Nat Grider
{{Short description|Australian rules footballer}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2019}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Nat Grider
| nickname =
| image = Nat_Grider_out_of_the_race_prior_to_the_AFLW_Season_7_Grand_Final.jpg
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2000|10|10|df=y}}
| fullname = Natalie Jade Grider
| birth_place = Brisbane, Queensland
| death_date =
| death_place =
| otheroccupation =
| originalteam = University of Queensland (QWAFL)
| draftpick = No. 22, 2018 AFL Women's draft
| debutdate = Round 4, 2019
| debutteam = {{AFLW|Bri}}
| debutopponent = {{AFLW|WB}}
| debutstadium = Whitten Oval
| height = 171cm
| weight =
| position = Half-back/Midfield
| currentclub = {{AFLW|Bri}}
| guernsey = 10
| years1 = 2019–
| club1 = {{AFLW|Bri}}
| games_goals1 = 57 (0)
| statsend = the 2023 season
| careerhighlights = * AFLW premiership player: 2021, 2023
}}
Natalie "Nat" Grider (born 10 October 2000) is an Australian rules footballer playing for Brisbane in the AFL Women's competition (AFLW).
Junior and state football
Grider was raised in Brisbane, Queensland and began playing Australian rules football as a teenager with the junior Jindalee Jags club in suburban Jindalee. She was also a member of the Brisbane Lions Academy and excelled for the club in the 2018 Winter Series against Greater Western Sydney and Gold Coast.{{cite web|url=https://www.lions.com.au/news/244518/your-2019-winter-series-squad|title=Your 2019 Winter Series Squad|first=Josie|last=Fielding|publisher=Telstra Media|work=Brisbane Lions|date=17 May 2019}} After three years at Jindalee Jags, in 2017, Grider joined the University of Queensland in the AFL Queensland Women's League (QWAFL).{{cite web|url=https://websites.sportstg.com/club_info.cgi?c=1-11893-201190-0-0&sID=370428&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=61312671|title=Jags and UQ Announce Pathway Agreement|publisher=Jindalee Jags|date=18 February 2018}} In the 2018 season she won the QWAFL Rising Star Award,{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/52704/aflw-all-the-state-league-winners|title=AFLW: All the state league winners|first=Sarah|last=Black|publisher=Telstra Media|work=Australian Football League|date=26 September 2018}} was selected in the QWAFL Team of the Year, and shared the club's best and fairest award with Megan Hunt and Jane Childes. In 2019, she was selected again for the QWAFL Team of the Year.{{cite web|url=https://womens.afl/news/18283/aflw-players-dominate-in-state-league-best-and-fairest-awards|title=AFLW players dominate in state league best and fairest awards|first=Sarah|last=Black|publisher=Telstra Media|work=AFL Women's|date=11 September 2019}} Grider represented Queensland in the AFL Women's Under 18 Championships. In the 2018 AFL Women's Under 18 Championships she led the team as captain,{{cite web|url=https://www.aflq.com.au/queensland-name-squad-for-nab-aflw-under-18-national-championships/|title=Queensland name squad for NAB AFLW Under-18 National Championships|first=Ant|last=Wingard|publisher=AFL Queensland|date=5 July 2018}} was selected for the All-Australian team,{{cite web|last=Balmer|first=Matt|title=AFLW Draft: Potential top picks star in U18 All-Stars exhibition match|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/aflw-draft-potential-top-picks-star-in-u18-allstars-exhibition-match/news-story/57d9a17516a0d749f650acf48fcc9d65|access-date=26 September 2018|work=Fox Sports|date=1 September 2018}}{{cite web|last=Black|first=Sarah|title=AFLW: Under-18 All Australian side revealed|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-09-03/aflw-under18-all-australian-side-revealed |access-date=20 September 2018|work=Australian Football League|publisher=Telstra Media|date=3 September 2018}} and was selected as Queensland's most valuable player.{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/135439/aflw-u18-who-won-who-starred-on-the-gold-coast|title=AFLW U18: Who won, who starred on the Gold Coast|first=Sarah|last=Black|publisher=Telstra Media|work=Australian Football League|date=13 July 2018}}
AFLW career
Grider was drafted to the AFL Women's (AFLW) by Brisbane with the 22nd pick in the 2018 AFL Women's draft,{{cite web|url=https://www.lions.com.au/news/257152/welcome-nat-grider|title=AFLW Lions select Nat Grider with Pick No. 22|first=Josie|last=Fielding|publisher=Telstra Media|work=Brisbane Lions|date=23 October 2018}} joining her long-time teammate Gabby Collingwood.{{cite web|url=https://www.aflq.com.au/aflw-the-next-chapter-in-griders-collingwood-connection/|title=AFLW the next chapter in Grider's Collingwood connection|first=Ant|last=Wingard|publisher=AFL Queensland|date=3 October 2018}} She made her AFLW debut in the Lions' round 4 game against Western Bulldogs at Whitten Oval on 23 February 2019 as a late replacement for captain Leah Kaslar.