- Feb 3, 2004
- 17,999
- 24,204
- AFL Club
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Well here it is folks, the moment you've all been dreading! 
I am proud to announce, No. 21 for the Adelaide Football Club...
Chris "Knighta" Knights
D.O.B: 25/9/1986
Height: 185cm
Weight: 84kg
Origin: Vermont / Eastern Ranges U18
Drafted: 2004 NAB AFL National Draft - 4th Round Selection - Pick 56
Debut: Round 15, 2005 vs Hawthorn
Games: 34, 2005-2007 (21 wins, 13 losses) (ranks 72nd overall on AFC All-Time leading Games Played)
Goals: 6
Career Disposals: 657
Player Honours: 2003/2004 NAB AFL Under 18 Championships Vic Metro Representative
Handy Facts:
- Chris Knights showed excellent promise as a junior with his dominant 2004 TAC Campaign for Eastern Ranges where he averaged 28 disposals, 7 hardball-gets and 8 inside 50s per game.
- In his first season for the Crows, Knights played 2 games for a total of 55 minutes game-time, his debut coming in round 15 against the Hawks in Launceston. Left-footer Knights, enjoyed a stellar year with his SANFL club Woodville-West Torrens, where he managed 15 games for a healthy average of 24 disposals per game. It was in the SANFL finals that year, however, that knights really stood out as a future star as he averaged 29 disposals and 3 tackles per game. What made the 18-year olds year even more impressive was the fact that he played the season with virtually no pre season under his belt after knee tendonitis sidelined him for most of the summer training.
- Chris Knights capped off an impressive year with the Crows by winning the Club’s inaugural Mark Bickley award Introduced for the first time in season 2005. "The Mark Bickley award is awarded to a first or second year Crows player for their on and off field achievements. Chosen by the club’s Player Development staff, it takes into the consideration the player’s attitude toward their football - not only with the Crows but also at their SANFL club, their willingness to learn, take onboard advice and criticism to become better people inside and outside of the football club."
- He played a further 10 games in his second AFL season for an average of 13 disposals (132 disposals in total that year), 3 marks, 3 inside 50s, 2 tackles and 1.5 clearances per game. What these stats don't tell you is the rate at which Knights accumulated these possessions - he was used in less than HALF the total game-time in each of his 10 games - meaning each of his 13 disposals per game came every 3 minutes and 53 seconds (ranked 6th in the AFL in 2006). Additionally, of all AFL players to play 10 or more games that year, Knights' kicking efficiency was the worst.
- He notched up career high disposal tallies that year against Collingwood in Rd 1 and St Kilda in Rd 12 with 17 disposals in both those games.
- When he wasn't playing AFL in 2006 he managed 4 full games in the SANFL for an outstanding average of 31 disposals per game.
- In 2007, Chris Knights completed a meteoric rise to AFL stardom by playing in 22 of Adelaide's 23 games, including the Elimination Final against Hawthorn at the Telstra Dome, and amassing a whopping 515 disposals (one shy of Simon Goodwin this year), 123 marks and 60 tackles in just his 3rd AFL season! His 515 dispoals came at an average of 23.41 with a season (and career) high tally coming against the Hawks in Rd 14 at AAMI, where he recorded 32 diposals - 17 kicks, 15 handballs, 5 marks, 1 goal 1 behind, 3 tackles, 1 free for and 1 free against.
- His averages for the 2007 season read 23.41 diposals (ranked 34th overall in the AFL!!), 5.6 marks, 2.72 tackles per game. In finishing 34th overall for average disposals, Knights exceed many of the competition's premier Midfielders including players like Chris Judd, Lenny Hayes, James McDonald, Paul Hasleby, Luke Hodge, Brett Kirk, Simon Black, Peter Bell and Paul Chapman just to name a few! His tally of 515 disposals ranked him 31st overall in the AFL - Remarkable, considering it was just his 3rd season at AFL level!
