Tim Membrey (born 26 May 1994) is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He previously played for the Sydney Swans from 2013 to 2014 and the St Kilda Football Club from 2015 to 2024.

Tim Membrey
Membrey playing for St Kilda in April 2019
Personal information
Full name Tim Membrey (Members)
Date of birth (1994-05-26) 26 May 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth Traralgon, Victoria
Original team(s) Gippsland Power (TAC Cup)
Draft No. 46, 2012 National Draft, Sydney
Height 188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Key Forward
Club information
Current club Collingwood
Number 28
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2013–2014 Sydney 001 00(0)
2015–2024 St Kilda 178 (293)
2025– Collingwood 000 00(0)
Total 179 (293)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2024.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Playing career

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Early career

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Membery grew up in Traralgon and attended St Gabriel's Primary School. Membrey participated in the Auskick program at Traralgon;[1] he played junior football for Traralgon Football Club and was captain of the Gippsland Power.[2][3] Membrey would play against future St Kilda teammate Jack Billings in the under 18 Grand Final, where Billings' Oakleigh Chargers won by a point.[4]

Sydney Swans (2013–2014)

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He was drafted to the Sydney Swans with the 46th pick in the 2012 AFL Draft.[5] Membrey was mentored by dual Brownlow Medalist Adam Goodes while at the Swans.[6] Membrey had to wait until round 19, 2014 to make his debut against Essendon, when he was a late replacement for an injured Lance Franklin.[7] In his two years in Sydney, Membrey struggled to break into a Swans lineup that included forwards Franklin, Kurt Tippet and his mentor Goodes. He played 41 games for the Swans Reserves in the North East Australian Football League, kicking 105 goals (an average of 2.5 goals per match).[3] Following the lack of opportunities at the Swans, Membrey requested a trade to St Kilda. The two clubs could not agree on a trade and with Membrey out of contract, Sydney delisted the forward. Membrey then signed with St Kilda as a delisted free agent.[8] On his departure, Sydney Coach John Longmire said to Membrey "we know you’re good enough to play senior football. As much as we want you, you have our blessing to leave."[4] Saints' Chief Operating Officer Ameet Bains stated that Membrey was "a player that we liked a lot during his 2012 draft and came close to drafting."[4]

St Kilda Football Club (2015–2024)

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Membrey kicked nine goals in 12 senior games in his first season as a Saint. He debuted in round one against GWS, where he kicked two goals. At the end of the season, he injured his shoulder at training and required a shoulder reconstruction.

2016 was a breakout season for Membrey, and he was the club's leading goalkicker for the year with 44 goals in just 17 games (an average of 2.5 goals per game). The 22-year old was awarded for his good year with a 2-year contract extension.

Membrey continued his run of good form throughout 2017, playing 20 games, averaging just under 13 disposals a game and kicking 38 goals to be the Saints' leading goal-kicker for the second season in a row.

Membrey played every possible game for the Saints in 2018, the first time in his career he had played the entire season. Membrey kicked 34 goals for the year, a single goal behind the leading goal-kicker for 2018, Jade Gresham. Membrey signed a further 2-year extension at the end of the season.

Membrey was added to the five-man leadership group ahead of the 2019 season, after he began sitting in on leadership discussions towards the end of 2018. The Saints had a difficult season, registering only nine wins. Membrey kicked 44 goals, an equal career-high, and played all 22 games. Membrey's 44 goals saw him capture his third club leading-goalkicker award in four years. Membrey kicked three bags of four goals, and scored three goals in four matches.

Membrey was again part of the leadership group in 2020. In a Covid-interrupted year, Membrey played 18 of a possible 19 matches - including two finals as the Saints saw their first September action since 2011. He kicked 20 goals for the year.

