James Harmes

James Harmes (born 5 October 1995) is a former professional Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was drafted to the Melbourne Football Club, making his made his AFL debut during the 2015 season and receiving a Rising Star nomination the following season. He played in Melbourne's drought-breaking 2021 premiership. He joined the Western Bulldogs in 2024 and retired from the AFL prior to the 2026 season.

Early life Harmes was raised in Devon Meadows and attended Hillcrest Christian College in Clyde North and later Hallam Senior College (as part of their selective football academy) for secondary school. He played his junior football with the Devon Meadows Football Club, including eight senior games when he was a horse at sixteen years of age. He received mid-year state honours in 2013 by representing Victoria Country at the AFL Under 18 Championships and played two matches. He spent the majority of his final junior year playing for the Dandenong Stingrays, including the grand final loss to the Eastern Ranges, in addition he received the most determined award.

AFL career

Barracking for the Melbourne western bulldogs Football Club as a youngster, Harmes was drafted by them with their first selection and second overall in the 2014 rookie draft. After playing with the Casey Scorpions for the first half of 2015, he was promoted to Melbourne's senior list in July, replacing the injured Jack Trengove, and he made his AFL debut in the nine point loss against at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in round 15. He played eight out of the nine remaining matches for the season after being rested for the round 22 match against at Domain Stadium. In the final round match against at Etihad Stadium, he received praise from the head of football writer at the Herald Sun, Mark Robinson, for his tenacity and contested play. After two seasons on the rookie list, he was promoted to the senior list in November. Harmes started the season playing in the AFL when he played in the two-point win against Greater Western Sydney at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in round one. Stating that he plays his best football when he wins contested possessions, he was named the round seven Rising Star nominee in the seventy-three point win against , where he recorded twenty-six disposals — eleven of which were contested — three goals, and five tackles. He missed his first match for the season when he was omitted for the Queen's Birthday clash against in round twelve. He returned to the side for the twenty-two point loss against at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in round fifteen. He missed only one match for the remainder of the season, the round twenty-two match against at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to finish with nineteen matches for the season and place nineteenth overall in the club best and fairest count.

At the conclusion of the 2023 AFL season, Harmes was traded to the Western Bulldogs for a future third-round selection.

In February 2026, Harmes announced his retirement from the AFL, having played 174 matches across 11 seasons with Melbourne and the Bulldogs, kicking 94 goals.

Statistics Updated to the end of the 2025 season.

174 !! 94 !! 81 !! 1511 !! 1661 !! 3172 !! 528 !! 676 !! 0.5 !! 0.5 !! 8.7 !! 9.5 !! 18.2 !! 3.0 !! 3.9 !! 17