RYAN BURTON will on Thursday night play his 150th AFL game, including 102 for Port Adelaide.

Originally drafted to Hawthorn, he returned to his native South Australia and the team he supported as a child as part of a trade at the end of the 2018 season.  

Here are some numbers to help you impress your friends about the 27-year-old’s career so far:

19 – Burton was taken by Hawthorn at pick 19 from PHOS-Camden and North Adelaide in the 2015 AFL National Draft. That year saw Port Adelaide claim Riley Bonner (pick 37) and Aidyn Johnson (pick 45) along with Will Snelling, Cam Hewett, Dan Houston and Kane Mitchell in the rookie draft.

180 – Burton was the 180th player to represent Port Adelaide at AFL level when he made his debut in a 26-point win over Melbourne at the MCG. That day he had 26 disposals, three marks and five tackles. Robbie Gray and Sam Powell-Pepper each booted two goals and Tom Rockliff had 44 disposals in a game in which Scott Lycett, Xavier Duursma, Connor Rozee, Willem Drew and Zak Butters also debuted for the club.

Ryan Burton celebrates a win in his club debut for Port Adelaide. Image: AFL Photos.

907 – Burton was the 907th player to appear in a VFL/AFL game for Hawthorn. His debut for the Hawks came in a 39-point win over North Melbourne. He booted a goal and had ten disposals that day.

35 – Burton initially wore the number 35 guernsey at Hawthorn in his debut season in 2016. He played just four games in that guernsey (two wins, two losses) before shifting into the number 5 for season 2017. Interestingly, when he came to Port Adelaide he took on the number three guernsey vacated by Jake Neade, meaning he has worn 3 and 5 and both make up 35.

60.74 – Burton’s winning percentage in his 149 games. He has won 90 and lost 58 games with one draw in that time. At Port Adelaide that winning figure improves to 63.73% with 65 wins and 37 losses. His best season was the 18-win, six loss 2021 campaign.

Milestone man Ryan Burton will be looking to secure his 91st career win on Thursday evening. Image: AFL Photos.

22 – While he was drafted as a forward, Burton has booted just 22 goals in his 149 games, having settled into life as running half back. 2023 was his best season with eight goals from 22 games. Burton has never kicked more than two goals in a single game – a feat he has done on three occasions.

2 – Burton has polled just two Brownlow Medal votes to the start of the 2024 season, and none since crossing to Port Adelaide. The votes both came in 2017 at Hawthorn when he picked up single votes against Brisbane in Round 8 and Collingwood in Round 17.

8 – Burton has played eight times against Thursday night’s opponent Carlton for five wins and three losses. He has played more games (14 for a 7-7 win loss count) against Geelong than any other side. Adelaide comes next with 12 (7-5 win-loss).

Ryan Burton will play his 150th match against Carlton, an opponent he has played eight times to this point. Image: AFL Photos.

15 – Burton has played AFL games at 15 different venues across his 149 games. He has enjoyed victory at 13 of those venues, but has not won at the Sydney Showground and Traeger Park in Alice Springs in single visits to both.

16 – In 2022, Ryan Burton ranked 16th in the AFL for metres gained. Across his 22 games, he averaged 500.5 metres gained – the highest of any Port Adelaide player. So far in 2024, he is averaging 431.3 metres gained per match. His career high for a single match was 834 metres gained in a win over St Kilda in Round 7, 2022.

Ryan Burton
DOB: 31/01/97
Games: 149
Goals: 122 
Draft: #19, 2056 AFL National Draft (Hawthorn)
Debut: Round 21, 2016 v North Melbourne at Melbourne Cricket Ground

AFL Honours

- AFLPA 22under22 team (2017)
- Rising Star runner-up (2017)
- Rising Star nominee (Round 2, 2017)