| Charlie Ballard | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Nickname | Chook | ||
| Born | 23 July 1999 | ||
| Original team | Sturt (SANFL) | ||
| Draft | No. 42, 2017 national draft | ||
| Debut | 5 May 2018, Gold Coast vs. Western Bulldogs, at Mars Stadium | ||
| Height | 196 cm (6 ft 5 in) | ||
| Weight | 95 kg (209 lb) | ||
| Position | Tall defender | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Gold Coast | ||
| Number | 10 | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 2018- | Gold Coast | 133 (3) | |
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2024. | |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Charlie Ballard (born 23 July 1999) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Gold Coast Suns in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Charlie participated in the Auskick program at Mitcham, South Australia. [1]
Ballard played in their under-18 premiership for the Sturt Football Club in the SANFL as well as for Sacred Heart College. [2] Standing 180cm at the time, Ballard averaged 18 disposals on the wing in the 2017 AFL Under 18 Championships, playing for South Australia. He ran 3.05 seconds in the 20 m (66 ft) sprint at the AFL Draft Combine, and was touted as a top-30 selection at the 2017 AFL draft. [3]
Ballard was selected by Gold Coast with pick 42, their 3rd-round selection. [4]
He made his AFL debut in round 7 of the 2018 season, in the nine-point loss against the Western Bulldogs at Mars Stadium. He kicked one goal on debut. [5] Ballard's first game was praised by coach Stuart Dew, along with fellow debutant Brayden Crossley. [6]
Ballard played his 100th game in 2023. Following a successful 2024 season with the Suns, he signed a contract extension until the end of 2029. [7]
In round one of the 2025 season, Ballard suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, subsequently ruling him for the rest of the season. [8]
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 | |||||
| 2018 | Gold Coast | 31 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 79 | 34 | 113 | 39 | 15 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 7.2 | 3.1 | 10.3 | 3.5 | 1.4 | 0 |
| 2019 | Gold Coast | 10 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 211 | 63 | 274 | 111 | 23 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10.0 | 3.0 | 13.0 | 5.3 | 1.1 | 0 |
| 2020 [a] | Gold Coast | 10 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 114 | 44 | 158 | 68 | 13 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 7.1 | 2.8 | 9.9 | 4.3 | 0.8 | 0 |
| 2021 | Gold Coast | 10 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 227 | 61 | 288 | 140 | 25 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10.8 | 2.9 | 13.7 | 6.7 | 1.2 | 3 |
| 2022 | Gold Coast | 10 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 177 | 49 | 226 | 109 | 22 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 8.7 | 1.3 | 10.0 | 5.0 | 1.7 | 0 |
| 2023 | Gold Coast | 10 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 230 | 63 | 293 | 142 | 29 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 10.0 | 2.7 | 12.7 | 6.2 | 1.3 | 0 |
| 2024 | Gold Coast | 10 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 184 | 94 | 278 | 111 | 28 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8.0 | 4.1 | 12.1 | 4.8 | 1.2 | 1 |
| 2025 | Gold Coast | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 5.0 | 1.0 | 6.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0 |
| Career | 134 | 3 | 4 | 1227 | 409 | 1636 | 723 | 156 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 9.2 | 3.1 | 12.2 | 5.4 | 1.2 | 4 | ||
Notes
