Jenna Bruton

Jenna Bruton
Bruton with North Melbourne in January 2019
Personal information
Date of birth (1995-11-08) 8 November 1995 (age 28)
Original team(s) St Kilda Sharks (VFL Women's) Trentham Saints (KDFL)
Draft No. 11, 2017 AFL Women's draft
Debut Round 1, 2018, Western Bulldogs vs. Fremantle, at VU Whitten Oval
Height 158 cm (5 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current club North Melbourne
Number 35
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2018 Western Bulldogs 08 (3)
2019– North Melbourne 57 (3)
Total 65 (6)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of the 2023 season.
Career highlights

AFLW

VWFL/VFLW

  • VFL Women's Team of the Year: 2017
  • St Kilda Sharks best and fairest: 2017
Source: AustralianFootball.com

Jenna Bruton (born 8 November 1995) is an Australian rules footballer playing with North Melbourne in the AFL Women's (AFLW) competition.

Early life

[edit]

Bruton grew up in Trentham and began working full-time on her family's potato farm as a teenager.[1] She started playing football at age seven and represented Victoria as a junior, with a career in the sport gaining traction during 2013 by playing in the first women's AFL exhibition match.[2]

In 2016, Bruton chose not to nominate for the inaugural AFLW draft, citing a need to spend more time with her mother who had recently been diagnosed with brain cancer.[3] Her passion for the game was reignited in 2017, and she was selected in the VFL Women's Team of the Year while also winning the club best and fairest award for the St Kilda Sharks.[2][4][5]

Bruton's submission for the following AFLW draft was solicited by partner and fellow footballer Jasmine Garner.[6]

AFL Women's career

[edit]

The 2017 AFL Women's draft saw Bruton drafted by the Western Bulldogs with their third selection and the eleventh overall pick.[7] After making her debut in a 26-point win against Fremantle at VU Whitten Oval in the opening round of the 2018 season, she would go on to be a member of the Bulldogs' premiership team when they defeated Brisbane in the grand final.[8][9]

In May 2018, Bruton signed with expansion team North Melbourne for the 2019 AFLW season.[10] She enjoyed a breakout year, moving from a pressure forward position to a permanent midfield role, consequently earning selection in the All-Australian squad and winning the club's inaugural best and fairest award.[11][12]

Bruton re-signed with North Melbourne in April 2019, committing to the club until the end of the 2021 season.[13] She re-signed again with the club in June 2021 for a further two seasons.[14]

Bruton played in North’s 2023 grand final loss to Brisbane, but left the game injured in the first quarter.[15]

Statistics

[edit]
Statistics are correct to the end of the 2021 season[16]
Legend
  G  
Goals
  K  
Kicks
  D  
Disposals 
  T  
Tackles
  B  
Behinds 
  H  
Handballs 
  M  
Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game) Votes
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2018 Western Bulldogs 35 8 3 2 52 39 91 21 37 0.4 0.3 6.5 4.9 11.4 2.6 4.5 0
2019 North Melbourne 35 7 0 0 81 46 127 18 37 0.0 0.0 11.6 6.6 18.1 2.6 5.3 6
2020 North Melbourne 35 7 0 0 68 54 122 15 40 0.0 0.0 9.7 7.7 17.4 2.1 5.7 10
2021 North Melbourne 35 9 0 0 89 74 163 32 32 0.0 0.0 9.9 8.2 18.1 3.6 3.6 8
Career 31 3 2 290 213 503 86 146 0.1 0.1 9.4 6.9 16.2 2.8 4.7 24

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "AFLW draft, Jenna Bruton, From spud farmer to AFLW draftee hopeful, St Kilda Sharks". Fox Sports. 11 October 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  2. ^ a b McWilliams, Phoebe (14 October 2017). "Why Jenna Bruton turned away from football". The Age. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  3. ^ "What Mother's Day means to Jenna Bruton". curebraincancer.org.au. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  4. ^ "Honour Board | St Kilda Sharks". stkildasharks.com. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  5. ^ "VFL WOMEN'S TEAM OF THE YEAR - VFL". 30 March 2021. Archived from the original on 30 March 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  6. ^ "AFLW: Bruton's inspiring journey". nmfc.com.au. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  7. ^ Cherney, Daniel (18 October 2017). "2017 AFLW draft: Isabel Huntington goes at pick No.1 to Western Bulldogs". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  8. ^ Salemme, kate (1 February 2018). "AFLW Round 1 teams named: Stars set for second season". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  9. ^ "AFLW match report: Dogs take out flag". afl.com.au. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  10. ^ Black, Sarah (11 May 2018). "AFLW: Roos, Cats start list builds ahead of '19". AFL.com.au. Telstra Media. Archived from the original on 11 May 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  11. ^ "2019 AFLW All Australian squad revealed: Who made the cut?". AFLW. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  12. ^ "AFLW: Bruton makes history". nmfc.com.au. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  13. ^ "AFLW Trade and Signing Period wrap: Suns make a splash". AFLW. Retrieved 25 November 2019.
  14. ^ "AFLW: Roos eye the future". nmfc.com.au. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  15. ^ https://www.afl.com.au/aflw/news/1069528/grand-final-match-report-north-melbourne-kangaroos-v-brisbane-lions
  16. ^ "Jenna Bruton–player stats by season". Australian Football. Retrieved 30 May 2018.
[edit]