Bryce Gibbs (Australian rules footballer)

Infobox afl player
firstname = Bryce
lastname = Gibbs


image capt = Bryce Gibbs training at Princes Park in 2007
birthdate = birth date and age|1989|3|15|df=y
birthplace =
originalteam = Glenelg, SANFL
position = Ruck Rover
draftpick = No.1
deathdate =
deathplace =
heightweight = 187cm / 77kg
debutdate = 1 April 2007
debutteam = Carlton
debutopponent = Richmond
debutstadium = MCG
playingteams = Carlton (2007-)

43 games, 19 goals
statsend = 2008
careerhighlights = AFL
* NAB Rising Star Nomination, 2007

Carlton
* Best First Year Player 2007
* Leadership Group 2007
* Pre-Season Premiership Player 2007

U/18
* All-Australian Ruck Rover
* Captain of South Australia U/18 National Championships 2006
* South Australia Most Valuable Player 2006
* Co-Captain Australian Youth Team 2006

Bryce Gibbs (born 15 March 1989) is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League from 2007. He is the son of former SANFL and WAFL player Ross Gibbs.

Pre-AFL

Gibbs was an exceptional youth talent, which led to much speculation about his ultimate AFL drafting [ [http://canberra.yourguide.com.au The Canberra Times] [http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=sport&subclass=afl&story_id=514612&category=Afl&m=10&y=2006 Chosen one makes his mark Camp spotlight shines on Gibbs] ] . In 2004 he won Glenelg's Under 17s Best and Fairest award, despite spending part of the season playing SANFL reserve grade. That year he also captained the South Australian under 16s team at the national championships.

In Round 7 of the 2005 season, at age 16, he debuted in Glenelg's League team and was a regular until the end of the 2006 season. Playing as a teenager against grown men in the SANFL, Gibbs excelled, coming third in the Club's 2006 best and fairest, and dominating recent ex-AFL players such as Damian Cupido [ [http://www.messenger.net.au/Sport/htm/glenelg4506.htm Gibbs' AFL appetite growing] ] during the season.

He featured prominently in the 2006 under-18 national championships where he was captain of South Australia. He was selected as the All-Australian ruck rover and was adjudged South Australia's Most Valuable Player. He also co-captained the Australian youth side against an Irish youth side in an international tournament in Australia in 2006.

Gibbs attended Brighton Secondary School, where he sat his SACE in 2006.

"Bryce Gibbs Cup"

Speculation that Gibbs would be the #1 draft pick began early in the 2006 season. When Essendon and Carlton met in Round 16, the sides were firmly entrenched at the bottom of the ladder, with Carlton having lost its last seven games and Essendon a club-record fourteen. Speculation that the result would decide the wooden spoon (and hence the first draft pick) led to the game jokingly being dubbed the "Bryce Gibbs Cup" by some in the media [ [http://www.news.com.au News.com.au] [http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,20743494-11088,00.html Passionate, skilful, hungry and smart Gibbs a kid with the lot] Retrieved from The Herald Sun 12 November 2006] . The game finished in a draw, a rare result in AFL football.

AFL career

Despite his father's long career with Glenelg, Gibbs was ineligible to be taken by the Adelaide Crows under the Father-Son Rule, much to the Crows' chagrin. Gibbs was subsequently selected with the first overall pick in the 2006 AFL Draft (held on 25 November 2006) by Carlton, a selection which was widely expected.

Gibbs wears the number 4 guernsey, formerly worn by club champion and administrator, Stephen Kernahan, a close friend and former Glenelg teammate of Gibbs' father. Gibbs was named in Carlton's leadership group for the 2007 AFL season without having played a single AFL match, which is the first time in history this has happened.

He made his debut in Round 1 against Richmond and kicked a goal with his first kick while becoming the 1100th player to play for Carlton. A 17-disposal performance and effective shut-down role on former Brownlow Medallist Jason Akermanis in Round 10 earned Gibbs his nomination for the NAB Rising Star award.

Bryce played every game of the 2007 season and kicked 5 goals. Most of his development and experience has been in the backline where he has played as a half back flanker.

In 2008 he is being used more frequently in the midfield, and in the Round 2 game against St Kilda he had 26 disposals and 12 marks. He showcased his versatility when he kept Port star Chad Cornes to 9 disposals and Magpie star Heath Shaw to 6 disposals while picking up 13 himself in both games. In the following weeks, he was allowed to play more attacking roles and was just as devastating. His incredible kicking, super evasive skills, team ethic, one-percenters, ferocious tackling and amazing football smarts have been instrumental in the 7 wins Carlton has had this year. In the Round 14 win over Richmond; Bryce had 20 disposals, 3 goals and 5 inside 50s. In the Round 15 loss to St Kilda; he had a career-high 28 disposals, 11 contested possessions, 5 clearances, a goal, 7 inside 50s and 2 assists. In the Round 16 match against Sydney, Gibbs was given the task of playing on Adam Goodes and he well and truly thrashed the dual Brownlow Medallist. Gibbs restricted Goodes to only 7 disposals for the match while gathering 26 himself and beating Goodes comprehensively in several one-on-one contests.

References

External links

* [http://www.blueseum.org/tiki-index.php?page=bryce%20gibbs Bryce Gibbs profile in Blueseum]
* [http://www.blueseum.org/tiki-browse_gallery.php?galleryId=525 Bryce Gibbs Picture Gallery]
*AflRleague|ref=B/Bryce_Gibbs.html
* [http://www.ais.org.au/austrules/gibbs.asp AIS 2005 bio]
* [http://sportsaustralia.com/articles/feb06/artid5010.html Sports Australia]