Alex Witherden

Witherden was a successful junior athlete in basketball and cricket but his biggest aspiration was to play in the AFL. He loved football so much that his mother forged his age in order to go to Auskick a year early.{{Cite web |url=http://footyprophet.com/from-top-to-bottom-and-back-alex-witherden/ |title=From top to bottom and back: Alex Witherden |access-date=3 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803103105/http://footyprophet.com/from-top-to-bottom-and-back-alex-witherden/ |archive-date=3 August 2017 |url-status=dead }} He regularly played football above his age group as a junior for Barwon Heads in the Bellarine Football League, mainly playing as a midfielder.

In 2009 as a 10 year old he played under-12s and under-14s for Barwon Heads then he just played under-14s in 2010. In 2011 he moved to St Joseph's Football & Netball Club where he played two seasons of under-14s. Alex moved up to under-16s for 2013 and in 2014 he was named in the Vic Country team for the Under-16 National Championships. Witherden had arthroscopes on both hips at the end of the 2014 season.{{Cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/riding-a-motor-scooter-helped-draft-hopeful-alex-witherden-heal-20161109-gslaor.html|title = Riding a motor scooter helped draft hopeful Alex Witherden heal|date = 13 November 2016}}

2015 was when Witherden made his debut for the Geelong Falcons in the TAC Cup as a bottom age player, he played 12 games and kicked 5 goals. He also played in the AFL Academy game on AFL Grand Final day, drawing strong praise from coach Brenton Sanderson.

Witherden's draft year started off strongly in 2016, he was named the captain of the Geelong College 1st XVIII football team after an impressive season in 2015.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sen.com.au/news/2016/11/04/draftsentral-or-witherden-takes-lessons-from-unlucky-break/|title = DraftSENtral | Witherden takes lessons from unlucky break}} Witherden played two Academy games and two Falcons games where he averaged 23 disposals and five marks per game in the TAC Cup, playing mostly as a skilful defender.{{Cite web|url=http://websites.sportstg.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=1-3020-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=48782074|title = Draft Watch Geelongs Alex Witherden - NAB League}} Playing for Geelong College in early May, Witherden was sick before the game so he was playing forward. Geelong College was losing by about 90 points when Witherden decided to put himself into the midfield for a centre bounce. He broke his leg in a tackle from fellow AFL prospect Tim Taranto who was playing for St Kevin's. Witherden's leg was in an awkward position when Taranto came down on it with his full body weight, Alex was in severe pain and had to be stretchered off the ground. He broke one of the bones in his right leg in four places, cracked another one and tore the syndesmotic ligaments which connect them. The injury meant Witherden would finish the most important year of junior football having played just two games of TAC Cup. He missed the Under-18 National Championships, the Under-18 All Stars match and was in doubt for the National Draft Combine, to which he was invited.

Witherden focused on his rehab, he rode an electric scooter around school as it was the best way to keep weight off his leg, he also hit the Geelong Falcons gym after dropping down to 75 kg during his injury, his weight improved to 80 kg and improved his diet, cutting down on his favourite McDonald's frozen Coke plus ate less bread. Where at one time he would have three or four sandwiches in his lunchbox, he then would opt for a chicken salad.{{Cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/riding-a-motor-scooter-helped-draft-hopeful-alex-witherden-heal-20161109-gslaor.html|title = Riding a motor scooter helped draft hopeful Alex Witherden heal|date = 13 November 2016}} He took advice during the setback from fellow draftee and friend Jy Simpkin, who broke his right leg a month earlier{{Cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-07-17/the-next-goddard-witherden-sinks-teeth-into-rising-star|title='The next Goddard' sinks teeth into Rising Star|date=17 July 2017 }} and Carlton player Darcy Lang who suffered a similar injury.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sen.com.au/news/2016/11/04/draftsentral-or-witherden-takes-lessons-from-unlucky-break/|title = DraftSENtral | Witherden takes lessons from unlucky break}}

