Eddie Betts (born Edward Roberts; 26 November 1986) is a professional Australian rules football player who plays for the Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Betts was originally drafted by Carlton with pick No. 3 in the 2004 Pre-Season Draft, where he played for nine years before Adelaide signed him as a free agent at the end of 2013.
Early life
Betts was born in Port Lincoln, South Australia and raised by his mother in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. He played junior football for the Mines Rovers Football Club. At age 15, Betts had intended to move to Port Lincoln with his father to continue playing junior football there. However, he kept getting into trouble off the field, including smoking, drinking, drugs and truancy. As a result, his mother arranged for Betts to instead move to Melbourne, under a program run by indigenous former footballer Phil Krakouer.[1]
In Melbourne, Betts played football for Templestowe, where he won the EFL Division 3 league best and fairest in 2002,[2] and TAC Cup football for the Calder Cannons. He represented Vic Metro as a 16-year-old in the 2003 AFL Under 18 Championships and was selected in the Under 18 All-Australian team that season. He was too young to be selected in the AFL Draft at the end of 2003, and he played another season with the Cannons, but was hindered by osteitis pubis. He was overlooked in the 2004 National Draft as a result.[1]
AFL career
Carlton: 2005–2013
After being overlooked in the National Draft, Betts was recruited to the AFL through the 2004 Pre-Season Draft by the Carlton Football Club with the No. 3 pick.[3] He attracted attention as a lively small forward during the 2005 Pre-Season, and made his AFL debut in Round 1, 2005 against North Melbourne. His early performances saw him become a regular member of the senior team, filling the niche of goal-sneak and chaser for the club, while his sometimes freakish displays of skill saw him labelled an excitement machine by commentators.
Throughout his first four seasons, Betts had a consistent output of 20-25 goals as a small forward playing underneath full forward Brendan Fevola.[4] In 2006, Betts won the Goal of the Year, for his goal in Round 21 against Collingwood;[5] in an amazing solo effort, Betts smothered Tarkyn Lockyer's attempted clearing kick, ran to gather it just before it went out of bounds, and steadied himself to score with a banana from a seemingly impossible angle.[6] From 2007, Betts began to spend some rotations as a midfielder, particularly late in the season after the appointment of Brett Ratten as Carlton coach, but remained primarily a small forward.
From 2009, Betts' goalkicking output increased. He kicked 38 goals in 2009, then 42 in 2010 to top Carlton's goal kicking for the first time. He played his 100th AFL game in Round 3, 2010 against Essendon at the MCG. His 2010 season saw him make the top 10 in the club Best and Fairest for the first time. Betts kicked another 50 goals in 2011, including a career-best eight goals against Essendon in Round 18, and then 48 goals in 2012 to be the club's leading goalkicker for the second time.[7] He finished second in the best and fairest in 2012, narrowly beaten by Heath Scotland,[8] and he was nominated in the 40-man All-Australian squad in both 2011 and 2012, but did not make the final team in either year.[9][10][11]
The conclusion of the 2013 AFL season saw Betts enter the free agent market. On 3 October, Betts notified Carlton he has accepted a 4-year contract worth $2 million (AUS), to join Adelaide.[12] Carlton had 72 hours to match the Crows offer but declined before that time elapsed, allowing the confirmation of Betts' switch to occur on 4 October.[13]
Adelaide: 2014–present
In his first season at Adelaide, Betts played all 22 games and kicked a career-best 51 goals, leading Adelaide's goalscoring and finishing eighth in the Coleman Medal. He also had more goal assists than anyone else in the AFL and was ranked third in the league for tackles inside the forward 50. Betts played his 200th AFL game against Hawthorn at Adelaide Oval in round 17.[14]
On 26 May 2015, the AFL launched an inquiry into Betts' signing with Adelaide after the outgoing Carlton coach, Mick Malthouse, claimed to have been told by the current Carlton and former Adelaide CEO, Steven Trigg, that Adelaide had illegally signed Betts 18 months prior to him departing Carlton.[15] Adelaide categorically denied the claim, as did Carlton and Betts' manager.[16] Betts and all other parties were subsequently cleared of any wrongdoing in the affair.[17]
Personal life
Betts previously taught part-time at Assumption College in Kilmore, Victoria.[18]
He is married to Anna Scullie and together they have a son who was born in October 2012.[19]
Statistics
- Statistics are correct to end of round 22, 2015.[4]
References
External links
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