Saad El-Hawli

Last updated

Saad El-Hawli
Personal information
Full name Saad El-Hawli
Date of birth (2001-05-15) 15 May 2001 (age 23)
Original team(s) Western Jets (NAB League)/
Northern Bullants (VFL)
Draft No. 13, 2024 mid-season draft
Debut Round 3, 2025, Essendon  vs. Port Adelaide, at Marvel Stadium
Height 184 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Club information
Current club Essendon
Number 41
Playing career1
YearsClubGames (Goals)
2024– Essendon 1 (0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of round 3, 2025.
Source: AustralianFootball.com

Saad El-Hawli (born 15 May 2001) is an Australian rules footballer who currently plays for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was drafted with pick 13 in the 2024 mid-season rookie draft. [1]

Contents

Early career

El-Hawli joined the Western Jets for the 2019 NAB League season. He averaged 8.25 disposals and kicked 6 goals from a total of 12 games. [1] Following the cancellation of many local football seasons in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Victoria, he joined Altona in the Western Region Football League (WRFL) in 2021. [2] He was the club's leading goalkicker for the 2021 season, kicking 26 goals, and also was part of the 2021 WRFL Team of the Year. [2] El-Hawli also participated in the Bachar Houli Foundation. [3]

In January 2022, El-Hawli signed with the Werribee Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL). [2] He made his VFL debut in round 1 of the 2022 season against Frankston, and kicked his first goal in round 3 against Southport. [4] However, he was omitted from Werribee's side after round 5 and did not return until round 20 against Brisbane. [4] [5]

For the 2023 VFL season, El-Hawli moved to the Northern Bullants. [6] He debuted for the club in round 1 against Richmond, collecting 20 disposals, and kicked a career-high four goals against Box Hill in round 7. [4] [7] In 2024, El-Hawli averaged 25.8 disposals and six marks per match while playing for the Bullants. [8] His final game for the club came in round 9 against Sydney, where he had 33 disposals and kicked two goals. [9]

In May 2024 it was reported by Melbourne radio station 1116 SEN that Essendon had shown interest in El-Hawli ahead of the 2024 AFL mid-season rookie draft. [10]

AFL career

El-Hawli was drafted by Essendon with pick 13 of the 2024 mid-season draft. [11] In his second game for Essendon's reserves team, he recorded 27 disposals and kicked four goals against Carlton, but suffered a syndesmosis injury that resulted in him missing most of the rest of the season and unable to make his AFL debut that year. [12] [13]

El-Hawli made his AFL debut in round 3 of the 2025 season against Port Adelaide at Marvel Stadium. [14]

Personal life

El-Hawli is a devout Muslim, and as such was fasting for the holy month of Ramadan during the time of his 2025 AFL debut. [15]

References

  1. 1 2 "Saad El-Hawli". Rookie Me. Archived from the original on 29 May 2024. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 "SPEEDY SMALL FORWARD SAAD EL-HAWLI JOINS WERRIBEE". Werribee Football Club. 19 January 2022. Archived from the original on 27 March 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
  3. ↑ "Coates Talent League, Smithy's VFL and SANFL reap rewards of talented Bachar Houli Foundation academy graduates". Bachar Houli Foundation. 2 May 2024. Archived from the original on 29 May 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 "Saad El-Hawli". VFL Stats. Archived from the original on 29 May 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
  5. ↑ Rhodes, Brendan. "VFL Teams Round 6". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 29 May 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2025. OUT: J Clark (knee), M Hanson (knee), L Wagener (foot), S El-Hawli (omit)
  6. ↑ Rhodes, Brendan (24 March 2023). "2023 Smithy's VFL season preview". Archived from the original on 22 October 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
  7. ↑ Kelly, Daniel. "HAWKS GLIDE TO VICTORY OVER BULLANTS". Northern Bullants. Archived from the original on 29 May 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
  8. ↑ "Mid-season draft: El-Hawli joins Bombers". Essendon Football Club. 29 May 2024. Archived from the original on 29 May 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
  9. ↑ Rhodes, Brendan (27 May 2024). "REVIEW: Smithy's VFL Round 9". AFL.com.au. Archived from the original on 29 May 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
  10. ↑ Slevison, Andrew (28 May 2024). "Magpies, Tigers linked with former Port ruck, ex-Sun a mature-age standout, VFL mid on St Kilda's radar, the smokey & more". SEN 1116. Archived from the original on 29 May 2024. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
  11. ↑ "Vikings' Saad El-Hawli drafted to Essendon". Western Football Netball League. 30 May 2024. Archived from the original on 26 March 2025. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
  12. ↑ "Injury news: El-Hawli set for surgery, Setterfield update". Essendon Football Club. 11 June 2024. Archived from the original on 6 November 2024. Retrieved 27 March 2025.
  13. ↑ "Year in Review: El-Hawli ready to rip into first full AFL season". Essendon Football Club. 30 September 2024. Archived from the original on 3 March 2025. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
  14. ↑ "El-Hawli's moment arrives". Essendon Football Club. 26 March 2025. Archived from the original on 26 March 2025. Retrieved 26 March 2025.
  15. ↑ McGuire, Xander. "Essendon name Saad El-Hawli for AFL debut". 7nes.com.au. Seven Network.
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