Nat Grider
Personal information
Full name Natalie Jade Grider
Date of birth (2000-10-10) 10 October 2000
Place of birth Brisbane, Queensland
Original team(s) University of Queensland (QWAFL)
Draft No. 22, 2018 AFL Women's draft
Debut Round 4, 2019, Brisbane vs. Western Bulldogs, at Whitten Oval
Height 171 cm (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Half-back/Midfield
Club information
Current club Brisbane
Number 10
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2019– Brisbane 57 (0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of the 2023 season.
Career highlights
Source: AustralianFootball.com

Natalie "Nat" Grider (born 10 October 2000) is an Australian rules footballer playing for Brisbane in the AFL Women's competition (AFLW).

Junior and state football

Grider started playing Australian rules football as a teenager with Jindalee Jags.[1] She was also a member of the Brisbane Lions Academy and excelled for the club in the 2018 Winter Series against Greater Western Sydney and Gold Coast.[1][2] After three years at Jindalee Jags, in 2017, Grider joined the University of Queensland in the AFL Queensland Women's League (QWAFL).[3][4] In the 2018 season she won the QWAFL Rising Star Award,[5] was selected in the QWAFL Team of the Year,[4][5] and shared the club's best and fairest award with Megan Hunt and Jane Childes.[4] In 2019, she was selected again for the QWAFL Team of the Year.[6] Grider represented Queensland in the AFL Women's Under 18 Championships. In the 2018 AFL Women's Under 18 Championships she led the team as captain,[7] was selected for the All-Australian team,[8][9] and was selected as Queensland's most valuable player.[10]

AFLW career

Grider was drafted to the AFL Women's (AFLW) by Brisbane with the 22nd pick in the 2018 AFL Women's draft,[1] joining her long-time teammate Gabby Collingwood.[4] She made her AFLW debut in the Lions' round 4 game against Western Bulldogs at Whitten Oval on 23 February 2019 as a late replacement for captain Leah Kaslar.[11] She played two games in her debut season.[12] In April 2019, Grider re-committed to Brisbane for the 2020 season.[13][14] She played every game of the season, shutting down small forwards and steadily disposing the ball out of the back-line.[15] She raised her game every week and culminated the season with the club nominating her for the 2020 AFLW Players' Association's Most Valuable Player Award along with Emily Bates and Kate Lutkins.[16] The 2021 AFL Women's season saw Grider rapidly improve, besting her averages in disposals, kicks, handballs, marks and tackles.[17] She received a 2021 AFL Women's Rising Star nomination in the third round of the season after an impressive game against West Coast where she collected 16 disposals, 7 marks and 2 tackles.[18] The first three rounds of the season saw her become the Lions' leading disposal getter.[19] Grider signed on with Brisbane for one more year on 15 June 2021.[20]

Statistics

Statistics correct to the end of round 3, 2021.[17]
Legend
  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
2019Brisbane17 2005510340.00.02.52.55.01.52.00
2020Brisbane10 7002928577200.00.04.14.08.11.02.90
2021Brisbane10 3002725527160.00.09.08.317.32.35.3
Career 1200615811917400.00.05.14.89.91.43.30

Playing style

Grider can play as a half-back or as a midfielder and demonstrates athleticism and strong marking skills.[21]

Personal life

Grider was born and raised in Brisbane.[1] She is a supporter of Brisbane Lions, despite her mum supporting St Kilda and her dad supporting Carlton.[12] She studied at the University of Queensland and received a Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science.[12][22]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Fielding, Josie (23 October 2018). "AFLW Lions select Nat Grider with Pick No. 22". Brisbane Lions. Telstra Media.
  2. Fielding, Josie (17 May 2019). "Your 2019 Winter Series Squad". Brisbane Lions. Telstra Media.
  3. "Jags and UQ Announce Pathway Agreement". Jindalee Jags. 18 February 2018.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Wingard, Ant (3 October 2018). "AFLW the next chapter in Grider's Collingwood connection". AFL Queensland.
  5. 1 2 Black, Sarah (26 September 2018). "AFLW: All the state league winners". Australian Football League. Telstra Media.
  6. Black, Sarah (11 September 2019). "AFLW players dominate in state league best and fairest awards". AFL Women's. Telstra Media.
  7. Wingard, Ant (5 July 2018). "Queensland name squad for NAB AFLW Under-18 National Championships". AFL Queensland.
  8. Balmer, Matt (1 September 2018). "AFLW Draft: Potential top picks star in U18 All-Stars exhibition match". Fox Sports. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  9. Black, Sarah (3 September 2018). "AFLW: Under-18 All Australian side revealed". Australian Football League. Telstra Media. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  10. Black, Sarah (13 July 2018). "AFLW U18: Who won, who starred on the Gold Coast". Australian Football League. Telstra Media.
  11. Wingard, Anthony (27 February 2019). "AFLW Round 4: Let's talk stats". Brisbane Lions. Telstra Media. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  12. 1 2 3 "UQ scholarship holder roars with pride". University of Queensland. 20 June 2019.
  13. Fielding, Josie (10 April 2019). "Nine Lions AFLW Stars to return in 2020". Brisbane Lions. Telstra Media.
  14. "AFLW Sign and Trade Period: Day 3 wrap". The Women's Game. 10 April 2019.
  15. Black, Sarah (29 March 2020). "Season review: Brisbane". AFL Women's. Telstra Media.
  16. "Lions trio nominated for AFLW MVP Award". Brisbane Lions. Telstra Media. 17 April 2020.
  17. 1 2 "Natalie Grider". Australian Football. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  18. Black, Sarah (1 February 2021). "AFLW Rising Star, R3: Father-daughter gets nod, Lions do it again". AFL Women's Media. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  19. "Grider's efforts rewarded with NAB Rising Star nomination". Lions Media. 16 February 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  20. "Stars Sign and the Future Looks Bright". Lions Media. 15 June 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  21. "Brisbane Lions AFL Women's Players". Brisbane Lions. Telstra Media. Archived from the original on 3 February 2019.
  22. "UQ athletes take centre stage at UQ Blues Awards". My Science. 6 November 2018.
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