Adam Saad (born 23 July 1994) is an Australian rules footballer currently playing for the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League. He previously played for the Gold Coast Suns and the Essendon Football Club.
Adam Saad | |||
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![]() Saad playing for Essendon in August 2018 | |||
Personal information | |||
Full name | Adam Saad | ||
Date of birth | (1994-07-23) 23 July 1994 (age 28) | ||
Original team(s) | Coburg (VFL) | ||
Draft | No. 25, 2015 rookie draft | ||
Height | 178 cm (5 ft 10 in) | ||
Weight | 76 kg (168 lb) | ||
Position(s) | Defender | ||
Club information | |||
Current club | Carlton | ||
Number | 42 | ||
Playing career1 | |||
Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
2015–2017 | Gold Coast | 48 (3) | |
2018–2020 | Essendon | 61 (5) | |
2021– | Carlton | 43 (2) | |
Total | 152 (10) | ||
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2022. | |||
Career highlights | |||
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Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com |
As a junior, Saad first played for West Coburg Football Club in the Essendon District Football League. Saad joined Coburg in 2013 following a TAC Cup stint with the Calder Cannons. After appearing to struggle between Senior and Development level football, he established himself as one of the VFL's leading small defenders, winning the Coburg best and fairest award in 2014 sharing in a tie with Daniel Venditti, and was named in the 2014 VFL Team of the Year.[1] His strong form and State Combine testing led him to being drafted to the Gold Coast Suns with pick 25 in the 2015 rookie draft.
Saad made his debut for the Gold Coast Suns in round 1 of the 2015 season and kicked one goal in a defeat to Melbourne. In round 5, 2015, Saad was nominated for the Rising Star after his team's win over the Brisbane Lions where he had 26 touches.
Following the 2017 season, Saad requested and was granted a trade to Essendon, who sent their 2018 second round draft pick to the Gold Coast in return. At Essendon, Saad showed his durability by only missing one game in three seasons. He slotted into the backline, used his pace to full effort, and was inventive in moving the ball forward. Saad claimed third place in the club's Crichton Medal count in 2019.
Saad requested a trade to Carlton after the 2020 season,[2] and he was traded on 11 November.[3] Saad kicked his first goal for Carlton in the Blues' round 7, 2021 win against his old side Essendon.
Through his career, Saad has been known for his dashing pace, and propensity to run long distances with the ball, frequently bouncing it. He led the league in bounces in 2017,[4] 2018,[5] 2021[6] and 2022;[7] in both 2018 and 2022, his tally of bounces more than doubled his nearest rival. He has a long left-foot kick, and during his time at Carlton, the spectators would shout "woof!" whenever he took a kick; he was the fifth long-kicking left footed Carlton player to receive this traditional treatment, which had originated with Val Perovic in the 1980s.[8]
Saad is a practicing Muslim. He is of Lebanese descent.[9]
Updated to the end of 2022.[10]
G |
Goals | K |
Kicks | D |
Disposals | T |
Tackles |
B |
Behinds | H |
Handballs | M |
Marks |
Season | Team | No. | Games | Totals | Averages (per game) | Votes | ||||||||||||
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G | B | K | H | D | M | T | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | |||||
2015 | Gold Coast | 42 | 16 | 1 | 2 | 121 | 151 | 272 | 66 | 44 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 7.6 | 9.4 | 17.0 | 4.1 | 2.8 | 3 |
2016 | Gold Coast | 42 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 75 | 76 | 151 | 36 | 25 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 7.5 | 7.6 | 15.1 | 3.6 | 2.5 | 0 |
2017 | Gold Coast | 42 | 22 | 2 | 7 | 194 | 171 | 365 | 78 | 50 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 8.8 | 7.8 | 16.6 | 3.5 | 2.3 | 1 |
2018 | Essendon | 42 | 22 | 0 | 3 | 199 | 178 | 377 | 56 | 55 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 9.0 | 8.1 | 17.1 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 3 |
2019 | Essendon | 42 | 22 | 3 | 0 | 239 | 149 | 388 | 62 | 75 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 10.9 | 6.8 | 17.6 | 2.8 | 3.4 | 0 |
2020[lower-alpha 1] | Essendon | 42 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 202 | 119 | 321 | 49 | 34 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 11.9 | 7.0 | 18.9 | 2.9 | 2.0 | 2 |
2021 | Carlton | 42 | 22 | 2 | 6 | 311 | 113 | 424 | 72 | 39 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 14.1 | 5.1 | 19.3 | 3.3 | 1.8 | 0 |
2022 | Carlton | 42 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 323 | 136 | 459 | 100 | 47 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 15.4 | 6.5 | 22 | 4.8 | 2.2 | 3 |
Career | 152 | 10 | 21 | 1664 | 1093 | 2757 | 519 | 369 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 10.9 | 7.2 | 18.1 | 3.4 | 2.4 | 12 |
Notes
Carlton Football Club – current squad | |
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* denotes rookie listed players |
2022 All-Australian team | |
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Full-back |
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Half-back |
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Centre |
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Half-forward |
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Full-forward |
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Ruck |
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Interchange |
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Coach |
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← 2021 The position of coach in the All-Australian team has been awarded to the coach of the premiership-winning team since 1999. |
Victorian team – State of Origin for Bushfire Relief Match | |
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Victoria 24.10 (154) def. All Stars 15.18 (108), at Marvel Stadium | |
2015 AFL Rising Star nominees | |
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Italics denote winner |
2015 AFL rookie draft | |
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First round |
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Second round |
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Third round |
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Fourth round |
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Fifth round |
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Sixth round |
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Ninth round |
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