A child with a dream.
That’s all Matthew Richardson was rising up East Davenport within the early Seventies, sharing the mutual dream of all footy fanatics to sooner or later play AFL soccer.
Unable to see his father’s profession at Richmond, he knew the tales of his dad’s legend on the membership and made a concerted effort to make the boat journey over to see reside Richmond video games.
“I most likely got here to Melbourne every year, my grandparents lived in Cheltenham in Melbourne, so we’d come over at school holidays, so we’d usually go to a Richmond sport on the MCG,” Richardson stated.
Impressed by the journeys to Melbourne, at 15 years of age Richardson made the choice to chase that dream with a relentless ardour, realizing he needed to give it his all to make soccer right into a profession.
Regardless of the interior self-belief that he was adequate to play footy within the massive smoke, he didn’t have his hunch confirmed till standing out within the then titled TEAL Cup, now referred to as the AFL Underneath-19 Championships.
“My second 12 months of the TEAL Cup, that was once I thought, no I do know I can do that now,” the now Channel Seven commentator stated.
With many recruiters chomping on the bit for the then 18-year-old’s coveted signature, all of their makes an attempt had been futile as Richardson was at all times going to comply with in his father’s footsteps.
“On the finish of the day it was at all times going to be Richmond,” Richardson stated.
Over a monumental 16-year profession for the Tigers, Richardson performed 282 video games and kicked 800 objectives, amassing a plethora of awards together with kicking essentially the most objectives on the MCG and making three All-Australian groups.
Practically accompanying that success was an unlikely run on the 2008 Brownlow Medal, when Richardson performed the vast majority of the season on the wing.
With that transfer almost making Richardson one of the feel-good Brownlow winners of all time, he understood that the transfer onto the wing was one for the event of one other Tasmanian Richmond ahead, Jack Riewoldt.
“The primary few rounds of 2008 I used to be taking part in within the ahead line, however we had Jack Riewoldt as nicely and Terry Wallace, the coach, simply wished to provide him a bit of bit extra alternative,” Richardson stated.
“He mainly didn’t give me an possibility, both play on the wing or most likely not play in any respect.”
With Riewoldt now a three-time premiership participant for Richmond and Richardson having one of many extra profitable seasons of his profession, the transfer definitely paid off.
After an early season hamstring harm and subsequent surgical procedure in 2009, retirement was on the playing cards and Richardson was now trying to find a profession post-football.
“I most likely panicked a bit of bit and thought what I’m going to do subsequent 12 months? And I rang my supervisor, and he stated let’s attempt to get you a couple of little visitor spots within the media,” Richardson stated.
Two weeks after saying his retirement on the finish of 2009, Richardson was provided positions to be part of the Channel Seven and 3AW media groups, which he’s nonetheless an integral a part of to this present day.
Since his retirement, Richardson’s beloved Richmond Tigers have managed to win three premierships with him having the ability to share a particular second with the workforce in 2017.
(Picture by Adam Trafford/AFL Media/Getty Photos)
“I used to be fortunate sufficient to have the ability to current the cup to Hardwick and Cotchin, I imply strolling as much as the dais holding the cup and the Richmond military within the background simply type of going berserk… I’ll always remember that.
“Hair on the again of your neck type of stuff, as soon as in a lifetime type of feeling, doubt I’ll ever get that feeling once more.”
From rising up in Jap Launceston to creating the AFL Corridor of Fame and his title being synonymous with the membership his dad performed for, Richardson couldn’t see it being some other manner.
“I can’t ever see myself being concerned in one other membership, that’s for certain,” Richardson stated.
That dream Richardson had as a child certain did repay.
