Luke Shuey (born 2 June 1990) is a former Australian rules footballer and former captain of the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League (AFL). He retired at the conclusion of the 2023 AFL season.

Luke Shuey
Shuey playing for West Coast in July 2019
Personal information
Full name Luke Shuey
Nickname(s) Boots, Chingy
Date of birth (1990-06-02) 2 June 1990 (age 34)
Original team(s) Oakleigh Chargers/Marcellin College/Bulleen-Templestowe
Draft 18th overall, 2008 (West Coast)
Height 184 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 89 kg (196 lb)
Position(s) Midfielder
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2009–2023 West Coast 248 (142)
International team honours
Years Team Games (Goals)
2017 Australia 2 (1)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2023.
2 State and international statistics correct as of 2017.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Shuey was recruited from the Oakleigh Chargers with pick 20 in the 2008 National Draft. After a series of injuries, he made his AFL debut during the 2010 season. He was runner-up in the AFL Rising Star award in 2011. Shuey won the John Worsfold Medal as West Coast's best and fairest player in 2016, and again in 2019, and finished third in the award in 2014 and 2017. Awarded 'Player of the finals' in 2019, adding to his September reputation where a year earlier he played in the club's victory over Collingwood in the 2018 Grand Final, and was awarded the Norm Smith Medal as the best player on the ground.

Early career

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Shuey was raised in the Melbourne suburb of Templestowe and attended Marcellin College, playing for the school football team. One of his teammates was David Zaharakis, who was also drafted into the AFL.[1] Outside of school football, Shuey played his junior football for Bulleen-Templestowe.[2][3]

In 2008, his final year of high school, he was selected for the Oakleigh Chargers in the TAC Cup. He also represented Vic Metro at the 2008 AFL Under 18 Championships, winning the team's best and fairest award. Shuey placed fourth in the beep test at the 2008 AFL Draft Camp. At the 2008 National Draft, he was selected in the second round, taken by West Coast with the 18th pick overall.[4]

AFL career

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As part of West Coast's affiliation with the West Australian Football League (WAFL), Shuey was allocated to East Perth upon his arrival in Perth to pursue his career.[5] However, he did not play senior football at all during the 2009 season (in either the WAFL or AFL), suffering a series of injuries which included osteitis pubis, a broken leg, and two hernias.[6][7] Shuey later said his injuries were in part due to playing too much football during the previous year.[8] After a strong pre-season, Shuey made his AFL debut in round one of the 2010 season, against the Brisbane Lions.[9] He scored a goal with his first kick.[10] However, after just three games at AFL level, Shuey suffered a knee injury. He was due to return midway through the season, but then contracted a virus which was eventually diagnosed as glandular fever.[11][12] He eventually returned for West Coast's last three games of the season,[13] as well as two WAFL matches for East Perth.[14] He established himself in West Coast's midfield line-up during the 2011 season, playing in all 25 of his team's matches (one of only seven West Coast players to do so).[15] He was nominated for the 2011 AFL Rising Star award in round two, after a 27-disposal and three-goal game against Port Adelaide.[16] He eventually finished runner-up to Essendon's Dyson Heppell in the award, with Heppell polling 44 votes and Shuey 37 votes. This was the best finish by a West Coast player since Chris Judd was runner-up in 2002.[17] Shuey also polled 12 votes in the 2011 Brownlow Medal, and including three votes in the round-18 Western Derby against Fremantle (although Dean Cox won the Ross Glendinning Medal). In the round-nine game against the Western Bulldogs he had kicked a career-high five goals and recorded 27 disposals but was only awarded two Brownlow votes.[13]

During the 2012 season, Shuey was suspended on two occasions – for one week after striking Fremantle's Paul Duffield in round nine, and for two weeks after striking North Melbourne's Lindsay Thomas in round 15.[18] He polled 11 votes in the 2012 Brownlow Medal, including best on ground performances against Greater Western Sydney in round three (25 disposals and five goals) and against Gold Coast in round 14 (32 disposals and three goals).[13]

 
Shuey celebrating after the 2018 AFL Grand Final

After a career best season in 2016, Shuey was named in the initial All-Australian 40-man squad, though he did not make the final team.[19] He also won the John Worsfold Medal as the club best and fairest.[20]

In September 2017, Shuey kicked a goal after the siren against Port Adelaide to win the first elimination final at Adelaide Oval. It was the first after-the-siren goal in extra time in AFL history.[21][22]

Shuey won the 2018 Norm Smith Medal for his brilliant performance against Collingwood in the AFL Grand Final, recording 34 possessions and a goal. He received eleven out of twelve possible votes from the four judges. His team, the West Coast Eagles, won the premiership.[23]

On 6 December 2019 it was announced that Shuey would become the 11th captain of the West Coast Eagles.

