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Michael Walters
Michael Walters (2) 28.02.20.jpg
Walters playing for the All-Stars in 2020
Personal information
Full name Michael Walters
Nickname(s) Sonny Walters
Date of birth (1991-01-07) 7 January 1991 (age 34)
Place of birth Woodvale, Western Australia, Australia
Original team Swan Districts (WAFL)
Draft No. 53, 2008 national draft
Position(s) Forward / midfielder
Career highlights
  • 5× Fremantle leading goalkicker: 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019
  • All-Australian team: 2019
  • Indigenous All-Stars captain: 2025
  • 22under22 team: 2013
  • Fremantle 25 since ‘95 Team
  • Fremantle Life Member: 2019
  • WAFL Premiership Player: (2010)

Michael Walters (born 7 January 1991) is a former Australian rules football player. He played for the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Michael spent most of his career as a small forward. He was Fremantle's top goalkicker five times. In 2019, he was chosen for the All-Australian team. Michael Walters announced his retirement from the AFL on July 3, 2025. He played 239 games and kicked 365 goals over 16 seasons.

Michael Walters' Early Football Journey

Michael Walters was a very skilled player. He mainly played as a midfielder or forward. Fremantle chose him with the 53rd pick in the 2008 AFL Draft.

Starting in the WAFL

Before joining the AFL, Michael played for Swan Districts. This was in the West Australian Football League (WAFL). He played two senior matches for them in 2008. His nickname was Son-Son. He lived on the same street as other future AFL players, Nic Naitanui and Chris Yarran. Michael's father, Mike, also played football in South Australia.

Junior Achievements

In 2007, Michael played for Western Australia in the Under 16 Championships. He won the Kevin Sheehan Medal as the best player. He shared this award with Tom Scully. Michael kicked 10 goals in three games during the championships. He was also part of the 2007-08 AIS/AFL Academy squad. In 2008, he played for Western Australia again. This time it was at the 2008 AFL Under 18 Championships. He was named in the All-Australian Team for his great performance.

Michael's AFL Career with Fremantle

Michael Walters made his first AFL appearance for Fremantle in 2009. It was in Round 11 against Port Adelaide. He kicked a goal in his very first game. Another player from Swan Districts, Clancee Pearce, also kicked a goal in his debut that day.

Overcoming Challenges

Before the 2012 AFL season, Michael faced a challenge. He was sent back to play for Swan Districts. This was because his fitness level was not good enough. He worked hard to improve his fitness. By April, he was welcomed back to Fremantle. Michael returned to the AFL in July 2012. He played in every game after his return. He kicked 22 goals in 10 games that season. Fremantle then signed him for two more years.

Standout Seasons

In 2013, Michael had his best season yet. He kicked 46 goals in 21 games. He was named in the initial All-Australian 40-man squad. He also won his first award as Fremantle's leading goalkicker. In 2015, he continued to play well. He kicked 44 goals in 22 games. This earned him his second leading goalkicker award for Fremantle.

In 2017, Michael had a fantastic game against St Kilda. He had 32 disposals and kicked 6 goals. Later that season, he got a knee injury. This meant he couldn't play for the rest of the year. Even so, he finished with 22 goals from 17 games. He also became a leader in Fremantle's team.

Key Moments and Awards

In 2018, Michael averaged nearly 20 disposals per game. He won Fremantle's leading goalkicker award again with 22 goals. He was also a finalist for Mark of the Year. This was for an amazing high-flying mark he took.

The 2019 season started incredibly well for Michael. In Round 10, he kicked a behind after the siren. This gave Fremantle a one-point win against the Brisbane Lions. The next week, he kicked a goal with 30 seconds left. This helped Fremantle win by four points against Collingwood. His best game was in Round 13 against Port Adelaide. He kicked 6 goals and had 25 disposals. For his amazing play, he received the highest votes from the AFL coaches. Michael was chosen for his first All-Australian team in 2019.

In the 2022 AFL season, Michael returned to playing as a forward. He had spent some time in the midfield before this. He played his 200th game in Round 23 against GWS. He kicked three goals in Fremantle's win. Michael also played a key role in Fremantle's final victory over the Western Bulldogs. He kicked three goals in that game too.

