Brandon Zerk-Thatcher
{{short description|Australian rules footballer (born 1998)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Brandon Zerk-Thatcher
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| fullname = Brandon Steven Zerk-Thatcher{{Cite tweet |user=PAFC |number=1879430821767246062 |title=the more you know 😂}}
| nickname =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|08|25|df =y}}
| birth_place =
| originalteam = Sturt (SANFL)
| draftpick = No. 66, 2017 national draft
| debutdate = Round 22, 2019
| debutteam = {{AFL Ess}}
| debutopponent = {{AFL Fre}}
| debutstadium = Optus Stadium
| height = 195 cm
| weight = 92 kg
| position = Key Defender
| otheroccupation =
| currentclub = {{AFL PA}}
| guernsey = 25
| years1 = 2019–2023
| club1 = {{AFL Ess}}
| games_goals1 = 51 (0)
| years2 = 2024–
| club2 = {{AFL PA}}
| games_goals2 = 26 (0)
| games_goalstotal = 77 (0)
| statsend = 2024
| careerhighlights =
}}
Brandon Steven Zerk-Thatcher (born 25 August 1998) is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Port Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL), having initially been drafted to {{AFL Ess}}.
Early life
Zerk-Thatcher was educated at Murray Bridge High School. At the age of 18 he started playing for Sturt Football Club and competed in the NAB AFL Under 18 Championships for South Australia.
AFL career
Zerk-Thatcher was selected with pick 66 in the 2017 national draft.{{Citation | last = Grimm | first = Nick | date = 27 November 2017 | title = Essendon Football Club draft Murray Bridge's Brandon Zerk-Thatcher | periodical = The Murray Valley Standard | url = https://www.murrayvalleystandard.com.au/story/5084146/bombers-swoop-on-zerk-thatcher/ }} He made his senior debut against Fremantle{{Citation | last = Brown | first = Dani | date = 21 August 2019 | title = Brandon Zerk-Thatcher makes debut for Essendon Bombers against Fremantle Dockers on August 17, 2019 | periodical = The Murray Valley Standard | url = https://www.murrayvalleystandard.com.au/story/6337179/bomber-brandon/ }} in round 22 of the 2019 season.
Zerk-Thatcher was traded to {{AFL PA}} at the end of the 2023 AFL season.{{Cite tweet |user=AFL_House|number=1714563217434050873|date=18 October 2023|title=Trade paperwork lodged.}}
Statistics
Updated to the end of the 2024 season.{{cite web|title=Brandon Zerk-Thatcher|url=https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/B/Brandon_Zerk-Thatcher.html|work=AFL Tables|access-date=4 September 2023}}
{{Australian rules football statistics legend}}
{{AFL player statistics start}}
|-
| 2018 || {{AFL Ess}} || 30
| 0 || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || –
|-
| 2019 || {{AFL Ess}} || 30
| 1 || 0 || 0 || 10 || 1 || 11 || 6 || 3 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 10.0 || 1.0 || 11.0 || 6.0 || 3.0
|-
| 2020{{efn|The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.}} || {{AFL Ess}} || 30
| 10 || 0 || 2 || 46 || 36 || 82 || 30 || 8 || 0.0 || 0.2 || 4.6 || 3.6 || 8.2 || 3.0 || 0.8
|-
| 2021 || {{AFL Ess}} || 30
| 6 || 0 || 0 || 36 || 24 || 60 || 22 || 11 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 6.0 || 4.0 || 10.0 || 3.7 || 1.8
|-
| 2022 || {{AFL Ess}} || 30
| 12 || 0 || 0 || 100 || 52 || 152 || 70 || 12 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 8.3 || 4.3 || 12.7 || 5.8 || 1.0
|-
| 2023 || {{AFL Ess}} || 30
| 22 || 0 || 0 || 164 || 103 || 267 || 120 || 33 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 7.5 || 4.7 || 12.1 || 5.5 || 1.5
|-
| 2024 || {{AFL PA}} || 25
| 26 || 0 || 0 || 192 || 93 || 285 || 136 || 38 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 7.4 || 3.6 || 11.0 || 5.2 || 1.5
|- class=sortbottom
! colspan=3 | Career
! 77 !! 0 !! 2 !! 548 !! 309 !! 857 !! 384 !! 105 !! 0.0 !! 0.0 !! 7.1 !! 4.0 !! 11.1 !! 5.0 !! 1.4
|}
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Portplayer}}
- {{AFL Tables}}
- {{AustralianFootball}}
{{Port Adelaide player squad}}
{{2017 AFL national draft}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zerk-Thatcher, Brandon}}
Category:Essendon Football Club players
Category:Sturt Football Club players
Category:Australian rules footballers from South Australia