ESAVA Ratugolea will on Sunday play his 100th AFL game when Port Adelaide takes on St Kilda at Adelaide Oval.
The strongly built forward turned defender played most of those games with Geelong before arriving at Port Adelaide in the 2023 trade period.
Here are some numbers to help you impress your friends about Ratugolea’s career so far:
43 – Ratugolea was selected at pick 43 in the 2016 AFL National Draft from the Murray Bushrangers, where he played alongside now teammate Todd Marshall. In that same draft, Port Adelaide claimed Marshall at pick 16, Sam Powell-Pepper at 18, Joe Atley at 32 and Willem Drew at 33.
2018 – Ratugolea made his AFL debut in Round 1, 2018 against Melbourne when Geelong held off a fast-finishing Demons outfit to win by three points. That day in March 2018, Ratugolea kicked a goal and had eight disposals, five marks and five hit-outs.
65.15 – Ratugolea’s winning percentage in his 99 games. He has won 64 and lost 34 games in that time as well as having one draw.
23 – The most games Ratugolea has played in a single season is 23 in his first year at Port Adelaide in 2024. He had 15 wins and eight losses in those matches – the most wins he has had in a single season.
42 – Ratugolea has booted 42 goals in his 99 games so far. His best individual game haul is three goals in a win over Essendon in Round 22, 2022 while his best tally for a season is the 15 he booted in 20 games for Geelong in 2019. Remarkably he booted exactly 27.27 in total across his first three AFL seasons.
0 – Ratugolea has never received a Brownlow Medal vote in his 99 games.
17 – Ratugolea wore the number 17 for Geelong in 75 games with that club. He shifted into the number 27 after joining Port Adelaide. The number was previously worn at the Power by another defender of Fijian heritage, Alipate Carlile.
6 – Ratugolea has played against this week’s opponent St Kilda six times for five wins and one loss. His only loss came in a 33-point defeat to the Saints in Round 23, 2023 – his final game for Geelong.
11.71 – Ratugolea averages 11.71 disposals against West Coast, more than he averages against any other side. His lowest average disposals is against Greater Western Sydney with 7.14 per game.
19 – Ratugolea has played 19 times at the venue of this week’s game, Adelaide Oval. He has had 14 wins and five losses there. The only other venues he has played at more than ten times are the MCG (26 games, 18 wins, eight losses) and the Kardinia Park (25 games, 20 wins, five losses).
Esava Ratugolea
DOB: 24/07/1998
Games: 99
Goals: 42
Draft: #43, 2016 AFL National Draft
Debut: Round 1, 2018 v Melbourne at MCG
Club Honours:
- Carter Family Community Champion (Geelong, 2021)
