Andrew Welsh (footballer)

Andrew Welsh (born 11 February 1983) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League. He is the current president of the club.

Fullname Andrew Welsh

Born (1983-02-11) 11 February 1983 (age 43)
Melbourne, Australia

Original team Calder Cannons

Height 188 cm (6 ft 2 in)

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Andrew Welsh
Welsh with the Seven Network in March 2017
Personal information
Full name	Andrew Welsh
Born	(1983-02-11) 11 February 1983 (age 43) Melbourne, Australia
Original team	Calder Cannons
Height	188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	87 kg (192 lb)
Position	Midfielder/Defender
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
2002–2011	Essendon	162 (32)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2011.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

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He was selected by Essendon with the 47th selection in the 2001 AFL draft. He was a backline player who played halfback or back pocket for much of his career. However, later in his career he developed his game to play as tough, hard running midfielder.

His best individual season was in 2006 where he finished 5th in the club's Best & Fairest.^[1]

In October 2011, Welsh who was vice captain retired from Essendon Football Club due to several injury setbacks after playing 162 games with the club. The move was seen as quite selfless as he was only 28 years old at the time - "I didn’t want to be sitting on the sidelines taking up a spot on the list doing rehab. It was important to me to do the right thing by the club and give a young player a chance."^[2]

In 2013, he became a boundary rider for the Seven Network.

Welsh is now a property developer with a net worth believed^{[by whom?]} to be over $400 million^[3].

Welsh joined the Essendon Football Club board in 2022 and was promoted to vice president in 2023. In September 2025, Welsh was appointed as the President of the club.^[4]

A week after taking on the Presidency, Welsh spoke at the 2025 Crichton Medal promising to galvanize the club into a new era - "We win together, we lose together. But we stick together – and when we stick together, we're a formidable club. All in, all heart."^[5]