Lachie Hunter


Lachlan Hunter is a professional Australian rules footballer who represents the Western Bulldogs in the Australian Football League.

Career

The son of former Bulldogs player Mark Hunter, he was recruited by the club in the 2012 National Draft, with pick 49 under the father-son rule. He played junior football at Williamstown Juniors and St Kevin's College and developed further through the Western Jets TAC Cup program. Hunter also featured in the Under 18 Vic Metro team in 2012.
Hunter made his debut in Round 13, 2013, against at Etihad Stadium. Since then Hunter had been in and out of the senior side as he continued to strive to seal a consistent spot.
During 2015, Hunter won the Rose–Sutton Medal in the match against Collingwood.
Hunter enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2016, cementing his place in the Bulldogs' senior team and enhancing a reputation as one of the league's most prolific midfielders. He played every game for the Bulldogs and at one stage in the season was considered in the running to make the All-Australian team. While he would eventually miss out, Hunter went on to play a key role in the Bulldogs' remarkable finals campaign that would see them end a 62-year premiership drought. He finished the season as the club's leading disposal getter with 719, averaging nearly 28 disposals per game, ranking him sixth overall in the AFL. Hunter also came second at the club for inside 50s and equal third for goal assists and was recognized for his achievement when he finished third in the club's best and fairest count, winning the Gary Dempsey Medal.
In round 7, 2018 Hunter captained the Bulldogs in an AFL match, filling in for the injured captain and vice-captain Easton Wood and Marcus Bontempelli. In 2018 Hunter's consistent year saw him win the club's best and fairest award, the Charles Sutton Medal.
In December 2019, Hunter was appointed the vice-captain of the Western Bulldogs.

Statistics

! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2013
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2014
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2015
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2016
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2017
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2018
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | 2019
! colspan=3| Career
! 128
! 57
! 49
! 1111
! 848
! 1959
! 437
! 213
! 0.5
! 0.6
! 12.5
! 9.5
! 22.0
! 4.9
! 2.4

Honours and achievements