Ahead of the 2021 season, Membrey was named co-vice captain alongside Dougal Howard.[9] As he was delisted by the Swans in 2014, he was eligible for the 'free agency for life' clause in 2021. However, he immediately signed a three-year contract with the Saints through to 2024.[10]

Membrey played a prolific game in wet, post-storm conditions in Sydney in the Saints' round-one win over GWS. He collected 21 disposals at 81 per cent efficiency, three goals, seven marks, seven inside-50s and a team-high 586 metres gained. He finished third in the 2021 Trevor Barker Award.[11]

Collingwood Football Club (2025–)

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Following the conclusion of the 2024 AFL season, Membrey was delisted by the Saints and subsequently picked up by Collingwood as a delisted free agent on a two year contract which will see him in the 'black and white' till the end of the 2026 AFL season.[12][13]

Statistics

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Statistics are correct to the end of the 2024 season[14]
Legend
  G  
Goals
  K  
Kicks
  D  
Disposals 
  T  
Tackles
  B  
Behinds 
  H  
Handballs 
  M  
Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game) Votes
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2014 Sydney 1 1 0 0 5 4 9 4 1 0 0 5 4 9 4 1 0
2015 St Kilda 28 12 9 7 73 53 126 48 24 0.75 0.58 6.08 4.42 10.50 4.00 2.00 0
2016 St Kilda 28 17 44 18 149 71 220 103 27 2.59 1.06 8.76 4.18 12.94 6.06 1.59 9
2017 St Kilda 28 20 38 14 185 74 259 74 30 1.90 0.70 9.25 3.70 12.95 6.50 1.50 2
2018 St Kilda 28 22 34 28 165 82 247 132 23 1.70 1.40 8.25 4.10 12.35 6.60 1.15 4
2019 St Kilda 28 22 44 17 181 105 286 124 37 2.00 0.77 8.23 4.77 13.00 5.64 1.68 2
2020 [a] St Kilda 28 18 20 9 129 55 184 83 27 1.11 0.50 7.17 3.05 10.22 4.61 1.50 0
2021 St Kilda 28 21 34 26 227 85 312 151 22 1.62 1.24 10.81 4.05 14.86 7.19 1.05 3
2022 St Kilda 28 22 34 20 212 101 313 147 27 1.5 0.9 9.6 4.6 14.2 6.7 1.2 1
2023 St Kilda 28 7 6 8 53 24 77 36 6 0.9 1.1 7.6 3.4 11.0 5.1 0.9 0
2024 St Kilda 28 19 30 9 150 71 221 98 32 1.6 0.5 7.9 5.2 11.6 5.2 1.7 1
Career 179 293 156 1529 725 2254 1056 255 1.6 0.9 8.5 5.9 12.6 5.9 1.4 22

Notes

  1. ^ The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

References

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  1. ^ AFL Record. Round 1, 2022. pg 64
  2. ^ Landsberger, Sam (12 November 2012). "Pick Me: Power forward Tim Membrey could be the next Jack Darling". Herald Sun. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  3. ^ a b Darroch, Samuel (13 November 2014). "Ex-Swan flies south for winter". Latrobe Valley Express. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  4. ^ a b c "Behind the tattoos and rough exterior, meet the real Tim Membrey, St Kilda's find of 2016". Fox Sports. 28 July 2016. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  5. ^ Landsberger, Sam (22 May 2014). "Bidding war may loom among AFL clubs for opportunity-starved guns of 2012 national draft". Herald Sun. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  6. ^ "Skunk-hundred: The moment that turned Tim Membrey's career". saints.com.au. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  7. ^ Cordy, Neil (2 August 2014). "No Lance Franklin, no worries for Sydney Swans as league leaders hold off Essendon". news.com.au. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
  8. ^ "Membrey to officially join Saints as a delisted free agent". afl.com.au. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  9. ^ "Dual skippers: Saints prepare for 'Gears' change". afl.com.au. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  10. ^ "Saints leader rejects free agency, inks three-year deal". afl.com.au. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  11. ^ "Steele joins elite company with back-to-back Trevor Barker Awards". saints.com.au. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  12. ^ "Thank you, Skunk: Membrey's Saints chapter comes to a close". St Kilda FC. 28 October 2024. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  13. ^ "Membrey a Magpie". Collingwood FC. 1 November 2024. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  14. ^ "Tim Membrey stats". AFL Tables. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
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