Robert Gray AFL Player

Introduction and Early Life

Robert Gray is a professional Australian Rules footballer who currently plays for the Port Adelaide Power Football Club. He was born on March 30, 1988 in Victoria, Australia. He is about 1.84 metres tall and weighs about 84kg; he plays in the forward position and wears the number 17 jersey for Port Adelaide FC. He is nicknamed ‘Robbie’. He was reported to have had a very vibrant early football career where he played for junior clubs like West Adelaide in the South Australian Football League (SAFL).

Early Football Career

Robert has played with the Oakleigh Chargers football club where he was part of the 2006 TAC Cup. He kicked fifty six (56) goals for the season which is a terrific effort. He also featured very prominently as an active player in the Victoria Metro under eighteen (U-18) team where he played against players that are now in various AFL clubs. In spite of having a very vibrant and outstanding career, he was not readily drafted into AFL as quickly as many expected. It was not until 2006 that he was offered a contract from Port Adelaide Power after an outstanding performance in the TAC Cup, in addition to his exemplary and disciplined lifestyle outside of the pitch.

Professional Football Career

After being drafted in the fourth round of the 2006 AFL Draft as the overall pick number 55; he made his debut into the premiership in the tenth round of the 2007 season against the Hawthorn Hawks at AAMI stadium. He displayed fine skills and his outstanding performance came just natural to him. Robert finished with statistics of 13 disposals, 4 marks and 2 behinds in that game. He continued with his performance consistently into round 12 where he was nominated for the AFL Rising Star Award. He continued with his high performance until he was forced out by injury to his calf.

The kind of fitness, energy and enthusiasm Gray exuded just before the beginning of the 2008 season indicated that he was going to have a very good season excluding the chance of injury. Most of his teammates also attested to this as a result of his performances during pre-season engagements and training sessions. In spite of all the enthusiasm and fitness, he could not begin the season with the team as a result of injury. He eventually started playing in the seventh round of the season. He played well and consistently from then till round 14 where he injured his ankle during a training session. But in spite of this, he was able to finish the season on a very good note by playing the last matches and a very important role in the game against North Melbourne.

Robert Gray has had a number of awards, achievements and honours in the course of his professional playing career. He has been voted as the Most Valuable Player of Port Adelaide in a poll carried out by the AFL. He also won the 2009 Most Improved Award which was rated by the staff of the club. He came fourth in the John Cahill Medal after having achievements that placed him in the top 6 position in the entire AFL. He also got 6 Brownlow votes in 2009. He won the Showdown Medal in 2010 during the sixth round of the season after a sterling performance against Port Adelaide.

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