Will Setterfield

Will Setterfield (born 5 February 1998) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was drafted by Greater Western Sydney with their second selection and fifth overall in the 2016 national draft,^[1] and was considered by the media to be one of the most complete midfielders in his draft year.^[2] He made his debut in the 19-point loss to Richmond at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in round 18 of the 2017 season.^[3] Setterfield also played for Carlton between 2019 and 2022.

Will Setterfield
Setterfield playing for Essendon in 2025
Personal information
Full name	Will Setterfield
Date of birth	(1998-02-05) 5 February 1998 (age 27)
Original team(s)	Sandringham Dragons (TAC Cup)
Draft	No. 5, 2016 national draft
Debut	Round 18, 2017, Greater Western Sydney vs. Richmond, at the MCG
Height	192 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Weight	87 kg (192 lb)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Essendon
Number	12
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
2017–2018	Greater Western Sydney	02 0(0)
2019–2022	Carlton	55 (12)
2023–	Essendon	22 0(3)
Total		79 (15)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of round 12, 2025.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Early life

Setterfield grew up in Albury before taking up a boarding scholarship at Caulfield Grammar School in Melbourne.^[4] He played junior football for Albury Tigers.^[5]

Playing career

At the conclusion of the 2018 AFL season, Setterfield requested a trade from GWS. Essendon and Carlton were considered to be front runners in obtaining his signature. Despite being an Essendon supporter as a child, Setterfield nominated the Carlton Football Club as his preferred home.^[6] He was traded on 12 October.^[7] Widely considered a bargain coup for Carlton, former player and assistant coach Matthew Lappin tweeted "Blues fans, get excited. I coached against Setterfield in his first NEAFL game and he is a serious player, on the way to the 'Baggers".^[8] Setterfield made his Carlton debut in the Round 1 match against Richmond at the MCG. He impressed, gathering an impressive 24 disposals in what was his first AFL game after his ACL injury in 2018.

After playing only 13 games in Carlton's promising 2022 season, Setterfield was traded to Essendon in that year's trade period.^[9]

Personal life

Setterfield is cousins with Greater Western Sydney AFLW player Isabel Huntington.^[10]

Statistics

Statistics are correct to the end of 2023.^[11]

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
2017	Greater Western Sydney	11	2	0	2	12	6	18	5	10	0.0	1.0	6.0	3.0	9.0	2.5	5.0	0
2018	Greater Western Sydney	11	0	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	–
2019	Carlton	43	18	6	12	183	114	297	58	56	0.3	0.7	10.2	6.3	16.5	3.2	3.1	1
2020[a]	Carlton	43	16	4	1	146	97	243	29	83	0.3	0.1	9.1	6.1	15.2	1.8	5.2	0
2021	Carlton	43	8	1	6	74	50	124	35	17	0.1	0.8	9.3	6.3	15.5	4.4	2.1	0
2022	Carlton	43	13	1	3	131	83	214	51	30	0.1	0.2	10.1	6.4	16.5	3.9	2.3	0
2023	Essendon	12	10	2	3	112	96	208	47	60	0.2	0.3	11.2	9.6	20.8	4.7	6.0	0
2024	Essendon	12	4	0	2	49	42	91	17	27	0.0	0.5	12.3	10.5	22.8	4.3	6.8	TBA
Career			71	14	29	708	488	1196	242	284	0.2	0.4	10.0	6.9	16.9	3.4	4.0	1

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.