Ethan Read

Read was raised on the Gold Coast where he attended St Andrews Lutheran College throughout his upbringing.{{Cite web |date=2024-04-16 |title=How Suns' Academy graduates are impacting on and off the field |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/1110144/how-gold-coast-suns-academy-graduates-ethan-read-jed-walter-will-graham-are-impacting-on-and-off-the-field |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Australian Football League}} He began playing junior football at nine years of age when signed up to play for the Palm Beach Currumbin Lions alongside future AFL teammates Jed Walter and Will Graham.{{Cite web |date=2023-11-22 |title=Behind the Draft - Get to know Ethan Read |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOQIQby__gM |access-date=2024-01-29 |website=Gold Coast Suns}} Read joined the Gold Coast Suns Academy at 13 years of age, but was not considered a standout in his early teenage years.{{Cite web |date=2023-11-24 |title=Six Queenslanders selected in the 2023 AFL Draft |url=https://www.aflq.com.au/six-queenslanders-selected-in-the-2023-afl-draft/|access-date=2024-04-06 |website=AFL Queensland}}

At 16 years of age, Read experienced an 11 cm growth spurt and he was subsequently put on the radar of several AFL teams due to his newly developed 200 cm frame.{{Cite web |date=2023-11-19 |title=Ethan Read's rise from talented teen to best ruckman in his draft class |url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/afl/afl-draft-2023-ethan-reads-rise-from-talented-teen-to-best-ruckman-in-his-class/news-story/d23c61760b61aa5852579be7d1faed0b |access-date=2024-04-06 |website=Courier Mail}} The following year he received national exposure for the first time when as a bottom ager he was selected to represent the Allies several times in the U18 National Championships as well as the Gold Coast Suns Academy in the U19 Talent League.{{Cite web |date=2022-11-18 |title=No.1 contender, brother of Port star headline 2023 Academy intake |url=https://www.aflq.com.au/2022-allies-squad-announced/|access-date=2024-04-06 |website=Australian Football League}} His performances at the representative and club levels led to Read being placed in the AFL's 30-player National Academy program on the eve of his draft year and he was generally considered a second round draft prospect at the time.{{Cite web |date=2022-05-20 |title=2022 Allies squad announced |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/866451/cream-of-the-crop-top-prospects-named-in-academy-program|access-date=2024-01-08 |website=AFL Queensland}}

Read appeared in the Allies' first U18 National Championship win and his performances earned him the starting ruckman position in the 2023 U18 All-Australian team.{{Cite web |date=2023-07-21 |title=Allies dominate U18 All-Australian team after unbeaten carnival for 2023 |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/982882/allies-dominate-u18-all-australian-team-after-unbeaten-carnival |access-date=2024-01-14 |website=Australian Football League}} A month later he made his VFL debut for the Gold Coast, accruing 12 disposals and four behinds.{{Cite web |date=2023-08-16 |title=Cal Twomey's Phantom Form Guide: Top draft prospects' August ranking |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/1009306/cal-twomeys-phantom-form-guide-top-draft-prospects-august-ranking|access-date=2024-03-22 |website=Australian Football League}} In mid-November, he finished second in the national combine 2km time trial by running a 5:56 and was rated as highly as the third best prospect in the 2023 draft pool by some recruiters.{{Cite web |date=2024-11-15 |title=THE ACADEMY RUCKMAN THAT A RIVAL RECRUITING MANAGER RATES AS A TOP-THREE PROSPECT |url=https://www.sen.com.au/news/2023/11/16/the-academy-ruckman-that-a-rival-recruiting-manager-rates-as-a-top-three/|access-date=2024-04-12 |website=SEN}} A week later, he was drafted to his hometown team the Gold Coast Suns with pick 9 in the 2023 AFL draft after the Suns elected to match a bid from the Geelong Cats.{{Cite web |date=2022-11-20 |title=Read picked No.9 in AFL Draft |url=https://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/news/1467301/read-picked-no9-in-afl-draft|access-date=2024-02-18 |website=Gold Coast Suns}} Read grew up supporting the Gold Coast Suns{{Cite web |date=2023-11-08 |title=We asked 20 draft prospects which AFL teams they support. Some could ultimately land at their favourite club|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-draft-news-2023-jordan-croft-western-bulldogs-will-mccabe-hawthorn-which-teams-top-draft-prospects-support/news-story/7b97d06b73a123aa1d5f2e91c65c3232 |access-date=2024-03-28 |website=Fox Sports Australia}} and described being drafted to the club with his friends as a "dream come true".{{Cite web |date=2024-04-03 |title=Suns to unveil three debutants in Giants clash |url=https://www.goldcoastfc.com.au/news/1521240/three-suns-to-debut-in-gather-round|access-date=2024-04-06 |website=Gold Coast Suns}}

Read made his AFL debut for the Suns at 18 years of age in round 4 of the 2024 season against the Greater Western Sydney Giants in Mount Barker and kicked a goal in his first game.{{Cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Martin |date=2024-04-07 |title=Suns stars set for new roles as Dimma lauds sprightly display |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/1103665/coaches-gold-coast-suns-v-greater-western-sydney|access-date=2024-04-07 |website=Australian Football League}}

: Statistics are correct to the end of 2024{{cite web|url=https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/E/Ethan_Read.html|title=Ethan Read|work=AFL Tables|access-date=13 September 2024}}

{{Australian rules football statistics legend/ruck}}

{{AFL player statistics start/ruck}}

|-

| 2024 || {{AFL GC}} || 20

| 4 || 3 || 1 || 9 || 9 || 18 || 4 || 1 || 15 || 0.8 || 0.3 || 2.3 || 2.3 || 4.5 || 1.0 || 0.3 || 3.8

|- class="sortbottom"

! colspan=3| Career

! 4 !! 3 !! 1 !! 9 !! 9 !! 18 !! 4 !! 1 !! 15 !! 0.8 !! 0.3 !! 2.3 !! 2.3 !! 4.5 !! 1.0 !! 0.3 !! 3.8

|}

{{Reflist}}

• {{GCplayer}}

{{Gold Coast player squad}}

{{2023 AFL national draft}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Read, Ethan}}

Category:Living people

Category:2005 births

Category:Australian rules footballers from the Gold Coast, Queensland

Category:Gold Coast Football Club players