STEVEN MOTLOP will play his 200th AFL game on Thursday night when Port Adelaide faces Melbourne in an Adelaide Oval blockbuster.
Into his 12th season of AFL football, Motlop has become renowned for his running power, silky skills and class in front of goal.
A childhood Port Adelaide supporter, who grew up in Darwin watching his brother Daniel play for the club, Motlop eventually found his way to Alberton following a trade from Geelong at the end of 2017.
Here is a summary of the 30-year-old’s career by the numbers:
39 - Motlop was taken at pick 39 by Geelong in the 2008 AFL National Draft which saw former Port Adelaide teammate Jack Watts claimed by Melbourne at pick 1 and current teammate Hamish Hartlett with pick 4. Matthew Broadbent was taken by Port with the pick immediately before Motlop.
171 – Motlop is the 171st player to represent Port Adelaide at AFL level. His club debut came in a 50-point win over Fremantle in Round 1, 2018 at Adelaide Oval. That day he had two goals from 19 disposals, making his club debut alongside Tom Rockliff, Jack Watts and Dom Barry.
32 – Motlop started his career in the number 32 at Geelong but with his trade to Port Adelaide took over the number 6 guernsey.
135 – Motlop played 135 games with Geelong in eight seasons. He was an All-Australian nominee in 2013 when he booted a career-high 44 goals and in 2015 finished runner-up to Mark Blicavs in the Carji Greeves Medal as Geelong’s best and fairest.
217 – Motlop averages 1.09 goals per game, giving him a total of 217 from his 199 games so far.
65.83 – Motlop has a winning percentage of 65.83 per-cent with 130 wins and two draws from his 199 games.
24 - He has polled a total of 24 Brownlow Medal votes including his best seven in a season in 2015. He has polled five votes against St Kilda – his best against any team – followed by four against Adelaide.
17.3 – Motlop averages 17.3 disposals per game across his 199-game career. His 16.5 average touches in 2021 ranks him as elite against players who play a similar position.
18 – Motlop has played against Hawthorn 18 times – the most of any team. Next best is Adelaide with 16 meetings and Fremantle with 14.
0 – Port Adelaide is the only club Motlop has not lost against. He played against his current club seven times while with Geelong and won each game. Against this week’s opponent, Melbourne, Motlop boasts a 7-1 win-loss record including wins in the last four matches he has featured in against the Dees (two with Port).
Steven Motlop
DOB: 12/03/91
Games: 149 (135 Geelong, 64 Port Adelaide)
Goals: 185 (175 Geelong, 42 Port Adelaide)
Debut: (for Geelong) Rd 2, 2010 vs Hawthorn; (for Port) Rd 1, 2018 vs Fremantle
