| Sam Walsh | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Walsh as AFL Rising Star in the 2019 AFL Grand Final Parade | |||
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Samuel Peter Walsh | ||
| Nicknames | Worpa, Walshy[citation needed] | ||
| Born | (2000-07-02)2 July 2000 (age 25) Victoria | ||
| Original team | Geelong Falcons (TAC Cup)[1]/St Joseph’s(GFNL)/Nightcliff(NTFL) | ||
| Draft | No. 1,2018 national draft | ||
| Debut | 21 March 2019,Carlton vs.Richmond, at MCG | ||
| Height | 184 cm (6 ft 0 in)[2] | ||
| Weight | 83 kg (183 lb)[2] | ||
| Position | Midfielder[3][4][5] | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Carlton | ||
| Number | 18 | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 2019– | Carlton | 133 (47) | |
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of the 2025 season. | |||
| Career highlights | |||
| |||
| Sources:AFL Tables,AustralianFootball.com | |||
Samuel Peter Walsh (born 2 July 2000) is a professionalAustralian rules footballer playing for theCarlton Football Club in theAustralian Football League (AFL). He was awarded the 2019 NAB Rising Star Award. He was drafted by Carlton with their first selection which was also the first overall in the2018 national draft.
Walsh spent his early years in theVictorian town ofCobden and participated in the localAuskick atCobden Bombers, where his father coached the senior teams.[6] His family later moved toDarwin, where he would play 12 months a year of football forNightcliff Tigers in conditions different to anything he had experienced before. He credits this experience for his development as a footballer, he was also selected to representNorthern Territory at under 12 level.[7]
His family returned toVictoria ahead of his secondary schooling, settling inOcean Grove. Walsh played his junior football forSt Joseph’s Football Club and attendedSt Joseph’s College inGeelong, before playing under-18s football with theGeelong Falcons, in the then-namedTAC Cup.[8] He impressed massively and was touted as a sure-fire number 1 draft pick.[9][10] Sam Walsh averaged an astounding 32 disposals a game as their co-captain, which bolstered his draft stock.[11] Labelled as the 'best pure midfielder in the draft', Walsh also played in theNAB Under 18 Championships, where he represented Vic Country as captain. He amassed an average of 29 disposals in the tournament, and also won theLarke Medal as the best player in the competition.[11]
At the2018 National Draft, Walsh was drafted number 1 by the Carlton Football Club. This was not seen as a surprise to many, who had expected him to be a lock for the first pick.[12] Walsh was given the number 18 and impressed many during pre-season.[13][14][15] Sam made his debut in Round 1 of the2019 AFL season againstRichmond at theMCG, where he finished with 24 disposals.[16][17][18] He kicked his first goal againstSydney in round 3.[19]
Walsh earned an AFL Rising Star nomination in Round 4, following Carlton's two point loss toGold Coast, after collecting 28 possessions (13 contested), seven clearances, six tackles and a goal.[20] He also earned a contract extension with the Blues, keeping him at the club until 2022.[21][22]Sam was awarded with the 2019 AFL rising star.
After a promising season in 2020, which culminated in his finishing second in the Carlton Best and Fairest, Walsh exploded in season 2021, garnering his maiden All Australian selection, his first John Nicholls Medal as the Carlton Football Club Best and Fairest, and finishing fourth in the Brownlow Medal.
In 2020, despite having only had a short career at that point, he was named in theSt Joseph’s College team of champions, recognising the bestVFL/AFL players to have attended the school.[23]
In February 2022, Walsh signed a 4 year extension to stay with the Blues until at least the end of 2026.
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 | |||||
| 2019 | Carlton | 18 | 22 | 6 | 13 | 297 | 257 | 554 | 113 | 69 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 13.5 | 11.7 | 25.2 | 5.1 | 3.1 | 6 |
| 2020 | Carlton | 18 | 17 | 8 | 4 | 193 | 156 | 349 | 73 | 47 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 11.3 | 9.2 | 20.5 | 4.3 | 2.8 | 8 |
| 2021 | Carlton | 18 | 22 | 12 | 6 | 298 | 358 | 656 | 127 | 100 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 13.6 | 16.3 | 29.8 | 5.8 | 4.6 | 30 |
| 2022 | Carlton | 18 | 20 | 5 | 7 | 286 | 356 | 642 | 91 | 66 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 14.3 | 17.8 | 32.1 | 4.6 | 3.3 | 14 |
| 2023 | Carlton | 18 | 18 | 6 | 4 | 222 | 291 | 513 | 63 | 87 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 12.3 | 16.2 | 28.5 | 3.5 | 4.8 | 5 |
| 2024 | Carlton | 18 | 20 | 5 | 9 | 268 | 300 | 568 | 60 | 135 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 13.4 | 15 | 28.4 | 3 | 6.8 | 16 |
| 2025 | Carlton | 18 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 152 | 216 | 368 | 50 | 64 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 10.9 | 15.4 | 26.3 | 3.6 | 4.6 | 6 |
| Career | 133 | 47 | 48 | 1716 | 1934 | 3650 | 577 | 568 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 12.9 | 14.5 | 27.4 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 85 | ||
