David Ellard

{{Short description|Australian rules footballer}}

{{Use Australian English|date=January 2018}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}

{{Infobox AFL biography

| name = David Ellard

| image =

| fullname = David Ellard

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1989|3|13}}

| birth_place =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| originalteam = Swan Districts (WAFL)

| draftpick = No. 34, 2008 Rookie Draft, {{AFL Car}}
No. 99, 2010 National Draft, rookie elevation

| height = 177 cm

| weight = 78 kg

| position = Midfielder / forward

| statsend = 2015

| years1 = 2008–2015

| club1 = {{AFL Car}}

| games_goals1 = 63 (37)

| careerhighlights =

}}

David Ellard (born 13 March 1989) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Ellard is a relatively small player who plays mainly as an in-and-under or tagging midfielder. He played football with the Swan Districts Football Club in the WAFL in 2007.[http://www.swandistrictsfc.com/media/docs/2007_season.pdf SDFC 2007 Review] He was drafted to the Carlton Football Club in the AFL for the 2008 season as a rookie in the rookie draft, with the club's third selection (No. 34 overall). Ellard played in several of Carlton's pre-season games, including his Carlton debut in an exhibition match in South Africa, and in the club's two NAB Cup games.

Ellard began the regular season with Carlton's {{VFL-affiliate}}, the Northern Bullants. He impressed sufficiently to be elevated to the senior list and made his debut against the West Coast Eagles at Subiaco Oval in Round 7.Ray Wilson; [http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/rfmatchreport/blues-end-drought-in-west/2008/05/02/1209235166339.html Blues end drought in West];The Age Realfooty; 3 May 2008 He did not play again for the Blues during the season, playing a total of eighteen games for the Bullants. In 2009, Ellard returned to the rookie list, and played the entire season with the Northern Bullants, where he was one of the club's best midfielders, and was a part of the club's losing grand final team. Ellard won the Carlton Football Club's Best Clubman award and the Northern Bullants' Best and Fairest award (the Laurie Hill Trophy) in 2009.

Ellard was given a third year as a rookie, and continued playing for the Bullants. After playing his 50th senior game for the Bullants, and more than two years after his AFL debut, Ellard played his second AFL match in Round 17, 2010, against the West Coast Eagles at Subiaco Oval, and played every Carlton game for the rest of the season. Ellard was formally elevated to the senior list after the 2010 season,Blueseum, [http://www.blueseum.org/tiki-index.php?page=2010%20Rookie%20List 2010 Rookie List], 24 November 2010, Retrieved 23 April 2011. and was a regular part of Carlton's midfield in 2011, playing a career-high 19 games for the season with strong tackling and accurate goalkicking. After struggling with injuries in 2013, he returned to a lead-up forward role and remained in that role for the rest of his time with Carlton.{{cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-12-12/i-need-versatility-ellard|title=Ellard knows versatility key to long career|author=Nick Bowen|date=13 December 2013|access-date=4 September 2015|publisher=Australian Football League}}

Ellard retired from AFL football after the 2015 season, finishing with 63 games over eight seasons with Carlton.{{cite web|url=http://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/2015-09-04/barker-ellard-a-great-clubman|title=Barker: Ellard a 'great clubman'|author=Travis King|date=4 September 2015|access-date=4 September 2015|publisher=Carlton Football Club}} He played the 2016 season for Greensborough in Northern Football League, then returned to Perth and served as co-captain at Swan Districts from 2017 until 2019 before retiring.{{cite web|url=https://www.swandistrictsfc.com.au/news/17838/swans-champion-retires|title=Swans Champion Retires|date=23 August 2019|publisher=Swan Districts Football Club}}

Ellard is the cousin of Alex Rance.{{cite web |last1=Colangelo |first1=Anthony |title=From a flag to the fourth division: Rance ponders footy comeback in Perth |url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/from-a-flag-to-the-fourth-division-rance-ponders-footy-comeback-in-perth-20210101-p56r6p.html |website=The Age |publisher=Fairfax Media |access-date=2 January 2021}}