Sam Gilbert

#19 - Sam Gilbert - St Kilda FC
Personal information
Birth	19 August 1986 (1986-08-19) (age 23), New South Wales
Recruited from	Southport
Height and weight	194cm / 92kg
Playing career¹
Debut	Round 8, 12 May 2006, St. Kilda vs. Carlton, at Melbourne Cricket Ground
Team(s)	St Kilda Football Club 2006 - 61 games, 12 goals
¹ Statistics to end of 2009 season
Career highlights
* St Kilda Minor Premiership Side 2009 St Kilda AFL Cup Winning Side 2008

Sam Gilbert (born 19 August 1986) is an Australian rules footballer for the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).

[edit] Early life

Gilbert is a rugby league convert who didn’t start playing AFL until he was 16 years old. He began at Tweed Coolangatta JAFC before switching to Southport to play in the AFLQ State League.

Gilbert had a rugby league background, spending his junior days playing for the Bilambil Jets in the Group 18 Rugby League on the New South Wales Northern Coast. His grandfather (Jack Gilbert) and great grandfather (Herb Gilbert) played for St. George Dragons in the New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership. Herb was also a dual-code rugby international who captained Australia at rugby league.^[1]

Gilbert moved to the Gold Coast, Queensland at the age of 14, where he switched to Australian Rules at the Coolangatta-Tweed Blues^[2], before moving to Southport, Queensland. He attracted the eye of talent scouts after impressing at Southport Sharks and in the Queensland Scorpions Representative Side.

[edit] AFL career

Gilbert was selected by the Saints with pick No.33 in the 2005 AFL Draft. He made his debut for St. Kilda in Round 8, 2006 against Carlton.

Gilbert played only one further match in 2006, failing to make a big impact.

His rugby background has led to his physical approach and strong tackling ability. He has also become a cult figure amongst Saints fans for his "goose-step", a rugby manoeuvre he has used successfully in the AFL.

The 2007 season brought further opportunities for Gilbert, and he was included for the Round 5 match against Port Adelaide Power, after excellent form in St Kilda's VFL reserves side. Setting the pattern for his team mates, Gilbert laid seven tackles. He held his spot in the side and improved under coach Ross Lyon, playing every game for the rest of the year.

Gilbert was drafted as a key defender, but his agility and speed has allowed him to play through the midfield and up forward.

Gilbert played in St Kilda’s 2008 AFL National Australia Bank Cup winning side - St Kilda Football Club’s 3rd AFL Cup Win.^[3][4]

His goal gicking on the run was a highlight of his second season.

After a statistically strong performance in Round 16, in which Gilbert had 16 kicks, 12 marks and 6 handballs, he was awarded the AFL Rising Star Nomination for that round.^[5]

Gilbert played in 19 of 22 matches in the 2009 AFL Premiership Season Home & Away Rounds where the St Kilda Football Club qualified in first position for the 2009 AFL Finals Series, winning the club’s 3rd Minor Premiership.^[6]

St Kilda won direct qualification through to the 2009 AFL Grand Final after Qualifying & Preiminary Final wins. Gilbert played in the 2009 AFL Grand Final where St Kilda was defeated by 12 points.

As of the end of the 2009 AFL Premiership Season, Gilbert had played in 6 AFL Finals Series matches - including 1 AFL Grand Final - and 1 AFL Cup Final.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: St Kilda Football Club

• Sam Gilbert profile on the Official AFL Website of the St Kilda Football Club
• Sam Gilbert's statistics from AFL Tables