Jonathon Griffin is a part Indigenous

Indigenous Australians

Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....

 Australian rules football

Australian rules football

Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...

er who played for the Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League

Australian Football League

The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...

 (AFL) and the Central District Bulldogs

Central District Bulldogs

Central District Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in the city of Elizabeth about 25 km to the north of Adelaide, South Australia.-Origins and Background:...

 in the South Australian National Football League

South Australian National Football League

The South Australian National Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia....

 (SANFL). During the 2010 AFL Trade Week

2010 AFL Draft

The 2010 AFL Draft consists of four opportunities for player acquisitions during the 2010/11 Australian Football League off-season. These are the Trade Week; held between , the National Draft; held on the , the Pre-Season Draft and the Rookie Draft .This is the first national draft to feature the...

, he was traded to the Fremantle Football Club

Fremantle Football Club

The Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed The Dockers, is an Australian rules football team which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in the port city of Fremantle at the mouth of the Swan River in Western Australia...

.

Griffin was drafted by Adelaide from East Fremantle

East Fremantle Football Club

The East Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Sharks, is an Australian rules football club playing in the West Australian Football League . The team's home ground is East Fremantle Oval...

 in the West Australian Football League

West Australian Football League

The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League...

 (WAFL) with the 21st selection in the 2005 Rookie Draft

2004 AFL Draft

The 2004 AFL Draft, concerning player acquisitions in the 2004/05 Australian Football League off-season, consisted of a trade period, a national draft, a pre-season draft, and the elevation of rookies...

 and spent the 2005 season on the rookie list. He was upgraded to the senior list for the 2006 season but spent most of 2006 playing reserves for Central District Bulldogs

Central District Bulldogs

Central District Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in the city of Elizabeth about 25 km to the north of Adelaide, South Australia.-Origins and Background:...

. Griffin got his chance to make his AFL debut in the early rounds of 2007 due to the departure of Matthew Clarke and injuries to Rhett Biglands

Rhett Biglands

Rhett Biglands is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.-Career:He made his debut as an 18 year old in the SANFL with Woodville West Torrens kicking 5 goals in his first match....

 and Ivan Maric

Ivan Maric

Ivan Maric is an Australian rules football player of Croatian descent in the Australian Football League and was the number 20 of the Adelaide Crows Football Club. He currently plays for the Richmond Football Club.- Early career :...

. Although he was recruited as a key-forward Griffin was required to play as a ruckman

Ruckman (Australian rules football position)

In Australian rules football, a ruckman is typically a tall and athletic player who contests at centre bounces and stoppages . The ruckman is one of the most important players on the field...

. Many thought Griffin was not yet ready to play at the highest level as a ruckman because of his lanky figure, however Griffin managed to hold his spot for the first 13 rounds of 2007 before being replaced by the returning Maric.

Griffin started well in the 2008 AFL season

2008 AFL season

-Round 1 :-Round 2:-Round 3 :-Round 4:-Round 5:-Round 6 :-Round 7:-AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match:-Round 8:...

, with strong performances against very good ruck opponents in Will Minson

Will Minson

William Gerald Minson is a professional Australian rules footballer who plays for the Western Bulldogs in the Australian Football League.-Early life:...

 and Ben Hudson

Ben Hudson

Ben Hudson is an Australian rules footballer who played 143 games for the Adelaide Crows and Western Bulldogs and currently plays for the Brisbane Lions.-Early life:...

, of the Western Bulldogs, Dean Cox and Mark Seaby

Mark Seaby

Mark Seaby is a professional Australian rules footballer currently playing for the Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League.He is best known as a former premiership player with the West Coast Eagles.-Biography:...

 of the West Coast Eagles

West Coast Eagles

The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...

 and Dean Brogan

Dean Brogan

Dean Scott Brogan is a ruckman in the Australian Football League . He was also a former basketballer with the Adelaide 36ers.-Adelaide 36ers career :...

 and Brendon Lade

Brendon Lade

Brendon Lade is a former Australian rules footballer who spent his entire AFL career with the Port Adelaide Football Club.- Early Career :...

 of Port Adelaide. In 2009

2009 AFL season

-Round 1 :-Round 2:-Round 3 :-Round 4:-Round 5 :-Round 6:-Round 7:-Round 8:-Round 9 :-Round 10:...

, however, Griffin only played 2 games for the Crows, with Maric and Kurt Tippett

Kurt Tippett

Kurt Tippett is an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League. He currently plays for the Adelaide Crows and wears the number 4 on the back of his jumper. He has represented his state at under 18 level in basketball before converting to Australian rules football and playing for...

 preferred as the main ruckman with James Sellar

James Sellar

James Sellar is an Australian rules footballer. He was selected in the 2006 AFL Draft by the Adelaide Football Club at No. 14 overall, considered a bargain pick at the time considering he was touted as a potential top-5 pick. Sellar was educated at Brighton Secondary School along with other AFL...

 and Brad Moran

Brad Moran (footballer)

Bradley "Brad" Moran is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.-Early life:...

 also selected ahead of Griffin.

The pale skinned Griffin surprised many when he was selected for the Indigenous All-Stars team in 2009. Griffin's grandfather is from the Bibbulman

Noongar

The Noongar are an indigenous Australian people who live in the south-west corner of Western Australia from Geraldton on the west coast to Esperance on the south coast...

people from the south-west of Western Australia.

Since returning to his home state of Western Australia, Griffin has been impressive for his new club Fremantle. Griffin played his first game for the Dockers in Round 10 against St.Kilda, after ruckman Aaron Sandilands went down with injury. A career-best performance against the Gold Coast Suns in Round 15 saw him collect 26 disposals, 9 marks, 30 hit outs and 2 goals.

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