Jordan Russell

Jordan Russell
Russell in September 2011
Personal information
Full name	Jordan Russell
Date of birth	(1986-11-06) 6 November 1986 (age 30)
Original team(s)	West Adelaide (SANFL)
Draft	No. 9, 2004 National Draft, Carlton
Height / weight	188cm / 86kg
Position(s)	Defender
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
2005–2012	Carlton	116 (18)
2013	Collingwood	009 0(0)
Total		125 (18)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2013.
Career highlights
VFL premiership captain – 2014, 2016 VFL state team captain – 2016
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Jordan Russell (born 6 November 1986) is an Australian rules footballer who played for the Collingwood Football Club and the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League.

Russell was recruited as the number 9 draft pick in the 2004 AFL Draft from West Adelaide. He made his AFL debut for the Carlton Football Club in Round 15, 2005 against St Kilda, his only match for the year. He spent most of the season developing in Carlton's VFL-affiliate, the Northern Bullants. In 2006, he broke into the senior team, playing ten games, mostly off the bench.

Russell expressed his desire to move back to South Australia for the 2007 season, with Port Adelaide seeking to trade for him, but no deal was made between the two clubs, and Russell re-signed with Carlton on 16 October 2006 to a two-year deal. In 2007, Russell played 18 games, but had not yet stamped himself as a definite future player.

Under coach Denis Pagan, he struggled for game time, and usually played completely defensive tagging roles, with reasonable success. Pagan was replaced as coach by Brett Ratten in late 2007, and he began to play Russell in the midfield and half-forward line. He played 21 of 22 games in 2008, and earned another two-year contract.

In 2009, Russell played 20 of 23 games, but was dropped briefly at midseason on form. This turned out to be a major turning point in Russell's career, as his form upon return to the seniors was outstanding. He continued his midfield/half-forward role for much of the year, but was forced into the back-line for the final month of the season after several injuries to teammates, where he was equally effective. Due to his strong form in the second half of the season, Russell finished sixth in the 2009 Carlton John Nicholls Medal.