Alex Pearce (Australian footballer) facts for kids

Alex Pearce was born on June 9, 1995, in Ulverstone, Tasmania. He is a professional Australian rules football player. Alex is the captain of the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He became the captain in 2023.

Early Life and Football Beginnings

Alex Pearce was born in Ulverstone, Tasmania. His parents are Karen and Scott. Alex is also of Indigenous Australian descent, from the Palawa people.

When he was younger, Alex played both junior football and cricket for clubs in Ulverstone. An AFL talent scout named Troy Davies noticed his skills. This led to Alex being chosen for the Under 16 Tasmanian team in 2011. He continued to impress at the Under 18 carnival in 2012. These performances showed that he had a bright future in the AFL.

Joining the AFL

In the 2013 AFL draft, Alex was picked by the Fremantle Football Club. He was the 37th player chosen overall. Before joining Fremantle, he played for the Devonport Football Club in the Tasmanian State League. Back then, he mostly played as a key forward, which means he was usually trying to score goals.

However, when he moved to Fremantle, his role changed. He started playing mainly as a key defender. A key defender's job is to stop the opposing team from scoring. He played this new role for Peel Thunder. This team is Fremantle's reserve team in the West Australian Football League (WAFL).

Alex Pearce's AFL Journey

Alex Pearce made his first AFL game for Fremantle in 2015. This was in Round 6 of the 2015 AFL season. He played against the Essendon team at Domain Stadium. He stepped in because another player, Luke McPharlin, was injured. Alex was the first player to make his debut for Fremantle that year. It's interesting to note that he is not related to two former teammates who also have the last name Pearce.

Dealing with Injuries

In 2016, Alex suffered a broken leg. This injury was serious and meant he missed the entire 2017 season. It was a tough time for him.

After his recovery, Alex was chosen to be part of Fremantle's leadership group in 2018. This showed that his teammates and coaches trusted him. He made his big return to the field in Round 1 of the 2018 AFL season. He played against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval. In 2018, Alex played 21 out of 22 possible games. He became a very important player in Fremantle's defense.

In 2019, Alex started the season incredibly well. Many people thought he might be chosen for the All-Australian team. This team features the best players in the league for each position. However, he broke his ankle in Round 11 during a game against Collingwood. This injury unfortunately ended his season early.

The ankle injury caused more problems, and Alex missed the entire 2020 AFL season. He also missed nearly half of the 2021 AFL season because of a knee injury. He played a few games in the WAFL to get back into shape. Then, he returned to Fremantle's team in Round 13. He finished the 2021 season strongly, playing the last nine games in a row.

Becoming Captain

In the 2022 AFL season, Alex took on a big role. He was the stand-in captain for a lot of the season. This was because the main captain, Nat Fyfe, was dealing with injuries. Alex played 21 games that year, which was his career high at the time.

On February 23, 2023, Alex Pearce was officially named the captain of the Fremantle Football Club. He took over from Nat Fyfe. This was a huge honor for him.

He played his first game as captain in the opening round of the 2023 AFL season. He played against St Kilda and had a great game. In Round 17, Alex played his 100th AFL game. This was a special milestone for him. He finished the 2023 season having played every single game.

Recent Seasons

Alex started the 2024 AFL season in amazing form. He was very good at stopping some of the best forwards in the league. He led the Dockers to a great start, winning their first three games. This was only the third time in the club's history they had done that.

A coach from Port Adelaide, Ken Hinkley, even called Alex the best key defender in the competition. This was after a close game against Port Adelaide. Many people in the media thought he might be chosen for the All-Australian team again.

In Round 11, Fremantle played Collingwood. It was a very close game. In the final minutes, with Collingwood leading, Alex was moved forward to try and score a goal. He quickly made an impact, taking a mark and then kicking a goal. This important goal helped Fremantle secure a draw!

Unfortunately, Alex injured his forearm in Round 15. He missed the next three games because of it. He returned to play in Round 19, but he reinjured the same arm during the match. This meant he missed the rest of the season.

Personal Life

Outside of football, Alex Pearce is also a student. He is studying for a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology at Deakin University. In 2021, Deakin University recognized him as their Indigenous Sportsperson of the Year.