Paul Bower
Encyclopedia
Paul Bower is an Australian rules football
er in the Australian Football League
.
He was recruited as the number 20 draft pick in the 2005 AFL Draft
from Peel Thunder. He is currently listed under the Carlton Football Club
. He played the first half of the season in the Northern Bullants
as a safe-marking backman, before missing two months through injury. Shortly after returning from injury, he made his AFL
debut in Round 21 of the 2006 AFL season
, playing the final two games of the year.
He began to gain regular selection in 2008, playing as the second tall defender. He played several very good defensive games, before sustaining a shoulder injury in Round 10 against Geelong
which saw him miss ten games. He returned for the final two rounds of the year.
2009 was a breakthrough season for Bower. He began to take more difficult defensive roles, added a strong rebounding aspect to his game, and began to show strong leadership amongst the young Carlton defenders. Bower would ultimately finish seventh in the John Nicholls Medal
, after being as high as second after thirteen rounds.
Of Māori heritage, Bower is one of the few Maori Australian
s in the history of the VFL/AFL and proudly wears a tribal tattoo on his left arm.
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 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...
.
He was recruited as the number 20 draft pick in the 2005 AFL Draft
2005 AFL Draft
The 2005 AFL Draft was the 2005 instance of the AFL Draft, the annual draft of talented players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.The 2005 Draft consisted of a pre-season draft, a national draft, a trade period...
from Peel Thunder. He is currently listed under the Carlton Football Club
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
. He played the first half of the season in the Northern Bullants
Northern Bullants
Northern Blues Football Club is a long-established Australian rules football club based in Preston and currently playing in the Victorian Football League representing the central and outer areas of Melbourne...
as a safe-marking backman, before missing two months through injury. Shortly after returning from injury, he made his AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
debut in Round 21 of the 2006 AFL season
2006 AFL season
Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2006.-National Cup: 3.10.5 defeated 1.10.15 in the 2006 NAB Cup Final...
, playing the final two games of the year.
He began to gain regular selection in 2008, playing as the second tall defender. He played several very good defensive games, before sustaining a shoulder injury in Round 10 against Geelong
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
which saw him miss ten games. He returned for the final two rounds of the year.
2009 was a breakthrough season for Bower. He began to take more difficult defensive roles, added a strong rebounding aspect to his game, and began to show strong leadership amongst the young Carlton defenders. Bower would ultimately finish seventh in the John Nicholls Medal
John Nicholls Medal
The John Nicholls Medal is an Australian rules football award given to the player adjudged Best and Fairest for the Carlton Football Club for the season....
, after being as high as second after thirteen rounds.
Of Māori heritage, Bower is one of the few Maori Australian
Maori Australian
A Māori Australian is an Australian of Māori heritage. In 2008, there were approximately 100,000 people with Māori ancestry living in Australia. Māori Australians constitute Australia's largest Polynesian ethnic group...
s in the history of the VFL/AFL and proudly wears a tribal tattoo on his left arm.