Steven Motlop facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Steven Motlop |
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Motlop playing for Port Adelaide in June 2018
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| Personal information | |||
| Date of birth | 12 March 1991 | ||
| Place of birth | Darwin, Australia | ||
| Original team | Wanderers (NTFL) | ||
| Draft | No. 39, 2008 national draft | ||
| Position(s) | Forward / midfielder | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Steven Motlop (born 12 March 1991) is a former professional Australian rules football player. He played for the Geelong Football Club from 2009 to 2017. Later, he joined the Port Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL) and played there until 2022.
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Early Life and Football Start
Steven Motlop was born in Darwin, Australia. He grew up playing football for the Wanderers club in the Northern Territory. In 2008, he was chosen by the Geelong Football Club in the AFL Draft. He was the 39th player picked that year.
Football runs in Steven's family! His older brothers, Shannon Motlop and Daniel Motlop, also played in the AFL. Shannon even won a championship with North Melbourne. Steven's cousin, Marlon Motlop, also played for Port Adelaide.
Before joining the AFL, Steven had a shoulder injury. This happened during the 2008 National AFL Under 18 championships. Even with the injury, he still managed to kick five goals in a big game at the MCG.
Steven's AFL Journey
Playing for Geelong (2009–2017)
Steven Motlop started his AFL career with the Geelong Cats. In his very first AFL game in 2010, he dislocated his shoulder. This happened in the second quarter of a match against Hawthorn.
In 2012, Steven was recognized as a rising star in the league. He was nominated for the 2012 AFL Rising Star award in Round 6. This was after he had a great game, getting 28 possessions (meaning he got the ball 28 times) against Melbourne.
After a strong season in 2013, Steven was picked for the first-ever 22under22 team. This team is chosen by the AFL Players' Association and features the best young players under 22 years old. In 2014, he had a career-best game in Round 16, getting 30 possessions, 5 marks, and 4 tackles.
Playing for Port Adelaide (2018–2022)
In 2017, Steven decided to move to the Port Adelaide Football Club. He joined them as a "restricted free agent," which means Port Adelaide offered him a contract that Geelong chose not to match.
One of Steven's most memorable moments at Port Adelaide happened in 2018. In a big game called Showdown 44 against their rivals, Adelaide, Steven kicked the winning goal with only 21 seconds left! This amazing goal helped Port Adelaide win by 5 points and ended Adelaide's winning streak against them.
In 2020, Steven injured his foot in Round 7. Scans showed he had sprained ligaments in his ankle. He had to miss four weeks of playing while he recovered.
Steven Motlop officially retired from professional football in August 2022, after a great career playing for both Geelong and Port Adelaide.
