Ashley Sampi

Infobox afl player


firstname = Ashley
lastname = Sampi


| birthdate = Birth date and age|1983|1|12|df=y
birthplace =
originalteam = South Fremantle
heightweight = height|m=1.77 / convert|83|kg|lb st|abbr=on
dead = alive
deathdate =
deathplace =
debutdate = Round 14, 6 July 2002
debutteam = West Coast
debutopponent = Geelong
debutstadium = Baytec Stadium
playingteams = West Coast (2002-2007)

78 games, 97 goals
coach = notcoach
coachingteams =
statsend = 2006
careerhighlights =

*AFL Mark of the Year 2004

Ashley Sampi (born 12 January 1983) is an indigenous Australian rules footballer who played for the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League. He attended Trinity College in Perth, Australia

AFL career

Recruited by the Eagles at number six in the rich 2001 AFL National Draft, Sampi debuted against Geelong in round 14 of the 2002 season, and played four games including a final in his debut season. Playing as a small forward, Sampi's career has been inconsistent; despite being a regular part of the side though the 2003 to 2005 seasons, he has not reached the heights that were expected of him given his original high selection.

The high point of Sampi's career was his AFL Mark of the Year in 2004 against Melbourne. Sampi was also selected in the Eagles' 2005 losing Grand Final team, but took a major step backward in the 2006 season, losing his regular spot in the team, and only managing twelve games though poor form, and not playing in the Eagle's victorious 2006 AFL Grand Final team.

Sampi's form seems to have often been related to weight issues; during the 2007 pre-season, Sampi was at times required to train separately from the rest of the club to deal with his weight issues, however they seemed to come back under control, and he was reinstated to the main training list. However he failed to be selected for a game throughout 2007 and was delisted at the end of the season. Despite training with Melbourne in late 2007, he was not recruited by the Demons, with a lack of fitness being cited as the main reason.

Controversy

Sampi is locked in a paternity battle with his ex-girlfriend Christina Taylor. She claims that her daughter, Ashlyn Isobel (born 27 December 2006) was the result of a planned pregnancy with Sampi. However, Sampi refused to sign the birth certificate or visit the child until it is proven that she is his daughter. [ [http://www.theage.com.au/text/realfooty/articles/2007/03/02/1172338887921.html Row Leads To Paternity Test For Sampi] ]

During 2006 Sampi allegedly threatened his girlfriend and her sister with a knife. [ [http://www.theage.com.au/news/Sport/Eagles-star-Sampi-wanted-for-questioning/2006/02/28/1141095742343.html Eagles star Sampi wanted for questioning] ]

External links

* [http://westcoasteagles.com.au/default.asp?pg=players&spg=playerprofile&personid=13759 West Coast Profile - Ashley Sampi]
*AflRleague|ref=A/Ashley_Sampi.html

ee also

*List of Australian rules football incidents

References