# Chayce Jones

Chayce Jones (born 14 January 2000) is a professional Australian rules footballer currently playing for the Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was drafted by the Adelaide Crows with their first selection and ninth overall in the 2018 AFL draft.

## Early life

Jones grew up in Longford, Tasmania and also played junior football for the Longford Football Club and cricket club. He moved to Launceston Football Club to play in the Tasmanian Football League. Following an exceptional Under-18 Championship campaign with the Allies in 2018, where he was picked in the Under-18 All Australian team, Jones was projected to be picked up within the top 10 of the 2018 AFL draft. He also surprisingly finished second in the TFL's Player of the Year award with the Launceston Football Club even though he only managed to play five games for the season.

## AFL career
### Early career

Jones made his debut in the first round of the 2019 season against Hawthorn at Adelaide Oval. Jones pushed his way into the Adelaide starting lineup as a small forward on the back of the impressive form in the pre-season competition. He showed plenty of promise early, playing six of the first 10 games, before returning for the final two games of the season. Jones looked lively when he was given midfield time in the round 23 loss to the Western Bulldogs. He won the Mark Bickley Emerging Talent Award as the Crows' best young player.
On 5 July 2019, with a year still to run on his contract, Jones extended his stay at Adelaide until the end of 2023. Following a successful first year, Jones swapped his number 20 guernsey for the number 1 vacated by Hugh Greenwood. He played 15 of the 17 games played in 2020.

### Defensive role

Jones played 15 of a possible 22 games in 2021. He adopted a new role in defence to get back into the starting 22 and further develop himself into a better footballer, so a move down back would better suit him. The role change was a positive for Jones as he struggled to lock down a role in the Adelaide team, and he played in the final 14 games of the 2021 season. He made a positive start to the 2022 season, playing in the first 11 rounds (round 11 as the medical substitute) of the season as a small defender before being omitted.

### Playing as a utility

In 2023, Jones inked a three-year contract extension with Adelaide until at least the end of the 2026 season. One of Jones' season highlights came against Carlton in Gather Round, gathering 28 disposals, 9 marks and a goal in their victory. A minor foot injury in round 22 cut his year of growth short. He averaged a career-best 17.4 dispoals in 2023.
Becoming a genuine utility, Jones was able to swing forward in 2024, kicking three goals in a 99 point-victory over West Coast.

## Statistics

    Statistics are correct to the end of 2024
| Season | Team | No. | Games | Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | Averages (per game) | Averages (per game) | Averages (per game) | Averages (per game) | Averages (per game) | Averages (per game) | Averages (per game) | Votes |
| Season | Team | No. | Games | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | Votes |
| 2019 | Adelaide | 20 | 8 | 3 | 8 | 48 | 41 | 89 | 16 | 18 | 0.4 | 1.0 | 6.0 | 5.1 | 11.1 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 0 |
| 2020 | Adelaide | 1 | 15 | 6 | 1 | 64 | 58 | 122 | 22 | 28 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 8.1 | 1.5 | 1.9 | 0 |
| 2021 | Adelaide | 1 | 15 | 1 | 3 | 128 | 58 | 186 | 43 | 19 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 8.5 | 3.9 | 12.4 | 2.9 | 1.3 | 0 |
| 2022 | Adelaide | 1 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 96 | 46 | 142 | 32 | 17 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 8.4 | 4.6 | 12.9 | 2.9 | 1.5 | 0 |
| 2023 | Adelaide | 1 | 18 | 7 | 5 | 216 | 98 | 314 | 46 | 49 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 12 | 5.4 | 17.4 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 0 |
| 2024 | Adelaide | 1 | 16 | 6 | 4 | 148 | 83 | 231 | 48 | 45 | 9.3 | 5.2 | 14.4 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 0 |
| Career | Career | Career | 92 | 23 | 24 | 772 | 429 | 1201 | 233 | 188 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 8.4 | 4.7 | 13.1 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 0 |