Steven Salopek

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**Steven Salopek**
Personal Info
Birth	June 21, 1985, Victoria, Australia
Recruited from	Narre Warren Football Club
Height/Weight	183cm / 84kg
Playing Career¹
Debut	Round 1, March 29, 2003, Port Adelaide vs. West Coast Eagles, at Subiaco Oval
Team(s)	Port Adelaide (2003-) 47 games, 23 goals
¹ Statistics to end of Round 22, 2006 season
Career Highlights

Steven Salopek (born June 21, 1985) is an Australian rules footballer. Originally from Narre Warren Football Club in Melbourne's south-east, he played for the Dandenong Stingrays in the 2002 TAC Cup before being drafted to AFL club Port Adelaide.

[edit] Port Adelaide career

Salopek was drafted by Port Adelaide with pick 6 of the 2002 AFL Draft. Many experts saw this as a bargain pick-up as he was expected to be taken as a top 3 pick pre-draft.

Upon relocating to South Australia, Salopek was aligned to SANFL club Glenelg and given guernsey number 31. He made his AFL debut in round 1 of the 2003 season against the West Coast Eagles at Subiaco Oval at just 17 years of age. Salopek collected 8 possessions and kicked 2 clever goals in what was the first of 9 games during his debut season. Unfortunately, his debut season was cut short after dislocating a shoulder (the same one he dislocated during the 2002 under-18 championships) against Hawthorn in round 18.

Salopek would play another 11 games in season 2004 before a bout of glandular fever stopped him from playing in Port Adelaide's inaugural AFL grand final victory.

Salopek's 2005 season was ravaged by leg injuries that restricted him to just 6 games. At the end of the season, he signed a 2 year contract extension which saw him signed on with Port Adelaide until the end of 2007.

His 2006 season saw a vast improvement thanks mostly to an injury free run. Salopek is now a key member of the young and exciting Port Adelaide midfield highlighted by his 6th placing in the club's best and fairest award and being one of Port's leading ball-winners this year