{{cite web|url=https://www.lions.com.au/news/2019-02-27/aflw-lets-talk-stats|title=AFLW Round 4: Let's talk stats|publisher=Telstra Media|work=Brisbane Lions|last=Wingard|first=Anthony|date=27 February 2019|access-date=28 February 2019}} She played two games in her debut season. In April 2019, Grider re-committed to Brisbane for the 2020 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.lions.com.au/news/236938/nine-lions-aflw-stars-to-return-in-2020|title=Nine Lions AFLW Stars to return in 2020|first=Josie|last=Fielding|publisher=Telstra Media|work=Brisbane Lions|date=10 April 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://thewomensgame.com/news/aflw-sign-and-trade-period-day-3-wrap-523691/page0|title=AFLW Sign and Trade Period: Day 3 wrap|publisher=The Women's Game|date=10 April 2019}} She played every game of the season, shutting down small forwards and steadily disposing the ball out of the back-line.{{cite web|url=https://womens.afl/news/50058/season-review-brisbane|title=Season review: Brisbane|first=Sarah|last=Black|publisher=Telstra Media|work=AFL Women's|date=29 March 2020}} She raised her game every week and culminated the season with the club nominating her for the 2020 AFLW Players' Association's Most Valuable Player Award along with Emily Bates and Kate Lutkins.{{cite web|url=https://www.lions.com.au/news/585754/lions-trio-nominated-for-aflw-mvp-award|title=Lions trio nominated for AFLW MVP Award|publisher=Telstra Media|work=Brisbane Lions|date=17 April 2020}} The 2021 AFL Women's season saw Grider rapidly improve, besting her averages in disposals, kicks, handballs, marks and tackles. She received a 2021 AFL Women's Rising Star nomination in the third round of the season after an impressive game against {{AFLW|WC}} where she collected 16 disposals, 7 marks and 2 tackles.{{cite web|title=AFLW Rising Star, R3: Father-daughter gets nod, Lions do it again|url=https://womens.afl/news/61135/aflw-rising-star-r3-father-daughter-gets-nod-lions-do-it-again|last1=Black|first1=Sarah|work=AFL Women's Media|date=1 February 2021|access-date=17 February 2021}} The first three rounds of the season saw her become the Lions' leading disposal getter.{{cite web|title=Grider's efforts rewarded with NAB Rising Star nomination|url=https://www.lions.com.au/news/863447/grider-s-efforts-rewarded-with-nab-rising-star-nomination|work=Lions Media|date=16 February 2021|access-date=17 February 2021}} Grider signed on with {{AFLW|Bri}} for one more year on 15 June 2021.{{cite web|title=Stars Sign and the Future Looks Bright|url=https://www.lions.com.au/news/959288/stars-sign-and-the-future-looks-bright|date=15 June 2021|access-date=15 June 2021|work=Lions Media}}
Statistics
:''Statistics correct to the end of round 3, 2021.{{cite web|title=Natalie Grider|url=https://australianfootball.com/players/playerseason/Natalie%2BGrider/20507|work=Australian Football|access-date=17 February 2021}}
{{Australian rules football statistics legend}}
{{AFLW player statistics start}}
|- style=background:#EAEAEA
| scope=row | 2019 || {{AFLW|Bri}} || 17
| 2 || 0 || 0 || 5 || 5 || 10 || 3 || 4 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 2.5 || 2.5 || 5.0 || 1.5 || 2.0 || 0
|-
| scope=row | 2020 || {{AFLW|Bri}} || 10
| 7 || 0 || 0 || 29 || 28 || 57 || 7 || 20 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 4.1 || 4.0 || 8.1 || 1.0 || 2.9 || 0
|- style=background:#EAEAEA
| scope=row | 2021 || {{AFLW|Bri}} || 10
| 3 || 0 || 0 || 27 || 25 || 52 || 7 || 16 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 9.0 || 8.3 || 17.3 || 2.3 || 5.3 ||
|- class=sortbottom
! colspan=3 | Career
! 12 !! 0 !! 0 !! 61 !! 58 !! 119 !! 17 !! 40 !! 0.0 !! 0.0 !! 5.1 !! 4.8 !! 9.9 !! 1.4 !! 3.3 !! 0
|}
Playing style
Grider can play as a half-back or as a midfielder and demonstrates athleticism and strong marking skills.{{cite web|title=Brisbane Lions AFL Women's Players|url=http://www.lions.com.au/afl-womens/afl-womens-players|publisher=Telstra Media|work=Brisbane Lions|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203095550/http://www.lions.com.au/afl-womens/afl-womens-players|archive-date=3 February 2019|url-status=dead}}
Personal life
Grider was born and raised in Brisbane. She is a supporter of Brisbane Lions, despite her mum supporting St Kilda and her dad supporting Carlton. She studied at the University of Queensland and received a Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science.{{cite web|url=https://habs.uq.edu.au/article/2019/06/uq-scholarship-holder-roars-pride|title=UQ scholarship holder roars with pride|publisher=University of Queensland|date=20 June 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.myscience.org/news/wire/uq_athletes_take_centre_stage_at_uq_blues_awards-2018-UQ|title=UQ athletes take centre stage at UQ Blues Awards|publisher=My Science|date=6 November 2018}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Brisplayer}}
- {{AustralianFootball|ref=Natalie%2BGrider/20507}}
{{Brisbane Lions AFL Women's player squad}}
{{2021 Brisbane premiership players (AFLW)}}
{{2023 Brisbane premiership players (AFLW)}}
{{2022 AFL Women's season 6 All-Australian team}}
{{2022 AFL Women's season 7 All-Australian team}}
{{2021 AFL Women's Rising Star nominees}}
{{2018 AFL Women's draft}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grider, Nat}}
Category:Sportswomen from Queensland
Category:Brisbane Lions (AFLW) players
Category:21st-century Australian sportswomen