Josh Clayton (born 17 January 1996) is a former professional

Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...

er who played for the

Brisbane Lions The Brisbane Lions is a professional Australian rules football club based in Brisbane, Queensland, that plays in the Australian Football League (AFL). The club was formed in late 1996 via a merger of the Melbourne-based 1883 foundation VFL c ...

in the

Australian Football League The Australian Football League (AFL) is the only fully professional competition of Australian rules football. Through the AFL Commission, the AFL also serves as the sport's governing body and is responsible for controlling the laws of the gam ...

(AFL). He is the son of former player and list manager,

Scott Clayton Scott Clayton (born 13 November 1959) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League (VFL) during the 1980s. A tagger from Hobart Hobart ( ; Nuennonne/Palawa kani: ''nipaluna'') is the c ...

, and was drafted under the father-son rule. Clayton showed promise as a versatile player from a young age and played with the

Sandringham Dragons The Sandringham Dragons are an Australian rules football club playing in the NAB League, the top statewide under-18 competition in Victoria, Australia. They are based at the Trevor Barker Oval in Sandringham, Victoria, representing the southern ...

in the

TAC Cup The NAB League Boys (also referred to as simply the NAB League and formerly known as the TAC Cup) is an under-19 Australian rules football representative competition held in Australia. It is based on geographic regions throughout country Victo ...

and for Vic Metro in the 2014 AFL Under 18 Championships. After he was drafted, he played various roles in Brisbane's reserves team in the

North East Australian Football League The North East Australian Football League (NEAFL) was an Australian rules football league in New South Wales, Queensland, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. The league was formed in November 2010, and its inaugural co ...

, but his inconsistency meant that he was only able to play in two AFL matches before he was delisted at the end of the 2017 season.

Early life

Due to his prospects as a potential father-son selection, Clayton was able to train with the for two weeks in December 2013 and January 2014. In 2014, he played for the

in the

and also represented Victoria Metro at the 2014 AFL Under 18 Championships. He played in a number of different positions, usually as a forward or midfielder and averaged 21.9 disposals per match in the TAC Cup.

AFL career

Clayton was drafted by the Brisbane Lions with their sixth selection and the eighty-sixth overall under the

father–son rule The father–son rule is a rule that allows clubs preferential recruiting access to the sons of players who have made a major past contribution to the club in Australian rules football, most notably in the Australian Football League. The rule ...

in the 2014 national draft. Due to being a father-son selection and chosen in advance of the draft itself, Clayton was able to begin training with Brisbane a month early in November. His first season was expected to be mainly focused on development and he didn't play any games in the AFL in his first season, instead spending time playing for Brisbane's reserves side in the NEAFL playing in a number of different roles while the team suffered many player losses due to injuries. Though his initial contract lasted until the end of the 2016 season, he signed a contract extension at the end of 2015, adding another year to his contract and tying him at the club until 2017. In 2016, Clayton played mainly across half-forward, but also had many stints across half-back throughout the season. Despite inconsistent form, he impressed enough to make his debut in Brisbane's sixty point loss to in round 22 at

the Gabba The Brisbane Cricket Ground, commonly known as the Gabba, is a major sports stadium in Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, Australia. The nickname Gabba derives from the suburb of Woolloongabba, in which it is located. Over the years, the Gab ...

. He averaged 19 disposals per game in the NEAFL, but in the two AFL games he played as a half-forward he only managed a combined total of 12 disposals.Josh Clayton's player profile at AFL Tables
/ref> He was delisted at the conclusion of the 2017 season.

Player profile

Clayton is a versatile player, who throughout his career played in the forward line, midfield and in defence. During his career, he was known for his athleticism and decision-making while in possession of the football. He also had good aerial skills and lateral movement, allowing him to easily move through traffic in the midfield. He also showed prowess as a forward with his fast and smart leading. For a while he played across half-back in the NEAFL, but struggled more in defence than he did elsewhere on the ground. In his two AFL games, he was noted for his running ability.

Personal life

Clayton's father is

, who played 160 games for and worked as 's list manager. This helped Clayton with his adjustment to AFL even though Scott worked for a different club than the one that Clayton was drafted by.

Statistics

: ''Statistics are correct to the end of the 2017 season'' , - , -style="background-color: #EAEAEA" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

2015 File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 19 , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , - ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 19 , , 2 , , 0 , , 1 , , 8 , , 4 , , 12 , , 5 , , 4 , , 0.0 , , 0.5 , , 4.0 , , 2.0 , , 6.0 , , 2.5 , , 2.0 , - , -style="background-color: #EAEAEA" ! scope="row" style="text-align:center" ,

2017 File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...

, style="text-align:center;", , 19 , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , , — , - class="sortbottom" ! colspan=3, Career ! 2 ! 0 ! 1 ! 8 ! 4 ! 12 ! 5 ! 4 ! 0.0 ! 0.5 ! 4.0 ! 2.0 ! 6.0 ! 2.5 ! 2.0

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Clayton, Josh 1996 births Living people People educated at Brighton Grammar School Brisbane Lions players Sandringham Dragons players Werribee Football Club players Australian rules footballers from Victoria (state)