- Knights was duly awarded with a Top Ten finish in Adelaide's Best and Fairest count for his exceptional 2007 season, finishing 10th overall with 131 votes.
- He only missed the one game for the 2007 season, against Brisbane in Rd 21, through injury and his career high numbers came in each of the following matches this year:
Disposals: 32 vs Hawks - Rd 14, 7th July 2007
Kicks: 22 vs W/Bulldogs - Rd 2, 8th April 2007
Handballs: 16 vs Richmond - Rd 8, 18th May 2007
Marks: 11 vs Port - Rd 3, 14th April 2007
Goals: 1 vs Hawthorn - Elimination Final, 8th Sep 2007
Tackles: 6 vs Collinwood - Rd 22, 31st August 2007
- In his first Final (against the Hawks) Knights recorded 22 disposals - 13 kicks 9 handballs, 1 goal 1 behind and 2 tackles. Outstanding numbers for his debut Finals appearance and a great platform for future finals performances.
Summary:
Knights fell dramatically to Adelaide at Pick 56 in the 2004 National Draft after previously being touted as a top ten pick in his 2nd year at U/18 level. It was believed that a growth spurt had caused tendonitis in both his knees, which led to nearly all AFL clubs overlooking him at the Draft - but not Adelaide
Knights has this year already begun to fulfil the promise he showed as an exceptional junior, and has far exceeded all expectations! He struggled early in his career with injury and his disposal efficiency but has since overcome his troublesome knee and thigh problems and made great inroads towards becoming not only an elite ball-winner at AFL level, but an efficient arsenal in Adelaide's midfield.
Knights has also shown he will be a future weapon when pushing forward, this year getting on the scoreboard in 12 of his 22 games for a return of 5 goals and 12 behinds (just needs to improve his awareness around the 50m arc - many times streaming forward unopposed yet too often just blazed away with his shots at goal).
Knights has this year demonstrated that he is now a consistent contributor in Adelaide's midfield - regardless of whether Adelaide are winning or losing. In the games Knights has played when Adelaide won, he averaged 24.6 disposals, 6.1 marks and 3.4 tackles. In the games Adelaide lost, Knights averaged 22.3 dispoals, 5.1 marks and 2 tackles - proving he works just as hard when the chips are down, which is a great sign of maturity for a player his age
At just 21 years of age, Knights will next year be looking to continue on from his stellar 2007 form and maintain his place in Adelaide's midfield mix. He is seen as a long term replacement for someone like Simon Goodwin - with his raking left foot, quick shuffling side-step, lightning-fast handballs and great bursts of speed we will have plenty to cheer about over the next 10 years as No. 21 is even much more frequently seen with his hands on the ball
NEWS ARTICLES / LINKS
Knights to Debut Sat 9 July, 2005
http://www.afc.com.au/tabId/4417/default.aspx?newsId=13145
Knights wins inaugural Mark Bickley Award Mon 10 October, 2005
http://www.afc.com.au/tabId/4417/default.aspx?newsId=17085
Knights stars for Crows 17 February, 2006
http://www.afc.com.au/tabId/4417/default.aspx?newsId=19936
Knights looks the part Wed 22 March, 2006
http://www.afc.com.au/tabId/4417/default.aspx?newsId=21293
AFC website Interview Thu 6 April, 2006
http://www.afc.com.au/tabId/4417/default.aspx?newsId=22157
Happy night for Knights Sat 19 May, 2007
http://www.afc.com.au/tabId/4417/default.aspx?newsId=43453
Crows will take it to top Cats Mon 6 August, 2007
http://www.afc.com.au/tabId/4417/default.aspx?newsId=48674
Ten minutes with Chris Knights Wed 3 October, 2007
http://www.afc.com.au/tabId/4417/default.aspx?newsId=52068
FootyWire.com - Chris Knights Profile
http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pp-adelaide-crows--chris-knights
R-League Vital Stats - Chris Knights
http://www.stats.rleague.com/afl/stats/players/C/Chris_Knights.html
SA Stazza nominated to be Knighta's stalker / watcher.
