Andrew Otten (born 15 February 1989) is a former professional Australian rules football player who played for the Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Otten was Adelaide’s second selection in the 2007 National Draft, pick 27 overall, having recorded strong results at the 2007 NAB AFL Draft Camp ranking in the top 2% for the vertical leap (92 cm), top ten for agility and the top 20% for the beep test (14.2).[1]

Andy Otten
Otten playing for Adelaide in April 2017
Personal information
Full name Andrew Otten
Nickname(s) Otto
Date of birth (1989-05-15) 15 May 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth Melbourne, Victoria
Original team(s) Oakleigh Chargers (TAC Cup)
Draft No. 27, 2007 national draft
Debut Round 12, 2008, Adelaide vs. Hawthorn, at AAMI Stadium
Height 192 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Weight 92 kg (203 lb)
Position(s) Utility
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2008–2019 Adelaide 109 (38)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2019.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Early life

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Otten attended Whitefriars College in Donvale, graduating in 2007.[2] He played junior football for YJFL club Whitehorse Colts, located in Box Hill North. Otten played basketball in his teen years.[3]

AFL career

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Otten in May 2009

Otten made his debut in round 12 against eventual premiers Hawthorn, and played one more game for the 2008 season. The next season, he exploded onto the AFL scene, playing a consistent role as Adelaide's third tall in defence and being likened to former defender Nathan Bassett. Otten won an AFL Rising Star nomination in round 9 for his performance against Carlton, in which he collected 23 possessions and kicked a goal,[4] and at the end of the season was voted the runner-up in the ward to Daniel Rich.[5] Otten also scored three votes in the 2009 Brownlow Medal count.[6]

In his 2010 pre-season training, Otten ruptured his left ACL and missed the entire 2010 season as a result.[7] He returned successfully in 2011, playing 15 games in defence and in the midfield. In 2012, however, he struggled with injuries and form, playing six games for the season including the Preliminary Final loss to Hawthorn.[8]

Otten re-established himself in the side in 2013, playing every game and spending time up forward, where he kicked 15 goals, and in the ruck as well as his usual defence position. He was rewarded with the Coach's Award for his willingness to fill any role in the team as needed, and also finished in the top five in the Malcolm Blight Medal for the club's best and fairest player.[8][9] He also signed a new two-year deal with the Crows at the end of the season.[10] After hyper-extending his left knee in a 2014 pre-season trial game, Otten missed the first nine games of the 2014 season, then played eleven consecutive games before tearing his right ACL in round 20 against the Brisbane Lions, the opposite knee compared to the one he had reconstructed in 2010. This ruled him out of the game for another 12 months.[11]

Otten made his return in Adelaide's SANFL reserves side in July 2015.[12] He played out the year there, often featuring in the side's best players.[8] At the end of the season he signed another two-year contract keeping him at the club until 2017.[13]

Otten returned to AFL football for the first time in 960 days in Round 1, 2017 against Greater Western Sydney.[14] In the next match, when teammate Josh Jenkins was taken from the ground in the first quarter due to a rib injury, Otten had to take over his role as a part-time ruckman and a key forward, kicking one goal.[15] His stint in the forward line was extended when teammate Mitch McGovern suffered a hamstring injury in the last quarter of the Round 3 Showdown.[16] This enabled him to become a key player in the Crows side as a third tall forward, and he kicked a career-high four goals in the Crows' Round 10 match against Fremantle, where they won by 100 points.[17]

His brother, Max, was rookie listed with Sydney in 2010,[18] but did not play an AFL game.

Statistics

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Statistics are correct to end of 2016 season[6]
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
2008 Adelaide 22 2 0 2 7 6 13 4 3 0.0 1.0 3.5 3.0 6.5 2.0 1.5
2009 Adelaide 22 24 1 1 160 293 453 139 45 0.0 0.0 6.7 12.2 18.9 5.8 1.9
2011 Adelaide 22 15 2 2 115 152 267 74 46 0.1 0.1 7.7 10.1 17.8 4.9 3.1
2012 Adelaide 22 6 0 0 44 34 78 30 15 0.0 0.0 7.3 5.7 13.0 5.0 2.5
2013 Adelaide 22 22 15 4 166 147 313 102 50 0.7 0.2 7.6 6.7 14.2 4.6 2.3
2014 Adelaide 22 10 0 0 63 56 119 33 20 0.0 0.0 6.3 5.6 11.9 3.3 2.0
Career 79 18 9 555 688 1243 382 179 0.2 0.1 7.0 8.7 15.7 4.8 2.3

References

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  1. ^ "2007 AFL draft camp results". Herald Sun. 7 October 2007. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  2. ^ "Fox Sport visits Whitefriars". www.whitefriars.vic.edu.au. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  3. ^ Laughton, Max (28 November 2014). "Andy Otten's Basketball Background". Adelaide Now.
  4. ^ Holmesby, Luke (26 May 2009). "NAB AFL Rising Star: Rd 9". AFL.com.au. Australian Football League. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
  5. ^ Holmesby, Luke (2 September 2009). "Rich wins rising star". AFL.com.au. Australian Football League. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  6. ^ a b "AFL Tables - Andy Otten statistics". AFL Tables.
  7. ^ Homfray, Reece (15 December 2010). "Otten wants midfield role on return". The Advertiser.
  8. ^ a b c "Andy Otten - AFC.com.au". AFC.com.au. Adelaide Football Club. Archived from the original on 4 April 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  9. ^ Gill, Katrina (6 September 2013). "'Selfless' Otten claims Coach's Award". AFC.com.au. Adelaide Football Club. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  10. ^ "Otten Re-Signs With Crows". TripleM.com.au. Triple M. 22 August 2013. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  11. ^ Thring, Harry (11 August 2014). "Crow sidelined for a year with knee injury". AFL.com.au. Australian Football League. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  12. ^ Phillips, Max (12 July 2015). "Step by step for Otten". AFC.com.au. Adelaide Football Club. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  13. ^ "Otten Re-Signs With Crows". TripleM.com.au. Triple M. 30 September 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  14. ^ "Match report: Crows make a giant statement". AFL.com.au. Australian Football League. 26 March 2017. Archived from the original on 8 March 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
  15. ^ Ryan, Peter (1 April 2017). "Ability to adapt, key to Crows' victory: Pyke". AFL.com.au. Australian Football League. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
  16. ^ Gaskin, Lee (9 April 2017). "'We go in expecting to win every game'". AFL.com.au. Australian Football League. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
  17. ^ Gaskin, Lee (27 May 2017). "Five talking points: Adelaide v Fremantle". AFL.com.au. Australian Football League. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  18. ^ "From South Africa to the Swans". sydneyswans.com.au. 7 December 2010. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
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