Jaspa Fletcher
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Jaspa Fletcher
| image = Jaspa Fletcher 050425.jpg
| caption = Fletcher in April 2025
| fullname = Jaspa Fletcher
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2004|02|24|df=y}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| originalteam = Sherwood Districts (QAFL)
Coorparoo
| draftpick = No. 12 (F/S), 2022 national draft
| height = 184 cm
| weight = 76 kg
| position = Defender
| currentclub = {{AFL BL}}
| guernsey = 3
| years1 = 2023–
| club1 = {{AFL BL}}
| games_goals1 = 56 (18)
| statsend = round 15, 2025
| careerhighlights =
- AFL premiership player: 2024
- AFL Rising Star nominee: 2023
}}
Jaspa Fletcher (born 24 February 2004) is a professional Australian rules footballer who plays for the Brisbane Lions. Fletcher, whose father Adrian also played for the Lions, was a part of Brisbane's 2024 premiership win.
Early career
Fletcher was born in Victoria but moved to Brisbane at three years of age in late 2007 when his father, Adrian, accepted an assistant coaching role with the Brisbane Lions.{{cite web|url=https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sport/fletch-lives-at-lions-20071203-ge9egp.html |title=Fletch lives at Lions |date=3 December 2007 |publisher=Brisbane Times }} His father is a 231-game former AFL player for Geelong (23), St Kilda (22), Brisbane Bears/Lions (107) and Fremantle (79) and his mother, Narelle, is a 296-game former WNBL player for Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Dandenong as well as an Australian national team representative.{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/narelle-fletcher/3599886 |title=Narelle Fletcher - ABC News |date=1 June 2015 |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation }}
Jaspa attended Brisbane State High School throughout his upbringing{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/BrisbaneStateHighSchool/posts/congratulations-to-jaspa-fletcher-year-10-who-played-for-metropolitan-east-at-th/2149975555058341/ |title=Congratulations to Jaspa Fletcher (Year 10) who played for Metropolitan East at the AFL Queensland School Sport State Carnival |date=15 May 2019 |publisher=Brisbane State High School }} and initially played junior football for Coorparoo in the local Brisbane league before switching to the Sherwood Districts in 2021 when his father was appointed head coach of the club.{{cite web|url=https://www.aflq.com.au/afl-greats-coaching-in-this-years-qafl/ |title=AFL greats coaching in this year’s QAFL |date=1 April 2021 |publisher=AFL Queensland }} While playing for Coorparoo at 12 years of age, he was invited to participate in the Brisbane Lions Academy. Fletcher made his senior debut for Sherwood Districts at 17 years of age in round 3 of the 2021 QAFL season and played bottom age U18 representative football for the Brisbane Lions academy team in the NAB League as well as for Queensland in the 2021 AFL Under-19 Championships.{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/albums/679859/afl-2021-u19-championships-queensland-v-tasmania?modal=true&type=gallery&playlistId=679859&playlistSize=23 |title=AFL 2021 U19 Championships - Queensland v Tasmania |date=23 September 2021 |publisher=Australian Football League }}
In his final year of junior football, Fletcher captained both the Brisbane Lions academy and the Allies teams in their respective representative competitions and his efforts led to selection in the 2022 U18 All-Australian alongside fellow future Brisbane Lions father-son teammate Will Ashcroft.