Kayle Kirby

{{Infobox AFL biography

| name = Kayle Kirby

| image =

| fullname = Kayle Kirby

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|10|26|df=y}}

| birth_place = Swan Hill

| originalteam = Bendigo Pioneers (TAC Cup)

| draftpick = No. 50, 2016 national draft

| height = 182 cm

| weight = 89 kg

| position = Forward

| currentclub =

| guernsey =

| years1 = 2017–2018

| club1 = {{AFL Col}}

| games_goals1 = 1 (0)

| statsend =

| careerhighlights =

}}

Kayle Kirby (born 26 October 1998) is a retired professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL) and the Collingwood reserves in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Kirby was forced to retire after discovering an "underlying heart condition" following his collapse during a practice match against the North Melbourne reserves.

Early career

Hailing from Swan Hill, he played with the Tyntynder Football Club seniors side at the age of 16.{{cite news|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-11-29/funny-pie-learns-of-draft-selection-at-the-pub|title=Funny Pie learns of draft selection at the pub|last=Ryan|first=Peter|date=29 November 2016|work=AFL.com.au|publisher=Bigpond|accessdate=26 August 2017}} He played for the Bendigo Pioneers in the TAC Cup for the 2015 and 2016 seasons, in which he kicked 32 goals in 2016.{{cite news|url=http://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/4110758/kirby-boots-five-goals-in-vfl-debut/|title=Exciting Bendigo Pioneers forward Kayle Kirby boots five goals for Richmond in VFL debut against Sandringham|first=Kieran|last=Iles|newspaper=Bendigo Advertiser|date=22 August 2016}} In 2016, he played the final two games for Richmond in the Victorian Football League where he kicked nine goals,{{cite web|url=http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/2017-08-25/five-fun-kayle-kirby-facts|title= Five fun Kayle Kirby facts|first=Sam|last=Gastin|work=Collingwood Football Club|publisher=Telstra Media|date=25 August 2017}} including five on debut.

AFL career

He was drafted by Collingwood with pick 50 in the 2016 AFL draft and made his debut against {{AFL Mel}} at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the final round of the 2017 season.{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/kayle-kirby-set-to-debut-for-collingwood-20170825-gy42q7.html|title=Kayle Kirby set to debut for Collingwood Magpies|last=Colangelo|first=Anthony|date=25 August 2017|work=The Age|publisher=Fairfax Media|accessdate=26 August 2017}} Kirby's 43 goals in the club's reserves matches saw him place third in the league's goalkicking tally for the 2017 VFL season.{{cite web|title=Scoring Summary|website=Peter Jackson VFL 2017|accessdate=17 April 2018|url=http://websites.sportstg.com/comp_info.cgi?client=1-118-0-436949-0&a=STATS&sgroup=scoring&sgstat=Gls|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20171005001801/http://websites.sportstg.com/comp_info.cgi?client=1-118-0-436949-0&a=STATS&sgroup=scoring&sgstat=Gls|archivedate=5 October 2017}}

On 31 March 2018, Kirby collapsed during a VFL practice match at the Holden Centre. He was taken to hospital and it was discovered that he has an underlying heart condition.{{cite news|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/collingwood-youngster-kirby-diagnosed-with-underlying-heart-condition-20180504-p4zdfi.html|title=Collingwood youngster Kirby diagnosed with 'underlying heart condition'|first=Anthony|last=Colangelo|newspaper=The Age|date=4 May 2018}} At the conclusion of the 2018 season, Kirby retired from professional AFL football.{{cite web|url=http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/news/2018-10-30/four-pies-sign-on-five-depart|title=Four Pies sign on, five depart|publisher=Telstra Media|work={{AFL Col}}|date=30 October 2018}}

Statistics

:Statistics are correct to the end of 2018 season{{cite web|url=https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/K/Kayle_Kirby.html|title=Kayle Kirby|publisher=AFL Tables|accessdate=28 October 2018}}

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

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2017

|{{AFL Col}}

| 27 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 3 || 1 || 4 || 2 || 5 || 0.0 || 1.0 || 3.0 || 1.0 || 4.0 || 2.0 || 5.0

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

|{{AFL Col}}

| 27 || 0 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || —

|- class="sortbottom"

! colspan=3| Career

! 1

! 0

! 1