Maverick Weller

{{Infobox AFL biography

| name = Maverick Weller

| fullname = Maverick Weller

| image = Maverick Weller 2017.2.jpg

| image_size = 200px

| caption = Weller with St Kilda in June 2017

| nickname = Mav

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1992|02|13|df=y}}

| birth_place = Tasmania

| death_date =

| death_place =

| originalteam = Burnie(TSL)

| draftpick = No. 20, 2014 AFL rookie draft: {{AFL StK}}

| height = 182 cm

| weight = 85 kg

| position = Midfielder/forward

| guernsey =

| club1 = {{AFL GC}}

| years1 = 2011–2013

| games_goals1 = {{0}}32 {{0}}(3)

| club2 = {{AFL StK}}

| years2 = 2014–2018

| games_goals2 = {{0}}89 (55)

| club3 = {{AFL Ric}}

| years3 = 2019

| games_goals3 = {{0}}{{0}}2 {{0}}(1)

| games_goalstotal = 123 (59)

| statsend = 2019

| careerhighlights = VFL

VFL premiership player: 2019

| coachyears =

| coachclubs =

}}

Maverick Weller (born 13 February 1992) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Gold Coast Suns, St Kilda Football Club and Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He currently plays and coaches for the Penguin Football Club in the North West Football League (NWFL).{{Cite web|title=mav weller — NWFL News|url=https://www.nwfl.com.au/nwfl-news/tag/mav+weller|access-date=2021-04-02|website=NWFL, North West Football League|language=en-AU}}

Career

=Gold Coast (2011–2013)=

Weller was pre-signed to the expansion club {{AFL GC}} as a 17-year-old, after playing junior football at Burnie in the Tasmanian State League.{{cite news |title=Maverick Weller one of five players delisted by Gold Coast Suns |url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/maverick-weller-one-of-five-players-delisted-by-gold-coast-suns/news-story/d1b252b44d9f2a15fee8fbc542c82a89 |accessdate=4 November 2019 |work=Herald Sun |publisher=News Corp Australia |date=2 September 2019}} He spent 2010 playing for Gold Coast in the VFL one year prior to their AFL entry. He made his AFL debut against the {{AFL WB}} in round 3 of the 2011 season.{{Citation | last = Smart | first = Nick | date = 11 April 2011 | title = Close but no cigar for Suns teen | periodical = The Gold Coast Bulletin}} Weller also featured in the Gold Coast's first ever win over Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium on 23 April 2011.{{Citation | last = Fair | first = Alex | date = 27 April 2011 | title = Russell's goal seals Suns' maiden victory | periodical = The Examiner Newspaper}}

Weller was delisted by the Suns on 2 September 2013 after playing just four games in the 2013 AFL season.

=St Kilda (2014–2018)=

Weller was taken in the 2013 Rookie Draft by St Kilda. He was elevated off the rookie list during the 2014 season, debuting in round 7. In his first season, Weller played 16 games and kicked three goals.

In 2015, Weller was named in St Kilda's leadership group along with captain Nick Riewoldt and fellow players Leigh Montagna, Sean Dempster, Jarryn Geary, David Armitage and Jack Newnes. He played 20 matches and kicked 12 goals in his second season with the Saints. Weller received a one-match ban for an off-the-ball hit on {{AFL BL2}}'s Rohan Bewick in round 9.

Prior to the 2016 season, Weller signed a contract extension with St Kilda, committing to the club until the end of the 2018 season. He was criticised for comments he made about former coach, Guy McKenna, but insisted these comments were taken out of context and has no negative feelings towards McKenna.{{cite news | url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/st-kilda-stopper-mav-weller-backtracks-on-criticism-of-gold-coast-coach-guy-mckenna-20151212-glm0m1.html | title=St Kilda stopper Mav Weller backtracks on criticism of former Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna | first=Daniel | last=Cherny | date=12 December 2015 | newspaper=The Age | accessdate=21 November 2018 }} Weller played his 50th game for St Kilda in the club's round 14, 2016 win against {{AFL Gee}}.