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/draft/afl-draft-news-2022-jaspa-fletcher-brisbane-lions-father-son-dad-adrian-fletcher-stats-height-position-academy-selection/news-story/12ab7135b2249379c825eabf7aaadd8d |title=There’s a SECOND Brisbane father-son gun. He’s a draft bolter who’s already tasted life as a Lion |date=29 October 2022 |publisher=Fox Sports Australia }}{{cite web|url=https://wwos.nine.com.au/afl/draft-2022-top-prospects-rankings-will-ashcroft-aaron-cadman-george-wardlaw-harry-sheezel-elijah-tsatas/a03c7ccc-013b-4607-ac47-32ffe6ac1dc8#7 |title=The top 20 prospects in the 2022 AFL draft: Jaspa Fletcher |date=27 November 2022 |publisher=Wide World of Sports }} The Brisbane Lions elected to match a father-son bid for Fletcher with pick 12 in the 2022 AFL draft.{{cite web|url=https://www.lions.com.au/news/1253865/2022-draft-recap |title=2022 Draft Recap: A Father-Son Frenzy |date=1 December 2022 |publisher=Brisbane Lions }}
AFL career
Fletcher was selected to make his AFL debut for the Brisbane Lions in round 14 of the 2023 AFL season against the Sydney Swans at the Gabba and kicked a goal on debut.{{cite web|url=https://www.lions.com.au/news/1358387/son-of-a-gun-jaspa-fletcher-to-debut |title=Son of a Gun Jaspa Fletcher to Debut |date=15 June 2023 |publisher=Brisbane Lions }}{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/video/951107/fletcher-fetches-first-goal-to-get-gabba-going?videoId=951107&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1686913244001 |title=Fletcher fetches first goal to get Gabba going |date=16 June 2023 |publisher=Australian Football League }} He received a Rising Star nomination in round 19 with 19 disposals and 8 marks against {{AFL Gee}}.{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/986946/young-lion-roars-into-rising-star-nomination|first1=Sophie|last1=Welsh|first2=Michael|last2=Whiting|title=Young Lion roars into Rising Star nomination|website=afl.com.au|date=24 July 2023}} A career-best three goals in Fletcher's first final against {{AFL PA}} assisted the Lions to a home preliminary final. Fletcher played in the 2023 Grand Final in just his first senior season, but the Lions narrowly lost to {{AFL Col}}.{{cite web|url=https://www.lions.com.au/news/1450008/the-future-is-bright-for-lions-youngster|title=The Future is Bright For Lions Youngster|date=3 November 2023|website=lions.com.au}}
Fletcher was part of the Brisbane Lions 2024 premiership winning team in just his second season in the AFL. Fletcher was among Brisbane's best, collecting 18 disposals and 7 marks against {{AFL Syd}}.{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/1231476/lion-kings-chris-fagans-heroes-thrash-sydney-swans-in-grand-final-shock|date=28 September 2024|website=afl.com.au|title=Lion Kings: Fagan's heroes thrash Swans in GF shock|first=Callum|last=Twomey}}
Statistics
:Statistics are correct to the end of 2025{{cite web|url=http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/J/Jaspa_Fletcher.html|title=Jaspa Fletcher|publisher=AFL Tables|accessdate=30 September 2024}}
{{AFL player statistics legend|p=y}}
{{AFL player statistics start}}
|-
| 2023 || {{AFL BL}} || 28
| 14 || 8 || 6 || 102 || 63 || 165 || 65 || 17 || 0.6 || 0.4 || 7.3 || 4.5 || 11.8 || 4.6 || 1.2
|-
| scope=row bgcolor=F0E68C | 2024# || {{AFL BL}} || 28
| 27 || 5 || 8 || 219 || 174 || 393 || 133 || 52 || 0.2 || 0.3 || 8.1 || 6.4 || 14.6 || 4.9 || 1.9
|-
| 2025 || {{AFL BL}} || 3
| 15 || 5 || 1 || 204 || 101 || 305 || 89 || 23 || 0.3 || 0.1 || 13.6 || 6.7 || 20.3 || 5.9 || 1.5
|- colspan="sortbottom"
! colspan=3| Career
! 56 !! 18 !! 15 !! 525 !! 338 !! 863 !! 287 !! 92 !! 0.3 !! 0.2 !! 9.3 !! 6.0 !! 15.4 !! 5.1 !! 1.6
|}
Honours and achievements
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons cat}}
- {{Brisplayer}}
- {{AFL Tables}}
- {{AustralianFootball}}
{{Brisbane player squad}}
{{2024 Brisbane Lions premiership players}}
{{2023 AFL Rising Star nominees}}
{{2022 AFL national draft}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fletcher, Jaspa}}
Category:Brisbane Lions players
Category:VFL/AFL premiership players
Category:Brisbane Lions premiership players
Category:Australian rules footballers from Brisbane