He was drafted by Brisbane with pick 23 in the 2016 national draft.{{cite web|url=http://www.lions.com.au/news/2016-11-25/pick-23-alex-witherden|title=Brisbane Lions select Alex Witherden with pick 23|date=25 November 2016|work=Lions.com.au|publisher=Telstra|access-date=25 June 2017}} He made his debut in the loss to {{AFL GWS}} at the Gabba in round 14 of the 2017 season.{{cite news|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/afl/teams/brisbane/alex-witherden-to-debut-for-brisbane-lions-josh-schache-building-form-in-neafl/news-story/04a86853642f97e987db1b330c8e296d|title=Alex Witherden to debut for Brisbane Lions, Josh Schache building form in NEAFL|last=Hamilton|first=Andrew|date=23 June 2017|work=The Courier-Mail|publisher=News Corp Australia|access-date=25 June 2017}} After the thirty-one point loss to {{AFL Ric}} at Etihad Stadium in round 17, in which he recorded twenty-eight disposals and four tackles, he was the round nominee for the 2017 AFL Rising Star.{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/brisbane/brisbane-lions-defender-alex-witherden-earns-afl-round-17-rising-star-nomination/news-story/c4c341510bcc1273a7c70d22de4de8cd|title=Brisbane Lions defender Alex Witherden earns AFL Round 17 Rising Star nomination|last=Gardiner|first=Gilbert|date=17 July 2017|work=Herald Sun|publisher=News Corp Australia|access-date=17 July 2017}} In 2018 Witherden became the 11th player to receive a second AFL Rising Star nomination after a match against {{AFL Haw}}.

After a difficult 2020 season in which he struggled to break into Brisbane's best 22, Witherden was traded to {{AFL|WC}} on a two-year deal.{{Cite tweet |user=AFL_House|number=1326748890515660800|date=12 November 2020|title=Trade paperwork lodged. The Brisbane Lions trade Alex Witherden and Rd 5 (86) to the West Coast Eagles for Rd 3 (58) and Future Rd 3 Selection.}}

Witherden played 62 games for West Coast across four seasons, before being delisted at the end of the 2024 season.

:Statistics are correct to the end of 2020.{{cite web|title=Alex Witherden|url=https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/A/Alex_Witherden.html|access-date=6 October 2020}}

{{AFL player statistics legend}}

{{AFL player statistics start}}

|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2017

|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL BL}}

| 29 || 9 || 2 || 0 || 143 || 69 || 212 || 48 || 23 || 0.2 || 0.0 || 15.9 || 7.7 || 23.6 || 5.3 || 2.6

|-

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2018

|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL BL}}

| 29 || 21 || 1 || 3 || 336 || 135 || 471 || 152 || 34 || 0.1 || 0.2 || 16.0 || 6.4 || 22.4 || 7.2 || 1.6

|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2019

|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL BL}}

| 29 || 23 || 2 || 3 || 332 || 89 || 421 || 127 || 38 || 0.2 || 0.0 || 14.4 || 3.8 || 18.2 || 5.5 || 1.6

|-

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2020

|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL BL}}

| 29 || 6 || - || - || 92 || 23 || 115 || 39 || 7 || 0.1 || 0.2 || 15.3 || 3.8 || 19.1 || 6.5 || 1.2

|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"

! colspan=3| Career

! 59

! 5

! 6

! 903

! 316

! 1219

! 366

! 102

! 0.08

! 0.10

! 15.3

! 5.3

! 20.6

! 6.2

! 1.7

|}

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Alex Witherden}}

• {{Wceplayer}}
• {{AFL Tables}}
• {{AustralianFootball}}
• {{WAFL FootyFacts}}

{{2017 AFL Rising Star nominees}}

{{2018 AFL Rising Star nominees}}

{{2016 AFL national draft}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Witherden, Alex}}

Category:1998 births

Category:Living people

Category:Brisbane Lions players

Category:West Coast Eagles players

Category:Geelong Falcons players

Category:Australian rules footballers from Victoria (state)

Category:West Coast Eagles (WAFL) players

Category:People educated at Geelong College