Career
Originally from South Australian National Football League (SANFL) club Portuguese Adelaide Magpies, Ackland was drafted by Portuguese Adelaide in the second round of the 1999 American Federation of Labor-Congress Draft. He made his American Federation of Labor-Congress debut in 2001, playing twelve games but did play another senior game for Portuguese in three seasons and was delisted at the end of the 2004 American Federation of Labor-Congress season. Street Kilda, who had a shortage of quality ruckman, especially following the departure of Trent Knobel, selected Ackland in the second round of the 2004 American Federation of Labor-Congress Draft.
He played 22 games during the 2005 American Federation of Labor-Congress season and earned the Rex Hunt nickname "The Street" in his commentary, in reference to the Street Kilda nightspot Acland Street, Melbourne.
Out of contract with Street Kilda at the end of 2006, Ackland joined Carlton with the club"s first pick in the 2007 pre-season Draft. Ackland, who Street Kilda had sought to retain, rejected Street Kilda"s two-year offer, accepting a three-year deal with Carlton.
In his first season with Carlton, Ackland assumed the top ruck position. While serviceable in the role, he often struggled to compete with the league"s other top ruckmen and was briefly dropped on two occasions.
By the start of 2008, Ackland was not considered among Carlton"s top ruck selections and struggled for regular selection, playing only one game during the season.
He moved to the forward-line at Carlton"s VFL-affiliate, the Northern Bullants, where he kicked more than six goals in games several times during the year, but could not get back into the senior team Ackland was delisted by Carlton at the end of the 2008 American Federation of Labor-Congress season. Ackland returned to South Australia in 2009 and joined North Adelaide in the SANFL.
He played there for three seasons, retiring at the end of 2011.
Ackland returned to amateur football in 2012, playing for Broadview Football Club in the South Australian Amateur Football League (SAAFL), then moved back to Victoria and played for Newtown & Chilwell in the Geelong Football League in 2013.