Weller remained a part of St Kilda's leadership group for the 2017 season, with players Seb Ross, Josh Bruce and Dylan Roberton joining the eight-man group. He played 18 matches (nine wins, nine losses) for the season. He suffered an ankle injury in round 6, which kept him sidelined for the Saints' win over the GWS Giants in round 7. He was omitted from the senior side for three matches later in the season, before returning in round 19. Weller kicked his 50th career goal in the Saints' round 10 loss to the Western Bulldogs.

Weller was delisted by the Saints at the end of the 2018 season.{{Cite news|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-10-17/saints-cut-strongbodied-forward-after-five-years|title=Saints cut strong-bodied forward after five years - AFL.com.au|work=afl.com.au|access-date=2018-10-18}}

=Richmond (2019)=

In November 2018 the Richmond Football Club signed Weller to a rookie contract under the AFL's newly introduce pre-season supplemental selection rule.{{cite news |title=Tigers to recruit Mav Weller |url=https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/2018-11-21/tigers-to-recruit-mav-weller |accessdate=22 September 2019 |work=Richmond FC |publisher=Telstra Media |date=21 November 2019}} Weller played in both of the club's AFL pre-season matches, kicking three goals across the two matches.{{cite news |last1=Collins |first1=Ben |title=Tigers find top gear to topple Dees after slow start |url=https://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/jlt-community-series/2019/1/rich-v-melb |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104005501/http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/jlt-community-series/2019/1/rich-v-melb |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 November 2018 |accessdate=22 September 2019 |work=AFL Media |publisher=Telstra Media |date=3 March 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Guthrie |first1=Ben |title=Slow-starting Tigers find top gear to down Hawks |url=https://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/jlt-community-series/2019/2/haw-v-rich |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181105131315/http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/jlt-community-series/2019/2/haw-v-rich |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 November 2018 |accessdate=22 September 2019 |work=AFL Media |publisher=Telstra Media |date=9 March 2019}} He made his AFL debut for the club in round 1, kicking one goal. Weller played again for the club's AFL side in round 2, before being dropped to reserves level to play out the remainder of the season with the club's VFL side.{{cite news |title=AFL Teams, Round 3 2019: Full squads, team line-ups, benches, emergencies, SuperCoach news, debuts |url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-teams-round-3-2019-full-squads-team-lineups-benches-emergencies-supercoach-news-debuts/news-story/3f698dc58473030643c807b480c391ee |accessdate=22 September 2019 |work=Fox Sports |publisher=News Corp Australia |date=4 April 2019}}

Weller announced his retirement from AFL football in September of that year, playing his last match for the club at reserves level in a victorious VFL grand final.{{cite news |last1=Phelan |first1=Jennifer |title='Great player... great story': Tiger sensation pushes case for GF debut |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/2019-09-22/tigers-sensation-pickett-pushes-case-for-gf-with-bestonground-performance |accessdate=22 September 2019 |work=AFL Media |publisher=Telstra Media |date=22 September 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Cleary |first1=Mitch |title=Tough Tiger calls it quits after nine-year career across three clubs |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/2019-09-20/tough-tiger-calls-it-quits-after-nineyear-career-across-three-clubs |accessdate=22 September 2019 |work=AFL Media |publisher=Telstra Media |date=20 September 2019}}

Statistics

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

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2011

|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL GC}}

| 4 || 15 || 2 || 2 || 88 || 115 || 203 || 36 || 37 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 5.9 || 7.7 || 13.5 || 2.4 || 2.5

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2012

|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL GC}}

| 4 || 13 || 1 || 2 || 84 || 100 || 184 || 47 || 29 || 0.1 || 0.2 || 6.5 || 7.7 || 14.2 || 3.6 || 2.2

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

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2013

|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL GC}}

| 4 || 4 || 0 || 1 || 34 || 35 || 69 || 22 || 11 || 0.0 || 0.3 || 8.5 || 8.8 || 17.3 || 5.5 || 2.8

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2014