Veteran defender Ted Richards will celebrate his 250th AFL match when the Sydney Swans take on St Kilda at Etihad Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Richards played 33 games with Essendon before making the move to the Swans.
We take a look at some of the most memorable moments throughout the first 249 games of Ted's career.
1. The move to Sydney
Ted Richards was once quoted as saying the move from Melbourne to Sydney breathed life into a career which would have otherwise fizzled out.
“I think there is no doubt if I had stayed at Essendon, I wouldn’t be lucky enough to be playing AFL right now. I am really grateful and fortunate that a second chance came along,” Richards told the Herald Sun in 2008.
After managing just 33 games over four seasons at Essendon, Richards requested a trade at the end of 2005 and found his way to the Swans where, as we’ve seen, recycled players have excelled.
Richards is now a premiership player (2012), has played in two other grand finals (2006 and 2014), become an All-Australian centre-half back and considered Best Clubman (2010).
A young Ted Richards looks on at the huddle during his first season with the Swans in 2006.2. A hazy 2006
Probably not a fond memory, but a moment nonetheless if only Richards could remember most of what occurred in the Swans dramatic loss at the hands of West Coast in the 2006 Grand Final.
Richards was knocked out in the final minutes of the one-point loss at the MCG, hitting his head while tackled by West Coast’ Daniel Chick.
Richards could only remember patches of the game in the days following the match, painfully watching the replay to job his memory, and still has trouble remembering what exactly went on.
It’s bittersweet as Richards was the Swans’ ‘unsung hero’ on the day, collecting 17 disposals and six marks while providing the spark in his side’s second half comeback.
3. Broken ribs and a punctured lung
Richards has been a durable defender and copped only a few injuries in his 249-game career but one, a run in with Carlton’s Brendan Fevola in 2009, put an instant halt to his progress.
Running full tilt to try and spoil an incoming pass to Fevola during the Swans’ Round 16 clash against the Blues at Docklands, Richards felt the full force of Fevola’s knee and came crashing down in agony.
Richards gallantly found his feet and slowly walked off the ground, coughing up blood while in the hands of Club physio Matthew Cameron.
The diagnosis was broken ribs, a punctured lung and season over for the courageous backman.
4. 2012 Grand Final
Now teammates, once upon a time Richards and Lance Franklin were foes and one famous battle that comes to mind is the one-on-one duel which eventuated in the 2012 Grand Final.
Never to be tied down completely, Franklin was serviceable with three goals in a losing side but Richards was heavily applauded for keeping the star forward relatively quiet for most of the game.
It was at the death though when Richards’ impact was on full display, putting the clamps on just when Buddy threatened to take the game away from the eventual premiers.
Richards finished with 11 disposals, five tackles, several vital pressure acts and the admiration from Swans supporters far and wide.
Ted celebrates the 2012 premiership with fans at the MCG.5. Quelling the power forwards
As the Swans’ number one defender, Richards has the job every week in trying to stop the opposition’s key forward.
Despite a few brief stints forward during his career, Richards has spent a majority of his time in the defensive half on some of the big names in Jonathan Brown, Brendan Fevola, Lance Franklin and Travis Cloke.
It didn’t take long for the precedent to be set with then coach Paul Roos sending Richards, having been in Sydney for a few months, to mind former teammate Matthew Lloyd who had kicked six first quarter goals in the Swans’ Round 1 clash with Essendon in 2006.
Lloyd would add only just two more to his tally after the move was made with Richards well and truly showing his worth as a key defender and genuine swingman.
