Jack Fitzpatrick (footballer)

After kicking four goals in a Victorian Football League match for Casey, Fitzpatrick made his AFL debut in the final round of the 2011 season.{{cite web|last=Burgan|first=Matt|title=Fitzpatrick to debut, Bail returns|url=http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/7415/newsid/122548/default.aspx|publisher=Melbourne Football Club|access-date=6 September 2011|date=2 September 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320020549/http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/7415/newsid/122548/default.aspx|archive-date=20 March 2012|url-status=dead}} He kicked a goal in the match.{{cite news|last=Porter|first=Ashley|title=Oval move proves winner all round|url=http://www.smh.com.au/afl/afl-news/oval-move-proves-winner-all-round-20110904-1jsfg.html|access-date=6 September 2011|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=5 September 2011}} Jack played the last game of the 2012 AFL season against Fremantle kicking 2 goals.

He suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome from childhood, hence the inconsistency early on. A diagnosis of type 1 diabetes at 21 years of age has also added to his challenges.{{Cite web |date=2015-10-23 |title=Fitzy’s health fight keeps footy in perspective |url=https://www.aflplayers.com.au/news-feed/stories/fitzys-health-fight-keeps-footy-in-perspective |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=AFL Players' Association Limited |language=en-AU}}

Fitzpatrick showed improvement during the 2013 AFL season, he played every match from rounds 10 - 21 for Melbourne, ranking No 1 at the club for scoreboard impact, kicking 15 goals in 11 games.

From 2014 he has failed to make an impact at senior level managing 8 games in two years.

He was delisted by Melbourne in September 2015,{{cite news|url=http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2015-09-18/melbourne-delists-four-players|title=Melbourne delists four players|last=Burgan|first=Matt|date=18 September 2015|work=MelbourneFC.com.au|publisher=Bigpond|access-date=18 September 2015}} however, he was recruited by the Hawthorn Football Club through a trade in October.{{cite news|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-10-21/hawks-nab-tall-demon-fitzpatrick-for-pick-no94|title=Hawks nab tall Demon Fitzpatrick for pick No.94|last=Ryan|first=Peter|date=21 October 2015|work=AFL.com.au|publisher=Bigpond|access-date=21 October 2015}}

Fitzpatrick had one year at Hawthorn, he played well in the preseason competition but hurt his knee in the final game. After missing the start of the season due to injury, Fitzpatrick started a return to form in the VFL with Box Hill. In his fifth game back from injury he suffered a head blow and the resultant concussion sidelined him for two months. Finally an opportunity opened for him in the final round to make his Hawthorn debut, he kicked a match-turning goal which saw them defeat {{AFL Col}} by one point and secure third place on the ladder.{{cite web|url=http://www.triplem.com.au/melbourne/sport/afl/news/2016/8/footy-fans-react-to-jack-fitzpatricks-late-goal-for-hawthorn/|title=Footy Fans React To Jack Fitzpatrick's Late Goal For Hawthorn|publisher=Triple M|date=28 August 2016|access-date=28 August 2016}} He played in the two final matches, both of which Hawthorn lost. At the conclusion of the 2016 season, he was delisted by Hawthorn.{{cite news|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-10-28/axe-falls-at-hawthorn-with-cult-hero-among-seven-cut|title=Axe falls at Hawthorn with cult hero among seven cut|last1=Browne|first1=Ashley|last2=Ryan|first2=Peter|date=28 October 2016|work=AFL.com.au|publisher=BigPond|access-date=29 October 2016}}

He was subsequently re-drafted by Hawthorn in the 2017 rookie draft.{{cite news|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-11-28/rookie-draft-giants-reunite-exdockers-mzungu-and-de-boer|title=Giants reunite ex-Dockers Mzungu and de Boer|last=Browne|first=Ashley|date=28 November 2016|work=AFL.com.au|publisher=Bigpond|access-date=28 November 2016}} He played one game but received a head knock that caused concussion. On 21 August 2017, Fitzpatrick announced his immediate retirement from AFL football due to ongoing concussion issues.{{Cite news|url=http://www.hawthornfc.com.au/news/2017-08-21/fitzy-forced-to-call-time|title=Fitzy forced to call time|date=21 August 2017|work=hawthornfc.com.au|access-date=21 August 2017}}

{{AFL player statistics legend/ruckman}}

{{AFL player statistics start with votes/ruck}}

|- style=background:#EAEAEA

| 2010 || {{AFL Mel}} || 48

| 0 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || 0

|-

| 2011 || {{AFL Mel}} || 48

| 1 || 1 || 2 || 8 || 3 || 11 || 4 || 1 || 2 || 1.0 || 2.0 || 8.0 || 3.0 || 11.0 || 4.0 || 1.0 || 2.0 || 0

|- style=background:#EAEAEA

| 2012 || {{AFL Mel}} || 48

| 2 || 2 || 0 || 6 || 5 || 11 || 1 || 3 || 2 || 1.0 || 0.0 || 3.0 || 2.5 || 5.5 || 0.5 || 1.5 || 1.0 || 0

|-

| 2013 || {{AFL Mel}} || 48

| 11 || 15 || 9 || 74 || 35 || 109 || 46 || 17 || 72 || 1.4 || 0.8 || 6.7 || 3.2 || 9.9 || 4.2 || 1.5 || 6.5 || 0

|- style=background:#EAEAEA

| 2014 || {{AFL Mel}} || 48

| 5 || 4 || 1 || 19 || 18 || 37 || 15 || 6 || 17 || 0.8 || 0.2 || 3.8 || 3.6 || 7.4 || 3.0 || 1.2 || 3.4 || 0

|-

| 2015 || {{AFL Mel}} || 48

| 3 || 2 || 0 || 19 || 9 || 28 || 11 || 3 || 7 || 0.7 || 0.0 || 6.3 || 3.0 || 9.3 || 3.7 || 1.0 || 2.3 || 0

|- style=background:#EAEAEA

| 2016 || {{AFL Haw}} || 32

| 3 || 3 || 3 || 23 || 11 || 34 || 8 || 8 || 29 || 1.0 || 1.0 || 7.7 || 3.7 || 11.3 || 2.7 || 2.7 || 9.7 || 0

|-

| 2017 || {{AFL Haw}} || 32

| 1 || 0 || 0 || 3 || 8 || 11 || 4 || 0 || 13 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 3.0 || 8.0 || 11.0 || 4.0 || 0.0 || 13.0 || 0

|- class="sortbottom"

! colspan=3| Career{{cite web|url=http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/J/Jack_Fitzpatrick.html|title=Jack Fitzpatrick stats|work=AFL Tables|access-date=13 November 2016}}

! 26 !! 27 !! 15 !! 152 !! 89 !! 241 !! 89 !! 38 !! 142 !! 1.0 !! 0.6 !! 5.8 !! 3.4 !! 9.3 !! 3.4 !! 1.5 !! 5.5 !! 0

|}

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{AFL Tables|J/Jack_Fitzpatrick}}

{{2009 AFL national draft}}

{{2017 AFL rookie draft}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fitzpatrick, Jack}}

Category:Melbourne Football Club players

Category:Living people

Category:1991 births

Category:Australian rules footballers from Victoria (state)

Category:Western Jets players

Category:Casey Demons players

Category:Box Hill Football Club players

Category:Hawthorn Football Club players

Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen

Category:People with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome