Ben Griffiths
{{short description|Australian rules footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2014}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Ben Griffiths
| image = Ben Griffiths 2017.2.jpg
| caption = Griffiths in March 2017
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1991|9|17}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height = 200 cm
| weight = 101 kg
| module=
{{Infobox AFL biography|embed=yes
| image=
| originalteam = Eastern Ranges (TAC Cup)
| draftpick = No. 19, 2009 national draft
| debutdate = Round 10, 2010
| debutteam = {{AFL Ric}}
| debutopponent = {{AFL|PA}}
| debutstadium = AAMI Stadium
| position = Forward / ruck
| years1 = 2010–2017
| club1 = {{AFL Ric}}
| games_goals1 = 63 (42)
| statsend = 2017
| careerhighlights =
}}
| module2=
{{Infobox NFL biography|embed=yes
| currentteam =
| number =
| position = Punter
| college = USC Trojans (2019–2021)
| high_school =
| highlights =
}}
}}
Ben Griffiths (born 17 September 1991) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
AFL career
Griffiths was drafted by {{AFL Ric}} with the club's second selection and the 19th selection overall in the 2009 national draft.
He made his debut in Richmond's first win of the following year, against Port Adelaide in round 10 of the 2010 season.{{Citation | date = 31 May 2010 | title = Seville youngster gets first taste of the big league | periodical = Lilydale & Yarra Valley Leader}}
Griffiths career was limited because of the number of times he was concussed during a game.{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/pretty-sad-former-tiger-ben-griffiths-expresses-concern-for-afl-players-with-concussion/news-story/e1b9a50278ab64f329dc68226b11aeed|title = 'Pretty sad': Former Tiger Ben Griffiths expresses concern for AFL players with concussion|date = 20 June 2018}}
Transition to gridiron football
=College career=
Despite being contracted to Richmond until the end of the 2018 season,{{cite news|title=Tiger tall re-signs|url=http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/2016-09-02/tiger-tall-resigns|access-date=2 September 2016|work=Richmond FC|publisher=Bigpond|date=2 September 2016}} Griffiths retired from the AFL in January 2018 after receiving a scholarship with the University of Southern California to pursue a college football career as a punter and transitioning to playing American football.{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/richmond/richmond-forward-ben-griffiths-has-quit-the-afl-to-pursue-an-american-football-punting-career/news-story/d4b58c80817609d1ba78deca2cceb85c|title=Richmond forward Ben Griffiths has quit the AFL to pursue an American football punting career|last=Salemme|first=Kate|date=11 January 2018|work=Herald Sun|publisher=News Corp Australia|access-date=11 January 2018}}
=Professional career=
Griffiths was selected in the first round (9th overall) of the 2022 CFL Global Draft by the Edmonton Elks of the Canadian Football League.{{cite news|url=https://www.cfl.ca/2022/05/03/kingsley-jonathan-leads-the-way-in-global-draft/|publisher=Canadian Football League|date=May 3, 2022|title=Kingsley Jonathan leads the Way in Global Draft}}
Statistics
: Statistics are correct to the end of the 2017 season{{cite web|title=Ben Griffiths|url=http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/B/Ben_Griffiths.html|publisher=AFL Tables|access-date=9 April 2017}}
{{AFL player statistics legend}}
{{AFL player statistics start}}
|-
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2010
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ric}}
| 38 || 5 || 3 || 0 || 8 || 11 || 19 || 4 || 6 || 0.6 || 0.0 || 1.6 || 2.2 || 3.8 || 0.8 || 1.2
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2011
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ric}}
| 38 || 4 || 1 || 4 || 15 || 11 || 26 || 12 || 3 || 0.3 || 1.0 || 3.8 || 2.8 || 6.5 || 3.0 || 0.8
|-
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2012
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ric}}
| 24 || 9 || 0 || 0 || 41 || 42 || 83 || 21 || 9 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 4.6 || 4.7 || 9.2 || 2.3 || 1.0
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2013
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ric}}
| 24 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 3 || 3 || 6 || 3 || 2 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 3.0 || 3.0 || 6.0 || 3.0 || 2.0
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2014
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ric}}
| 24 || 16 || 12 || 15 || 101 || 43 || 144 || 71 || 44 || 0.8 || 0.9 || 6.3 || 2.7 || 9.0 || 4.4 || 2.8
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2015
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ric}}
| 24 || 13 || 12 || 14 || 85 || 41 || 126 || 59 || 23 || 0.9 || 1.1 || 6.5 || 3.2 || 9.7 || 4.5 || 1.8
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2016
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ric}}
| 24 || 13 || 14 || 10 || 83 || 56 || 139 || 61 ||36 || 1.1 || 0.8 || 6.4 || 4.3 || 10.7 || 4.7 || 2.8
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2017
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Ric}}
| 24 || 2 || 0 || 1 || 10 || 5 || 15 || 8 || 6 || 0.0 || 0.5 || 5.0 || 2.5 || 7.5 || 4.0 || 3.0
|- class="sortbottom"
! colspan=3| Career
! 63
! 42
! 44
! 346
! 212
! 558
! 239
! 129
! 0.7
! 0.7
! 5.5
! 3.4
! 8.9
! 3.8
! 2.0
|}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{Richplayer}}
- {{AFL Tables|ref=B/Ben_Griffiths.html}}
- [http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pp-richmond-tigers--benjamin-griffiths Ben Griffiths's statistics] from Footy Wire
{{2009 AFL national draft}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Griffiths, Ben}}
Category:Richmond Football Club players
Category:Australian rules footballers from Victoria (state)
Category:Eastern Ranges players
Category:Coburg Football Club players
Category:USC Trojans football players
Category:Australian expatriate sportspeople in the United States