Josh Draper

Joshua Draper is an Australian rules footballer, currently playing for Fremantle in the Australian Football League.

Josh Draper
Draper in April 2025
Personal information
Full name	Joshua Draper
Date of birth	(2004-02-08) 8 February 2004 (age 21)
Original team(s)	Peel Thunder
Draft	Category B rookie signing, 2022 National draft, Fremantle
Debut	Round 2, 2024, Fremantle vs. North Melbourne, at Marvel Stadium
Height	197 cm (6 ft 6 in)
Position(s)	Key Defender
Club information
Current club	Fremantle
Number	37
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
2023–	Fremantle	27 (0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of round 7, 2025.
Career highlights
AFL Rising Star nominee: 2024 22under22 team: 2024 Beacon Award: 2024
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

AFL Career

Draper was signed as a Category B Rookie from Fremantle's Next Generation Academy in the 2022 AFL draft. He qualified due to Ethiopian heritage on his mother's side.^[1]

He played for the reserve side, Peel Thunder in the WAFL for his first season at the club.^[2] In Round 1 of the 2024 AFL season Fremantle conceded two injuries to key defenders Brennan Cox and Oscar McDonald.^[3] This provided Draper with his opportunity to debut for the senior team in round 2 of the 2024 AFL season in a game against North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium.^[4] On debut, Draper collected 7 disposals in a 26 point win away from home.^[5] Due to this solid performance on debut, Draper kept his spot in the team for Fremantle's round 3 clash with Adelaide in the west. Draper played even better in this match collecting 14 disposals and 4 marks. Josh made the journey east for Fremantle's two week stint in Adelaide, first facing Carlton in the Gather Round, and Port Adelaide the following week. Perhaps his best game came in round sixteen against Sydney at the Sydney Cricket Ground. With Fremantle captain Alex Pearce missing the game due to injury, Draper was tasked with playing on some of the Swans most dangerous forwards and was instrumental in the one point win. He finished with 14 disposals and a career-high 11 spoils.^[6] He received a 2024 AFL Rising Star nomination for his career-high 18 disposal game at 94 per cent efficiency during Western Derby 59.^[7] He signed a two-year contract extension on August 12th to remain at Fremantle until at least the end of 2027.^[8]

Statistics

AFL Statistics

Updated to the end of the 2024 season^[9]

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
2023	Fremantle	37	0	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
2024	Fremantle	37	20	0	0	104	95	199	80	17	0.0	0.0	5.2	4.8	10.0	4.0	0.9
Career			20	0	0	104	95	199	80	17	0.0	0.0	5.2	4.8	10.0	4.0	0.9

WAFL Statistics

Updated to the end of round 7, 2024^[10]

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
2023	Peel Thunder	61	11	0	0	55	44	99	36	15	0.0	0.0	5.0	4.0	9.0	3.3	1.4
Career			11	0	0	55	44	99	36	15	0.0	0.0	5.0	4.0	9.0	3.3	1.4