Sam Berry (footballer)

Sam Berry
Berry at the 2026 Gather Round
Personal information
Full name Samuel Berry
Nickname Bez[1]
Born (2002-02-12) 12 February 2002
Gippsland, Victoria
Original teams Gippsland Power (NAB League)
Melbourne Grammar (APS)
Maffra Eagles
Draft No. 28, 2020 national draft
Debut Round 1, 2021, Adelaide vs. Geelong, at Adelaide Oval
Height 181 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight 83 kg (183 lb)
Position Midfielder
Club information
Current club Adelaide
Number 3
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2021– Adelaide 96 (20)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of round 22, 2026.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Sam Berry (born 12 February 2002) is a professional Australian rules footballer who plays for the Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was drafted with the 28th selection in the 2020 AFL draft.

Early life

Growing up in Maffra in country Victoria, Berry played for the Gippsland Power at junior level.[2] He averaged 17.7 disposals, 9.8 contested possessions and 6.5 tackles in 10 games at the Gippsland Power.[3]

AFL career

Berry made his AFL debut in the opening round of the 2021 AFL season,[4] when Adelaide defeated Geelong in an upset victory. He played 17 games in his debut season.[5]

In 2022, Berry led the league for tackles collecting 171 for the year over 18 games for the Crows. He also had the highest average for tackles per game with an average of 9.5 a game. Berry struggled for form in 2023, but regained a spot in the team after kicking the match-winning goal against Carlton, coming on as the substitute for Adelaide's first win of 2024.[6][7] Berry polled three Brownlow votes for the first time in his career for the round 23 win over the Western Bulldogs. At the end of the 2024 season, after delayed contract talks,[5] Berry signed with Adelaide until the end of 2026.[8]

In 2025, he started the season in the medical substitute role, often coming into games in the third or fourth quarters. He got his first start of the season in round 11 against West Coast, and he collected a career-best 26 disposals. He improved upon that record early in 2026, when he collected 29 disposals in the Gather Round win over Carlton.

Berry starred in the round 8, 2026 Showdown win against Port Adelaide, collecting 29 disposals and a career-best 19 tackles in the thrilling win against the cross-town rivals to earn his first Showdown Medal.[9] His tally of 19 tackles stands as the second-most ever in a single game, one shy of the 20-tackle record set by teammate Rory Laird.[10] Berry found career-best form in 2026, collecting his personal record of 29 disposals for the third time in the season, which included seven centre clearances in round 14 against the Western Bulldogs.[11]

Statistics

Updated to the end of round 22, 2026.[12]

Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
  †  
 Led the league for 
the season
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game) Votes
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2021Adelaide21 1759609415427690.30.53.55.59.11.64.10
2022Adelaide21 183215616131733171†0.20.18.78.917.61.89.5†2
2023Adelaide3 4012713406190.00.36.83.310.01.54.80
2024Adelaide3 184212312524826910.20.16.86.913.81.45.13
2025Adelaide3 196316411527931780.30.28.66.114.71.64.11
2026Adelaide3 202823222846054150†0.10.411.611.423.02.77.5†0
Career 96202576273614981775780.20.37.97.715.61.86.06

References

  1. ↑ Bez's Whopper Moment: A Round 1 Stunner on YouTube
  2. ↑ "10 things you may not know about Sam Berry". afc.com.au. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  3. ↑ "Pick 28: Sam Berry". afc.com.au. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  4. ↑ "The Crow coming in like a "wrecking ball," and why Thilthorpe is a while off". www.sen.com.au. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  5. 1 2 "Adelaide Crows hard nut Sam Berry in no rush to start contract talks". adelaidenow.com.au. The Advertiser (Adelaide). 11 July 2024.
  6. ↑ Kalinic, Dejan (13 April 2024). "Berry the hero as Crows stun Blues in classic". AFL.
  7. ↑ "Berry nominated for Goal of the Year". Adelaide Football Club. 15 April 2024.
  8. ↑ "Sam Berry extends with Crows". afc.com.au. Adelaide Football Club. 29 August 2024.
  9. ↑ "Showdown 59 medal votes". afc.com.au. 1 May 2026.
  10. ↑ Wyman, Tom (1 May 2026). "Let him Cook: Young mid the hero as Crows pip Power in dying seconds". Adelaide Oval: AFL.com.au.
  11. ↑ Schmook, Nathan (20 June 2026). "'Didn't want that feeling again': Crow's mindset shift behind career-best season". AFL Media.
  12. ↑ "Sam Berry". AFL Tables. Retrieved 13 August 2026.
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