Jordan Dawson

Jordan Dawson was born on April 9, 1997, and grew up in Robe, South Australia, where he started playing Australian rules football at five years old. He attended Scotch College in Adelaide for high school and played league football for Sturt in the SANFL in 2015. Dawson was drafted by the Sydney Swans with pick No. 56 in the 2015 AFL National Draft, making his debut in Round 3 of the 2017 season. He spent six years with the Swans, often playing in their NEAFL team and showing consistent performance, notably finishing third in their best and fairest in 2021. After the 2021 AFL season, Dawson requested a trade to the Adelaide Crows, the team he supported growing up, and was traded on October 13, 2021.

Upon joining the Adelaide Crows, Dawson quickly made an impact. In Round 3 of the 2022 AFL season, he won the Showdown Medal for a match-winning goal after the siren against Port Adelaide. He continued to excel, finishing second in the Crows’ 2022 Club Champion count. Dawson was appointed captain of the Adelaide Crows ahead of the 2023 AFL season, a role he embraced to career-best form. In his inaugural year as captain, he won his second Showdown Medal and claimed his first Malcolm Blight Medal, averaging 27 disposals, three clearances, and six tackles per game. These achievements also earned him his first All-Australian honours.

Dawson maintained his high performance into the 2024 season, playing 22 games with averages of 24.5 disposals and 6.1 tackles. He secured a back-to-back Club Champion award, sharing the Malcolm Blight Medal with Ben Keays. The 2025 season marked a significant milestone as he led his side to their first minor premiership since 2017. In 2025, Dawson received the AFLPA Best Captain award, as voted by his peers, and earned his second All-Australian selection, serving as vice-captain. His career highlights include multiple Malcolm Blight Medals, All-Australian selections, and the AFLPA Best Captain award, underscoring his significant contributions to Australian rules football.