Connor Ballenden

{{Infobox AFL biography

| name = Connor Ballenden

| image = Connor Ballenden 2019.1.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Ballenden in 2019

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|03|29|df=y}}

| birth_place =

| originalteam =

| draftpick = No. 43, 2017 AFL draft, {{AFL BL}}

| debutdate = 31 July 2020

| debutteam = {{AFL BL}}

| debutopponent = {{AFL Ess}}

| debutstadium = Carrara Stadium

| height = 200 cm

| weight = 101 kg

| position = Forward

| statsend = Round 14, 2020

| years1 = 2018–2021

| club1 = {{AFL BL}}

| games_goals1 = 3 (1)

| careerhighlights =

| nickname =

}}

Connor Ballenden (born 29 March 1999) is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the {{AFL BL}} in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was recruited by the {{AFL BL}} with the 43rd draft pick in the 2017 AFL draft.{{Cite web|title=2017 AFL Draft results: Every player picked and where they went|url=https://www.theroar.com.au/2017/11/24/2017-afl-draft-results-every-player-picked-went/|date=24 November 2017|last1=Elliott|first1=Josh|work=The Roar|accessdate=4 September 2020}}{{cite web|title=Lions select Ballenden with Pick No. 43|url=https://www.lions.com.au/news/284302/lions-select-ballenden-with-pick-no-43|last1=Grewar|first1=Jessie|work=Brisbane Lions FC Media|date=23 November 2017|accessdate=4 September 2020}}

Early football

Connor was born in New Zealand to father Gavin, who represented South Africa in rugby union and mother Gail, who represented New Zealand in athletics. He moved with his family to Australia when he was four.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lions.com.au/news/330500/queenslander-looms-as-top-draft-prospect|title = Queenslander looms as top draft prospect| date=22 April 2016 }} He played junior football for the Kenmore Australian Football Club.{{cite web|title=Five Queenslanders Taken in National Draft|url=https://www.aflq.com.au/five-queenslanders-taken-national-draft/|date=24 November 2017|work=AFL Queensland|last1=Melrose|first1=Sean|accessdate=4 September 2020}} Ballenden joined the {{AFL BL}}' academy at the age of 12.{{cite web|title=Connor Ballenden|url=https://www.lions.com.au/players/1463/connor-ballenden#playerbio|accessdate=4 September 2020}}{{Cite web|title=Knightmare's AFL draft winners and losers|url=https://www.espn.com.au/afl/story/_/id/21543047/knightmare-2017-afl-draft-winners-losers|date=25 November 2017|last1=Doerre|work=ESPN Sports|accessdate=4 September 2020}} He also represented the Allies in the AFL Under 18 Championships for the 2016 and 2017 seasons.{{cite web|title=Connor Ballenden|url=https://afl.draftcentral.com.au/player/connor-ballenden/|work=Aussie Rules Draft Central|accessdate=4 September 2020}}{{cite web|title=AFL draft tracker 2017: Every draft pick, live tracker, which club got who in AFL national draft?|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-draft-2017-every-draft-pick-live-tracker-which-club-got-who-in-afl-national-draft/news-story/a177c1117259895136ff4d4452a400be|work=Fox Sports|date=24 November 2017|accessdate=4 September 2020}} He completed school at St Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace in 2016.{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/StJosephsCollegeGregoryTerrace/posts/gtob-news-great-story-about-connor-ballenden-gtob16-who-is-already-making-headli/1082758235180566/|date=25 January 2017|title=GTOB News|website=Facebook}}

AFL career

Ballenden debuted in the {{AFL BL}}' 63 point win over {{AFL Ess}} in the 9th round of the 2020 AFL season.{{cite web|title=Ballenden to debut for Brisbane Lions|url=https://aflnz.co.nz/blog/2020/07/31/ballenden-to-debut-for-brisbane-lions/|date=31 July 2020|work=AFL New Zealand|accessdate=4 September 2020}}{{cite web|title=Lions, Dons to hand debuts to 200cm, 100kgs beasts|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/478014/lions-dons-to-hand-debuts-to-200cm-100kgs-beasts|last1=Whiting|first1=Michael|work=AFL Media|date=30 July 2020|accessdate=4 September 2020}}{{Cite web|title=Lions confident big debutant can deliver|url=https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/6857896/lions-confident-big-debutant-can-deliver/?cs=4783|work=Illawarra Mercury|last1=Jackson|first1=Ed|date=31 July 2020|accessdate=4 September 2020}} On debut, Ballenden picked up six disposals, kicked a goal and took three marks.{{cite web|title=Round 9 • Essendon v Brisbane Lions - Player Stats|url=https://www.lions.com.au/matches/2815#player-stats|accessdate=4 September 2020}} Ballenden was temporarily removed from the senior list in November 2020, with plans to add him back to the rookie list at a later point.{{cite web|title=Cut Lion goes to Crows as Brisbane delists five, re-signs veteran|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/525557/cut-lion-goes-to-crows-as-brisbane-delists-five-re-signs-veteran|last1=Cleary|first1=Mitch|work=AFL Media|date=25 November 2020|accessdate=25 November 2020}} Ballenden was delisted at the end of the 2021 AFL season, after playing just 3 career games.{{cite web|title=Lions Confirm Three List Changes|url=https://www.lions.com.au/news/1026082/lions-confirm-three-list-changes|work=lions.com.au|access-date=19 October 2021|date=18 October 2021}}

Statistics

: Statistics are correct to the end of 2020{{cite web|url=https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/C/Connor_Ballenden.html|title=Connor Ballenden|work=AFL Tables|accessdate=10 November 2020}}

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

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

| {{AFL BL}} || 38 || 0 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —

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

| {{AFL BL}} || 38 || 0 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —

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

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

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

| 38 || 2 || 1 || 1 || 5 || 4 || 9 || 5 || 1 || 0.5 || 0.5 || 2.5 || 2.0 || 4.5 || 2.5 || 0.5

|- style="background:#EAEAEA; font-weight:bold; width:2em"

| scope="row" text-align:center class="sortbottom" colspan=3 | Career

| 2

| 1

| 5

| 4

| 9

| 5

| 1

| 0.5