Brett Burton

Brett Burton (born May 4, 1978) is an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League. He was picked up at Pick 16 in the 1998 AFL Draft and is noted for his spectacular high marking and freakish goal sense.

1999-2001 seasons

Debuting with the Adelaide Crows as a 20-year-old, Burton immediately made a difference in the team. He scored 25 goals in his first season in 1999, and picked up 22 disposals in the game against Geelong in Round 14. He played every game except one, averaging 13 disposals.

The next year he sustained several minor injuries that restricted his season to just nine games. He averaged 15 disposals and kicked eight goals, which was a good sign for the Crows. He only played 14 games the next year, including his first final, and kicked 14 goals along the way.

Was nicknamed the "Birdman" by Mike McLean from Triple M Football due to his high marking. The name has stuck for the duration of his career.

2002 season

2002 was a great year for him, playing all 25 games. He kicked six in a game against West Coast, as well as kicking four goals on four other occasions. He kicked 52.35 of the year, making him the Crows' leading goal scorer. He also set up numerous chances for others, averaging 11 disposals in a largely forward role.

2003 season

Burton once again was troubled with injury like in 2001, missing out on eight games from rounds three to 11. Nonetheless, he averaged 21 disposals playing in a role that moved him up the field. He also kicked 23 goals from his 16 games, and took some spectacular marks which gave him the nickname 'Birdman'.

2004 season

2004 wasn't great for Adelaide, but it was even worse for Burton. After playing the first eight games, he missed the next couple. He returned in Round 11 only to injure himself again which kept him out for a further seven games. He played just 13 games for the year, and he struggled for consistency. However, he was still able to average 20 disposals per game, but didn't contribute much in the way of scoring, managing only eight goals for the year.

2005-2006 seasons

As the Crows flew high in 2005, so did Burton. He played 20 games, averaging 20 disposals and kicking 14 goals, having also assisted in the scoring of many others. He kicked three goals in a win against the Western Bulldogs.

In 2006, Burton has started to become a vital goalkicker, kicking 27 goals from his first 10 games. He has also taken a few huge speckies in front of 45,000+ AAMI Stadium crowds.

Career AFL Stats

• Games - 128
• Disposals - 2068
• Av Disp per game - 16
• Goals - 171
• Behinds - 111
• Accuarcy - 61%

External links

• Brett Burton profile on the Official AFL Website of the Adelaide Football Club
• Brett Burton's statistics from AFL Tables

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