Peter Wright (Australian footballer)

Peter Wright (Australian footballer)
Peter Wright (born 7 September 1996) is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL), having been initially drafted to the Gold Coast Suns with pick 8 in the 2014 AFL draft.
AFL career
Gold Coast: 2015–2020
Wright established himself as a key marking forward, using his considerable height to his advantage. Wright made his debut in Round 10, 2015, kicking a goal in a losing effort against . In Round 11, 2017, Wright kicked the winning goal against for the Suns’ first win against the Eagles. After his debut season, Wright became a regular of the team, barely missing a game. In 2018, he suffered a knee injury that required rehab. Wright played 17 out of a possible 22 games in season 2019, but the emergence of Ben King in 2019 and the return of Zac Smith meant Wright wasn't able to get a game in 2020.
Essendon: 2021–
After six years at the Suns, he was traded to for more opportunities after the 2020 AFL season. Wright made an immediate impact, playing a pivotal role in Essendon’s forward line in the 2021 season. His best performance was in Round 21, where Wright kicked seven goals against the Western Bulldogs in a 13-point win.
In Round 8 of the 2022 AFL season, Wright kicked 6 goals in the Bombers’ win over Hawthorn. In Round 14, Wright starred in their upset win against St Kilda, achieving four goals and 14 disposals.
At the conclusion of the 2022 season, Wright was named Essendon Best and Fairest, winning the prestigious Crichton Medal as well as the club’s Leading Goalkicker award for his 53-goal season haul.
On 17 March, before Round 1 of the 2023 AFL season, Wright dislocated his shoulder during training after landing awkwardly in a marking contest and has since had a reconstruction of his shoulder.
Statistics
Statistics are correct to the end of the 2023 season
|-
| 2015 || || 30
| 3 || 1 || 1 || 12 || 5 || 17 || 8 || 3 || 0.3 || 0.3 || 4.0 || 1.7 || 5.7 || 2.7 || 1.0 || 0
|-
| 2016 || || 30
| 17 || 27 || 10 || 106 || 89 || 195 || 83 || 27 || 1.6 || 0.6 || 6.2 || 5.2 || 11.5 || 4.9 || 1.6 || 3
|-
| 2017 || || 30
| 22 || 31 || 19 || 159 || 117 || 276 || 121 || 35 || 1.4 || 0.9 || 7.2 || 5.3 || 12.6 || 5.5 || 1.6 || 0
|-
| 2018 || || 30
| 7 || 5 || 4 || 43 || 29 || 72 || 33 || 18 || 0.7 || 0.6 || 6.1 || 4.1 || 10.3 || 4.7 || 2.6 || 0
|-
| 2019 || || 30
| 17 || 21 || 13 || 144 || 60 || 204 || 85 || 26 || 1.2 || 0.8 || 8.5 || 3.5 || 12.0 || 5.0 || 1.5 || 0
|-
| 2020 || || 30
| 0 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || –
|-
| 2021 || || 20
| 21 || 29 || 14 || 146 || 100 || 246 || 90 || 37 || 1.4 || 0.7 || 6.9 || 4.8 || 11.7 || 4.3 || 1.8 || 5
|-
| 2022 || || 20
| 22 || 53 || 26 || 181 || 63 || 244 || 128 || 15 || 2.4 || 1.2 || 8.2 || 2.9 || 11.1 || 5.8 || 0.7 || 8
|-
| 2023 || || 20
| 10 || 19 || 10 || 64 || 32 || 96 || 44 || 13 || 1.9 || 1.0 || 6.4 || 3.2 || 9.6 || 4.4 || 1.3 ||
|- class="sortbottom"
! colspan=3| Career
! 119 !! 186 !! 97 !! 855 !! 495 !! 1350 !! 592 !! 174 !! 1.6 !! 0.8 !! 7.2 !! 4.2 !! 11.3 !! 5.0 !! 1.5 !! 16
|}
References
External links
1996 births
Living people
Gold Coast Football Club players
Essendon Football Club players
Calder Cannons players
Australian rules footballers from Victoria (state)