Rhys Palmer

Player Stats

Biography

Rhys Palmer (born 13 February 1989) is an Australian rules footballer who is currently contracted to Greater Western Sydney in the Australian Football League. He previously played for Fremantle, and won the AFL Rising Star award in 2008.

Palmer played junior football for the Bullcreek Leeming Junior Football Club.

He made his West Australian Football League (WAFL) debut for East Fremantle in 2007, playing 14 games, obtaining over 20 possessions in his final six games, include five goals in one game.

Palmer was a key member of Western Australia's victorious 2007 AFL National Under 18 Championships side, averaging 32 possessions and 3 goals per game. He finished second by one vote behind Cale Morton in the Larke Medal and was named in the Under 18 All-Australian side.

Palmer gained attention again at 2007 AFL Draft Camp finishing second in the 3 km time trial with a time of 10min 25sec and fifth in the beep test with a score of 14.8.

Palmer was taken at pick #7 overall in the 2007 AFL Draft by Fremantle. He put in some impressive performances in the 2008 NAB Cup and after being named as an emergency for the opening round of the 2008 season, Palmer made his debut in Round 2 at Subiaco Oval against Hawthorn. Whilst his debut match was good personally, with 22 possessions and a goal, Fremantle lost the match by 15 points. In his second match he was awarded the AFL Rising Star nomination for his outstanding performance in the Western Derby, despite receiving a gash to his head in the opening quarter.

After being nominated in Round 3, Palmer won the 2008 AFL Rising Star ahead of Cyril Rioli from Hawthorn with 8 of the 9 judges voting him as the best emerging player. He missed the 2009 season because of a knee reconstruction.

Palmer joined Greater Western Sydney in September 2011, becoming the third uncontracted player, after Phil Davis and Callan Ward, to join the club in preparation for its entry into the AFL for the 2012 season.