After battling frequent hamstring injuries during his captaincy, Shuey announced on 8 August 2023 that he would retire at season's end.[24]

Statistics

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Statistics are correct to the end of Round 24 2023.[25]
Legend
  G  
Goals
  K  
Kicks
  D  
Disposals 
  T  
Tackles
  B  
Behinds 
  H  
Handballs 
  M  
Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2010 West Coast 13 6 6 4 59 47 106 20 22 1.0 0.7 9.8 7.8 17.7 3.3 3.7
2011 West Coast 13 25 24 22 323 179 502 65 104 1.0 0.9 12.9 7.2 20.1 2.6 4.2
2012 West Coast 13 21 19 22 286 197 483 82 89 0.9 1.0 13.6 9.4 23.0 3.9 4.2
2013 West Coast 13 14 9 8 178 123 301 48 67 0.6 0.6 12.7 8.8 21.5 3.4 4.8
2014 West Coast 13 20 17 14 249 235 484 74 80 0.9 0.7 12.5 11.8 24.2 3.7 4.0
2015 West Coast 13 25 24 12 273 320 593 82 123 1.0 0.5 10.9 12.8 23.7 3.3 4.9
2016 West Coast 13 23 12 8 272 324 596 56 149 0.5 0.3 11.8 14.1 25.9 2.4 6.5
2017 West Coast 13 23 11 7 312 293 605 93 134 0.5 0.3 13.6 12.7 26.3 4.0 5.8
2018 West Coast 13 20 6 7 257 219 476 63 97 0.3 0.4 12.9 11.0 23.8 3.2 4.9
2019 West Coast 13 24 8 2 409 238 647 81 129 0.3 0.1 17.0 9.9 27.0 3.4 5.4
2020 West Coast 13 13 1 1 144 101 245 33 46 0.0 0.0 11.0 7.7 18.8 2.5 3.5
2021 West Coast 13 7 0 1 104 56 160 23 30 0.0 0.1 14.8 8.0 22.8 3.2 4.2
2022 West Coast 13 17 3 2 207 157 364 48 100 0.1 0.1 12.1 9.2 21.4 2.8 5.8
2023 West Coast 13 10 2 2 105 93 198 20 48 0.2 0.2 10.5 9.3 19.8 2 4.8
Career 248 142 112 3178 2582 5760 788 1218 0.6 0.5 12.8 10.4 23.2 3.2 4.9

Honours and achievements

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AFL

West Coast Eagles

Personal life

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In February 2009, Shuey's younger sister Melanie was struck and killed by a motorcycle while walking. He was given indefinite leave from football after her death and stayed in Melbourne for six weeks before returning to Perth.[7][26]

Shuey and his wife Dani Orlando have two children.[27][28][29]

Patrick Skene also reports that Luke Shuey has Chinese ancestry. He is likely a descendant of Ah Shuey who came to Australia in 1862.[30] A man with the same name was allegedly robbed in Kensington in 1880 but the defendants were found not guilty by the jury. The judge "expressed his strong disapproval of the verdict, and said that if tho principal witness had been a European instead of a Chinaman, it would have been very different. as it was, the verdict was a positive disgrace to the country".[31]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "The two of us: Zaka and Shuey", AFL Players Association, 2 September 2013. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  2. ^ "Young Eagle Luke Shuey favourite for Rising Star Award", Herald Sun, 29 June 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  3. ^ "Club History". Bulleen Templestowe Junior Football Club. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  4. ^ Selection 18: Luke Shuey, West Coast Eagles, 29 November 2008. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  5. ^ WAFL reverse order draft results, TAC Cup, 3 February 2009. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  6. ^ "West Coast Eagles youngster Luke Shuey goes under the knife once more", The Adelaide Advertiser, 4 November 2009. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  7. ^ a b "The Shuey struggle", The Age, 29 May 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  8. ^ "West Coast midfielder Luke Shuey a stronger player after family tragedy", Herald Sun, 30 July 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  9. ^ "Luke Shuey to make his debut for West Coast", Perth Now, 25 March 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  10. ^ Players who Goaled on Debut with their first kicks, Footystats. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  11. ^ "Another setback for Shuey", The West Australian, 2 June 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  12. ^ "Glandular fever scare rocks the Eagles", The Age, 2 June 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  13. ^ a b c Luke Shuey, AFL Tables. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  14. ^ Luke SHUEY (East Perth), WAFL. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  15. ^ West Coast 2011 Player Stats, AFL Tables. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  16. ^ "Shuey the round two Rising Star", West Coast Eagles, 5 April 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  17. ^ "Essendon's Dyson Heppell wins Rising Star ahead of Eagle Luke Shuey", Perth Now, 7 September 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  18. ^ "Desire to win footy not what it was, West Coast midfielder Luke Shuey says ahead of Brisbane Lions match", Fox Sports, 29 July 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  19. ^ Beveridge, Riley (29 August 2016). "All-Australian 40-man squad announced". Fox Sports (Australia). News Corp Australia. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  20. ^ Quartermane, Braden (6 October 2016). "West Coast midfielder Luke Shuey caps his finest season by winning his first John Worsfold Medal". Perth Now. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  21. ^ Luke Shuey after-the-siren, matchwinning goal the latest in thrilling finals finishes
  22. ^ Luke Shuey's post-siren heroics seal victory for West Coast over Port Adelaide
  23. ^ Blake, Martin (29 September 2018). "Shuey wins Norm Smith Medal". The Age. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  24. ^ Stocks, Gary (8 August 2023). "Inspiring skipper 'Boots' to retire". West Coast Eagles. Australian Football League. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  25. ^ "AFL Tables - Luke Shuey - Stats - Statistics". afltables.com. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
  26. ^ "Eagle heartbroken after young sister killed", WAtoday, 11 February 2009. Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  27. ^ AFL finals 2018: New dad Luke Shuey hoping to cap off amazing week with preliminary final win
  28. ^ West Coast Eagles star Luke Shuey and Dani Orlando tie the knot in Swan Valley wedding
  29. ^ West Coast Eagles captain Luke Shuey and wife Danielle welcome second child Georgia Jayne
  30. ^ https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/saturday-breakfast/patrick-skene-celestial-footy/102578884
  31. ^ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/60623176
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