Sturt made his AFL debut for Fremantle in the opening round of the 2020 AFL season at Marvel Stadium against Essendon.[3] He earned a Rising Star nomination after kicking three goals and amassing 10 disposals in the match.[4]
Sturt played just one game during the 2021 AFL season after struggling with injuries, and spent the entire 2022 AFL season playing for Peel in the WAFL. He played 17 matches and kicked 26 goals for Peel. Sturt signed a one-year contract extension at the end of the season to keep him at Fremantle until the end of 2023.[5]
2023 season
In Round 5 of the 2023 AFL season Sturt made his return to the AFL in a game at Norwood Oval against Gold Coast. Sturt gained 6 disposals and 4 marks. He helped in a tight contest which resulted in a 10 point win for Fremantle.[6] Sturt kept his spot in the team for Fremantle’s next game against the Western Bulldogs. Sturt used this opportunity to kick 2 goals in a disappointing loss at home. Those goals kept him in the side leading up to Fremantle’s clash with the Brisbane Lions. Unfortunately for Sturt his game against Brisbane would end quickly due to being substituted out in the 3rd Quarter. After playing 3 games for Fremantle’s WAFL side, Peel Thunder, Sturt returned to the senior team for a big game against Melbourne. Sturt started as the substitute but came in quickly due to ruckman, Sean Darcy, tearing a hamstring in the 2nd Quarter. Sturt finished the game with only 5 disposals, however Fremantle still got the win. Sturt returned to the starting lineup in Round 13. However Sturt was quiet, collecting only 7 disposals and kicking a goal in a 15 point loss to Richmond at home. The next week ahead of Fremantle’s clash against the Giants Sturt was named as an emergency. However due to Michael Frederick failing a fitness test minutes before the game, Sturt was back into the side. Sturt kicked 2 goals and had 9 disposals in a good game for him but a not so good game for the Dockers who would end up losing by 70 points. The next week Sturt was named as the substitute. Sturt was subbed into the game for Alex Pearce who suffered an injury in the 4th quarter. Sturt was on the ground for just below 19 minutes. In this time he gained 3 disposals, had 2 tackles, and took a mark in a 32 point win against Essendon in the west. After a couple games playing for Fremantle‘s reserve side in the WAFL, Sturt returned to the top team in Round 18 against Collingwood. Sturt played well in his return game kicking 2 goals and having 8 disposals. Round 21 saw Sturt kick 3 goals during Fremantle's 3 point loss to the Brisbane Lions.[7]Western Derby 57 saw Sturt kick a career high four goals during Fremantle's 101 point win over West Coast at Optus Stadium.[8] Sturt signed a one-year contract extension during the 2023 season, tying him to Fremantle until at least 2024.[9] In Round 24 Sturt kicked a goal in a 37 point thrashing of Hawthorn to finish his most successful season in the AFL thus far.
2024 season
Following a career best season in 2023, Sturt was surprisingly unable to break back into the Fremantle senior side, with only one match played in the first 10 rounds of the 2024 AFL season. However, once he did he continued right where he left off kicking 11.2 in his first 5 games. A highlight of this form being his equal game high 3.1 and 12 disposals during Fremantle's one point win over the top of the ladder team Sydney in round 16.[10] After speculation Sam was considering a move to an Eastern states based club,[11] he signed a two-year contract extension in September to remain at the Dockers until at least 2026.[12]
^The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
^2023 statistics includes two games when Sturt was used as the substitute (rounds 11 & 15) and one game when Sturt was substituted off (round 7).
