Summary
Ben Keays (born 23 February 1997) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). His great-grandfather Fred Keays represented both Fitzroy and Collingwood in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
| Ben Keays | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Keays in April 2018 | |||
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Ben Keays | ||
| Date of birth | 23 February 1997 | ||
| Place of birth | Melbourne, Victoria | ||
| Original team(s) | Morningside(QAFL)/Redland (NEAFL)/Brisbane Lions Academy | ||
| Draft | No. 24, 2015 national draft (Academy selection) | ||
| Height | 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Weight | 89 kg (196 lb) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder / forward | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Adelaide | ||
| Number | 2 | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 2016–2019 | Brisbane Lions | 30 (11) | |
| 2020– | Adelaide | 89 (56) | |
| Total | 119 (67) | ||
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of round 6, 2024. | |||
| Career highlights | |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Early life edit
Born in Melbourne, Keays participated in the Auskick program at Hampton, Victoria.[1] Keays moved to Brisbane at five years of age[2] and continued playing Auskick at the Morningside Australian Football Club.[1] He attended St Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace throughout his schooling years.[3] His great grandfather, Fred, played football for Fitzroy and Collingwood between 1919 and 1922 and served in both World War I and II.[4] His great uncle, Desmond, also played football for Fitzroy[5] while his uncle, Terry, played for Collingwood and Richmond. Ben began playing junior football for the Morningside Panthers[6] and was placed in the Brisbane Lions Academy at the age of 14.[7] He was selected to represent Queensland in the 2014 and 2015 AFL Under 18 Championships,[8][9][10] and was selected in the 2014 and 2015 All-Australian teams.[11][12] He also captained Queensland to their first division 2 title in nine years at the 2015 AFL Under 18 Championships[13] and won the 2015 Hunter Harrison Medal for his performances across the three games.[14][15][16]
Keays was recruited by the Brisbane Lions with their third selection and 24th overall in the 2015 national draft.[17] He was the second academy selection for Brisbane after they matched a bid by the Western Bulldogs.[18]
AFL career edit
Keays made his AFL debut for Brisbane in Round 6, 2016, against the Sydney Swans.[19] He won the Andrew Ireland Medal as best afield in the 2017 NEAFL Grand final, amassing 30 disposals, 9 tackles and 2 goals.[20] He was delisted at the conclusion of the 2019 AFL season. Keays was later picked up by the Adelaide Crows at Pick 7 in the 2019 AFL Rookie Draft.[21]
Keays enjoyed a breakout 2020 AFL season, playing 16 games for the Crows. He finished 5th in the Malcolm Blight Medal and won the Players Trademark award.
He received competition-wide recognition with an impressive 2021 AFL season which was rewarded with a 2nd-place finish in the Malcolm Blight Medal.[22] Keays shocked the AFL with an elite disposal average of 28.1 throughout the home-and-away season as well as polling 11 votes in the 2021 Brownlow Medal.[23] In October 2021, he signed a contract which would keep him at the Crows until the end of 2024.[24]
In an August 2023 match against the Sydney Swans, Keays had a shot for goal late in the game that was controversially adjudged to hit the post, but video evidence deemed this incorrect. On top of this, a video review wasn't called for.[clarification needed] The goal would have given the Crows the lead with just a minute left, but the Swans were able to run down the clock and win by a point. This result eliminated Adelaide from finals calculations with one round of the regular season remaining.[25]
References edit
- ^ a b AFL Record. Round 9, 2022. pg 72
- ^ Ben Keays has plenty of footballing history in his family as he makes his AFL debut
- ^ Ben Keays says a surprising selection in a state team turned him into an AFL prospect
- ^ Tough love: The lasting legacy of Fred Keays
- ^ My ANZAC Story: Ben Keays
- ^ 18 days until the draft: Ben Keays
- ^ Proud young Lion wants the Gabba rocking again
- ^ Sport, City South News (17 July 2014). "Ben has Keays to big future in AFL". Quest Newspapers. Queensland, Australia. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
- ^ "Queenslander Keays thrills in five-goal win over Tassie". 21 June 2014.
- ^ Quayle, Emma (24 January 2015). "Academy teens get a taste of life in the AFL". The Age.
- ^ Landsberger, Sam (27 January 2015). "AFL clubs to pay higher draft price for father-son, academy stars". Herald Sun.
- ^ "Exciting draft prospects Christian Petracca and Patrick McCartin among 12 Victorians to earn All-Australian honours". Herald Sun. Victoria, Australia. 4 July 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
- ^ "Division Two champions – Queensland vs. NSW/ACT recap". Brisbane: AFL Queensland. 2 July 2015. p. 5. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
- ^ "2015 Under 18 All Australians". Fox Sports. Melbourne. 4 July 2015. p. 5. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
- ^ "Ben Keays wins Hunter-Harrison medal". Fox Sports. Melbourne. 2 July 2015. p. 5. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
- ^ "Queensland U18s win title against wayward NSW/ACT". Melbourne: Australian Football League. 2 July 2015. p. 5. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
- ^ "Profile: Ben Keays". lions.com.au. Bigpond. 24 November 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
- ^ "The Day Ben Keays Had Waited For". lions.com.au. Bigpond. 26 November 2015. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
- ^ Ben Keays is set to make his AFL debut for Brisbane Lions against Sydney Swans
- ^ "Around the state leagues: Who's staking a finals claim?". afl.com.au. Bigpond. 10 September 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
- ^ "Lions make further list changes".
- ^ "Transformed Crow edges ex-Lion to win second Malcolm Blight Medal".
- ^ "Brownlow Medal results - Every AFL club, every player, every vote". 19 September 2021.
- ^ "Keays extends at West Lakes".
- ^ "Gillon McLachlan blames 'human error' in controversial Crows behind call, admitting Ben Keays shot should have been a goal". ABC Australia. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
External links edit
- Ben Keays's profile on the official website of the Brisbane Lions
- Ben Keays's playing statistics from AFL Tables