Josh Fraser
Quick Facts
Biography
Josh Fraser (born 5 January 1982) is a coach and former player of Australian rules football. He played professional football for 200 games for the Collingwood Football Club and 18 games for the Gold Coast Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He is currently a development coach at the Carlton Football Club and the senior coach of its VFL-affiliate the Northern Blues.
Playing career
From Mansfield via Murray U18, Fraser was the number one pick in the 1999 National Draft, going to Collingwood. Fraser played 21 games in his first season. He won an AFL Rising Star nomination in his debut year. He played all 25 games in 2002, kicked 37 goals and played in the Grand Final team where he kicked three goals, following a three-goal haul in the Preliminary Final. In 2003 he had over 340 disposals in the season, 300 hit outs and kicked 20 goals.
Fraser played all 23 games in 2006, having 341 hit outs for the year, his best return.He kicked 16 goals, averaged more than 17 touches a game, more than 7 marks a game, and 15 hit outs. He finished fourth in the Copeland Trophy, along with Heath Shaw, only three votes behind the eventual winner Alan Didak.
In 2007, Josh Fraser did not miss a game until Round 20 against Melbourne, his second last game for the season. He returned for the Elimination Final win against the Sydney Swans before withdrawing late against the West Coast Eagles the next week, his last game for the season.
In 2008, Fraser was named Scott Burns' vice-captain.
In 2010, Fraser played nine games for the club, and he lost his first-choice ruckman position to new recruit Darren Jolly. He played his 200th game for Collingwood in the round 22 clash against Hawthorn.
At the conclusion of the season, Fraser was picked up by the Gold Coast Football Club (Gold Coast Suns), ending his tenure with Collingwood. In Fraser's first season at the Suns he played 16 games, with an average of 14.8 disposals and 13.3 hit outs per game. His main role at the Suns was to support and develop the young, emerging ruckmen at the club.
Josh Fraser's AFL playing career ended when he resigned from the Gold Coast Suns on 29 August 2012. He played 18 games for the club.
Post-playing career
Following the end of his playing career in 2012, Fraser expressed interest in football coaching roles and stated that wanted to establish a long-term coaching career. He has completed two coaching courses; Level Two Coaches Course and Next Coach Program.
In 2013, Fraser was a part-time AFL commentator on ABC radio.
In January 2014, Fraser commenced his coaching career when he was appointed coach of the Gold Coast Sun's reserves team that plays in the North East Australian Football League (NEAFL). He signed to serve as development coach at the Carlton Football Club from 2016, and will coach its VFL-affiliate club, the Northern Blues.
In 2016 Fraser joined the Tatyoon Football Club who won the premiership with Fraser kicking 8.6 goals in a best on ground effort.
Personal life
Fraser married long time girlfriend Kylie Sutcliffe in December 2008 in Port Melbourne. They have 2 children, Ted (2009) & Emmy (2013)