I am proud to announce, No. 21 for the Adelaide Football Club...
Chris "Knighta" Knights
D.O.B: 25/9/1986
Height: 185cm
Weight: 84kg
Origin: Vermont / Eastern Ranges U18
Drafted: 2004 NAB AFL National Draft - 4th Round Selection - Pick 56
Debut: Round 15, 2005 vs Hawthorn
Games: 34, 2005-2007 (21 wins, 13 losses) (ranks 72nd overall on AFC All-Time leading Games Played)
Goals: 6
Career Disposals: 657
Player Honours: 2003/2004 NAB AFL Under 18 Championships Vic Metro Representative
Handy Facts:
- Chris Knights showed excellent promise as a junior with his dominant 2004 TAC Campaign for Eastern Ranges where he averaged 28 disposals, 7 hardball-gets and 8 inside 50s per game.
- In his first season for the Crows, Knights played 2 games for a total of 55 minutes game-time, his debut coming in round 15 against the Hawks in Launceston. Left-footer Knights, enjoyed a stellar year with his SANFL club Woodville-West Torrens, where he managed 15 games for a healthy average of 24 disposals per game. It was in the SANFL finals that year, however, that knights really stood out as a future star as he averaged 29 disposals and 3 tackles per game. What made the 18-year olds year even more impressive was the fact that he played the season with virtually no pre season under his belt after knee tendonitis sidelined him for most of the summer training.
- Chris Knights capped off an impressive year with the Crows by winning the Club’s inaugural Mark Bickley award Introduced for the first time in season 2005. "The Mark Bickley award is awarded to a first or second year Crows player for their on and off field achievements. Chosen by the club’s Player Development staff, it takes into the consideration the player’s attitude toward their football - not only with the Crows but also at their SANFL club, their willingness to learn, take onboard advice and criticism to become better people inside and outside of the football club."
- He played a further 10 games in his second AFL season for an average of 13 disposals (132 disposals in total that year), 3 marks, 3 inside 50s, 2 tackles and 1.5 clearances per game. What these stats don't tell you is the rate at which Knights accumulated these possessions - he was used in less than HALF the total game-time in each of his 10 games - meaning each of his 13 disposals per game came every 3 minutes and 53 seconds (ranked 6th in the AFL in 2006). Additionally, of all AFL players to play 10 or more games that year, Knights' kicking efficiency was the worst.
- He notched up career high disposal tallies that year against Collingwood in Rd 1 and St Kilda in Rd 12 with 17 disposals in both those games.
- When he wasn't playing AFL in 2006 he managed 4 full games in the SANFL for an outstanding average of 31 disposals per game.
- In 2007, Chris Knights completed a meteoric rise to AFL stardom by playing in 22 of Adelaide's 23 games, including the Elimination Final against Hawthorn at the Telstra Dome, and amassing a whopping 515 disposals (one shy of Simon Goodwin this year), 123 marks and 60 tackles in just his 3rd AFL season! His 515 dispoals came at an average of 23.41 with a season (and career) high tally coming against the Hawks in Rd 14 at AAMI, where he recorded 32 diposals - 17 kicks, 15 handballs, 5 marks, 1 goal 1 behind, 3 tackles, 1 free for and 1 free against.
- His averages for the 2007 season read 23.41 diposals (ranked 34th overall in the AFL!!), 5.6 marks, 2.72 tackles per game. In finishing 34th overall for average disposals, Knights exceed many of the competition's premier Midfielders including players like Chris Judd, Lenny Hayes, James McDonald, Paul Hasleby, Luke Hodge, Brett Kirk, Simon Black, Peter Bell and Paul Chapman just to name a few! His tally of 515 disposals ranked him 31st overall in the AFL - Remarkable, considering it was just his 3rd season at AFL level!
- Knights was duly awarded with a Top Ten finish in Adelaide's Best and Fairest count for his exceptional 2007 season, finishing 10th overall with 131 votes.
