kicks | D | Disposals | T | Tackles |
B | Behinds | H | Handballs | M | Marks |
| Season | Team | No. | Games | Totals | Averages (per game) | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | B | K | H | D | M | T | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | ||||
| 2015 | Western Bulldogs | 35 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 55 | 76 | 131 | 23 | 22 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 5.5 | 7.6 | 13.1 | 2.3 | 2.2 |
| 2016# | Western Bulldogs | 35 | 24 | 11 | 9 | 279 | 239 | 518 | 89 | 79 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 11.6 | 11.0 | 21.6 | 3.7 | 3.3 |
| 2017 | Western Bulldogs | 35 | 20 | 5 | 5 | 210 | 224 | 434 | 59 | 57 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 10.5 | 11.2 | 21.7 | 3.0 | 2.9 |
| 2018 | Western Bulldogs | 35 | 20 | 4 | 7 | 214 | 206 | 420 | 84 | 63 | 0.2 | 0.35 | 10.7 | 10.3 | 21.0 | 4.2 | 3.2 |
| 2019 | Western Bulldogs | 35 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 294 | 157 | 451 | 67 | 56 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 17.3 | 9.2 | 26.5 | 3.9 | 3.1 |
| 2020[a] | Western Bulldogs | 35 | 18 | 3 | 2 | 225 | 138 | 363 | 59 | 42 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 12.5 | 7.7 | 20.2 | 3.3 | 2.3 |
| 2021 | Western Bulldogs | 35 | 25 | 7 | 1 | 364 | 267 | 631 | 100 | 58 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 14.6 | 10.7 | 25.3 | 4.0 | 2.3 |
| 2022 | Western Bulldogs | 35 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 297 | 172 | 469 | 97 | 36 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 15.6 | 9.1 | 24.7 | 5.1 | 1.9 |
| 2023 | Western Bulldogs | 35 | 23 | 10 | 6 | 295 | 242 | 537 | 100 | 88 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 12.8 | 10.5 | 23.3 | 4.3 | 3.8 |
| 2024 | Western Bulldogs | 35 | 16 | 2 | 4 | 125 | 99 | 224 | 45 | 31 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 7.8 | 6.2 | 14.0 | 2.8 | 1.9 |
| 2025 | North Melbourne | 5 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 376 | 213 | 589 | 88 | 44 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 16.3 | 9.3 | 25.6 | 3.8 | 1.9 |
| Career | 215 | 49 | 36 | 2734 | 2033 | 4767 | 811 | 573 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 12.7 | 9.5 | 22.2 | 3.8 | 2.7 | ||
Notes
