Sam Butler (footballer, born 1986)
| Sam Butler | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Samuel Butler | ||
| Born | 14 January 1986 | ||
| Original team | Central District (SANFL) | ||
| Draft | No. 20, 2003 national draft | ||
| Height | 187 cm (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Weight | 82 kg (181 lb) | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 2004–2017 | West Coast | 166 (16) | |
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2017. | |||
| Career highlights | |||
| |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Samuel Butler (born 14 January 1986) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League (AFL). Raised in Gawler, South Australia, Butler took up Australian rules football as a teenager. He was drafted by the West Coast Eagles with the 20th pick in the 2003 National Draft after playing in a SANFL reserves premiership for Central District in the same year. Butler debuted for West Coast during the 2004 season and was nominated for the AFL Rising Star award. A mid-sized defender and occasional midfielder, he played in West Coast's 2006 premiership team, but did not participate in the following season due to a groin injury. Butler struggled with groin injuries throughout his career, playing his 100th game during the 2013 season, ten seasons after his debut. Butler retired from being a Footballer in 2017.