Later Career and Retirement

Michael missed Fremantle's first game of the 2023 AFL season due to an Achilles injury. He came into the second game as a substitute. He kicked two goals in the third quarter. In Round 3, he kicked four goals in Fremantle's big win over West Coast. He also kicked four goals in Round 5 during the special Gather Round event.

In June 2023, Michael signed a new contract. He agreed to play two more years for Fremantle. This was alongside his teammate Nat Fyfe.

In 2024, Michael kicked his 350th career goal. This happened in Round 2 against North Melbourne. He continued to play well, but a hamstring injury in Round 14 limited his games. He still had a great game in Round 19 against the Melbourne Demons. He kicked a season-high four goals in that match.

Before the 2025 AFL season, Michael was chosen for the Indigenous All-Stars team. He was even named the captain of the squad. He played against his own Fremantle team in February 2025. After the game, he had a knee injury.

On July 3, 2025, Michael Walters announced his retirement. He did not play any matches in 2025 due to his injury. He finished his AFL career with 239 games and 365 goals. He played for 16 seasons with the Fremantle Dockers.

Michael's Personal Life

Michael Walters has three daughters. In October 2023, he became the number one ticket holder for the Perth Lynx. This is a women's basketball team. In March 2024, he also became the number one ticket holder for the Cockburn Cougars. This is another basketball team.

Career Statistics

Here are some of Michael Walters' career statistics:

Legend
 G  Goals  B  Behinds  K  Kicks  H  Handballs  D  Disposals  M  Marks  T  Tackles
AFL playing statistics
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game) Votes
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2009 Fremantle 38 3 2 1 21 11 32 14 5 0.7 0.3 7.0 3.7 10.7 4.7 1.7 0
2010 Fremantle 38 5 8 1 52 17 69 15 12 1.6 0.2 10.4 3.4 13.8 3.0 2.4 0
2011 Fremantle 38 3 4 3 19 5 24 3 8 1.3 1.0 6.3 1.7 8.0 1.0 2.7 0
2012 Fremantle 38 10 22 11 83 36 119 40 29 2.2 1.1 8.3 3.6 11.9 4.0 2.9 0
2013 Fremantle 10 21 46 23 231 93 324 108 52 2.2 1.1 11.0 4.4 15.4 5.1 2.5 6
2014 Fremantle 10 8 15 13 79 28 107 29 20 1.9 1.6 9.9 3.5 13.4 3.6 2.5 0
2015 Fremantle 10 22 44 19 225 107 332 77 54 2.0 0.9 10.2 4.9 15.1 3.5 2.4 3
2016 Fremantle 10 22 36 21 244 157 401 91 66 1.6 1.0 11.1 7.1 18.2 4.1 3.0 3
2017 Fremantle 10 17 22 14 197 130 327 74 45 1.3 0.8 11.6 7.6 19.2 4.4 2.6 10
2018 Fremantle 10 18 22 14 206 150 356 65 59 1.2 0.8 11.4 8.3 19.8 3.6 3.3 8
2019 Fremantle 10 22 40 17 303 176 479 83 78 1.8 0.8 13.8 8.0 21.8 3.8 3.5 11
2020 Fremantle 10 14 15 7 145 102 247 44 40 1.1 0.5 10.4 7.3 17.6 3.1 2.9 8
2021 Fremantle 10 16 14 11 147 76 223 63 33 0.9 0.7 9.2 4.8 13.9 3.9 2.1 0
2022 Fremantle 10 21 25 15 172 124 296 82 57 1.1 0.7 8.1 5.9 14.0 3.9 2.7 0
2023 Fremantle 10 20 33 13 127 72 199 56 33 1.7 0.7 6.4 3.6 10.0 2.8 1.7 0
2024 Fremantle 10 17 17 13 90 59 149 43 31 1.0 0.7 5.2 3.4 8.7 2.5 1.8 0
Career 239 365 196 2341 1343 3684 887 622 1.5 0.8 9.7 5.6 15.4 3.7 2.6 49

Honours and Achievements

Michael Walters achieved many great things in his football career.

Team Awards

  • McClelland Trophy (Fremantle) 2015
  • WAFL Premiership Player (Swan Districts) 2010

Individual Awards

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