Nick Blakey (born 27 February 2000) is a professional Australian rules footballer who plays for the North Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Contents
Early life
Blakey was born in Melbourne. His father, John Blakey, was a Fitzroy player and dual premiership midfielder for North Melbourne.
He moved to Brisbane with his family at two years of age, due to his father assistant coaching at Brisbane Lions, before settling in Sydney as a six-year-old when his father joined Sydney Swans coaching panel. He grew up in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs and attended Waverley College. Blakey participated in the Auskick program at East Sydney Bulldogs. In his final year of junior football, he scored 18 goals.
Blakey had a choice of three possible clubs, North Melbourne and the Brisbane Lions through the father–son rule, and the Sydney Swans as a member of the Swans' Development Academy. In early 2018, Blakey revealed his preference was to play for the Sydney Swans.
AFL career
He was recruited by the Sydney Swans with the 10th draft pick in the 2018 AFL draft matching a bid from Greater Western Sydney. Blakey received a 2019 AFL Rising Star nomination in round 14 of the 2019 AFL season, for his two goal effort against Hawthorn.
On 5 June 2023, Blakey became the first player contracted until the 2030s with a seven year contract extension handed to him by the Sydney Swans.
On 19 August 2026, Blakey was one of five Sydney players suspended by the club for the remainder of the 2026 AFL season after an incident inside a hotel room in Melbourne. A report of sexual assault was made by a woman who was in the hotel room, although it has not been suggested in media reports that any of the players are being accused of sexual assault.
Statistics
Updated to the end of the 2026 season.
Notes
Honours and achievements
Team
Minor premiership (Sydney Swans): 2024
Individual
All-Australian team: 2024
All-Australian extended squad: 2023
Bob Skilton Medal runner-up: 2023
Kirk–Ward Medal: 2026 (round 20)
AFL Rising Star nominee: 2019 (round 14)
Hunter Harrison Medal: 2017