- He only missed the one game for the 2007 season, against Brisbane in Rd 21, through injury and his career high numbers came in each of the following matches this year:
Disposals: 32 vs Hawks - Rd 14, 7th July 2007
Kicks: 22 vs W/Bulldogs - Rd 2, 8th April 2007
Handballs: 16 vs Richmond - Rd 8, 18th May 2007
Marks: 11 vs Port - Rd 3, 14th April 2007
Goals: 1 vs Hawthorn - Elimination Final, 8th Sep 2007
Tackles: 6 vs Collinwood - Rd 22, 31st August 2007
- In his first Final (against the Hawks) Knights recorded 22 disposals - 13 kicks 9 handballs, 1 goal 1 behind and 2 tackles. Outstanding numbers for his debut Finals appearance and a great platform for future finals performances.
Summary:
Knights fell dramatically to Adelaide at Pick 56 in the 2004 National Draft after previously being touted as a top ten pick in his 2nd year at U/18 level. It was believed that a growth spurt had caused tendonitis in both his knees, which led to nearly all AFL clubs overlooking him at the Draft - but not Adelaide
Knights has this year already begun to fulfil the promise he showed as an exceptional junior, and has far exceeded all expectations! He struggled early in his career with injury and his disposal efficiency but has since overcome his troublesome knee and thigh problems and made great inroads towards becoming not only an elite ball-winner at AFL level, but an efficient arsenal in Adelaide's midfield.
Knights has also shown he will be a future weapon when pushing forward, this year getting on the scoreboard in 12 of his 22 games for a return of 5 goals and 12 behinds (just needs to improve his awareness around the 50m arc - many times streaming forward unopposed yet too often just blazed away with his shots at goal).
Knights has this year demonstrated that he is now a consistent contributor in Adelaide's midfield - regardless of whether Adelaide are winning or losing. In the games Knights has played when Adelaide won, he averaged 24.6 disposals, 6.1 marks and 3.4 tackles. In the games Adelaide lost, Knights averaged 22.3 dispoals, 5.1 marks and 2 tackles - proving he works just as hard when the chips are down, which is a great sign of maturity for a player his age
At just 21 years of age, Knights will next year be looking to continue on from his stellar 2007 form and maintain his place in Adelaide's midfield mix. He is seen as a long term replacement for someone like Simon Goodwin - with his raking left foot, quick shuffling side-step, lightning-fast handballs and great bursts of speed we will have plenty to cheer about over the next 10 years as No. 21 is even much more frequently seen with his hands on the ball
NEWS ARTICLES / LINKS
Knights to Debut Sat 9 July, 2005
http://www.afc.com.au/tabId/4417/default.aspx?newsId=13145
Knights wins inaugural Mark Bickley Award Mon 10 October, 2005
http://www.afc.com.au/tabId/4417/default.aspx?newsId=17085
Knights stars for Crows 17 February, 2006
http://www.afc.com.au/tabId/4417/default.aspx?newsId=19936
Knights looks the part Wed 22 March, 2006
http://www.afc.com.au/tabId/4417/default.aspx?newsId=21293
AFC website Interview Thu 6 April, 2006
http://www.afc.com.au/tabId/4417/default.aspx?newsId=22157
Happy night for Knights Sat 19 May, 2007
http://www.afc.com.au/tabId/4417/default.aspx?newsId=43453
Crows will take it to top Cats Mon 6 August, 2007
http://www.afc.com.au/tabId/4417/default.aspx?newsId=48674
Ten minutes with Chris Knights Wed 3 October, 2007
http://www.afc.com.au/tabId/4417/default.aspx?newsId=52068
FootyWire.com - Chris Knights Profile
http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pp-adelaide-crows--chris-knights
R-League Vital Stats - Chris Knights
http://www.stats.rleague.com/afl/stats/players/C/Chris_Knights.html
SA Stazza nominated to be Knighta's stalker / watcher.
