Ted Richards to play game 150 for the Swans

By Matt Rossleigh

With his career at a crossroads at the end of the 2005 season and just 33 games under his belt at Essendon Ted Richards took a punt and moved north to Sydney.

In his mind he thought it would be a second and possibly final chance to make it in football, but he never envisaged seven years later he would be running out playing in game 150 for the Swans.

“I knew that it was a second chance and most lucky a last chance, there are not many players that get a third opportunity, Mitch Morton is the exception there,” said the All-Australian defender.

“I came here, I was 22 at the time, but I was also really excited about what the new opportunity would hold for me.”

Given a lifeline by then Swans coach Paul Roos, Richards was recruited to play in the forward line before making his move down back with more opportunities coming his way in defence.

“Well I actually came up here to be a key forward prospect to help out Barry Hall and Micky O’Loughlin, it took a turn halfway through the career but I’m happy down back and I really enjoy my footy down there.

“I’m really settled down there and we’ve got other blokes like Sam Reid and Tippett who’ll take his spot down there so I’ll leave that to them.”

This Saturday at the SCG will hold extra significance for Richards, with the unfurling of the 2012 AFL Premiership flag but the defender has urged his teammates to focus on the match and not the occasion after suffering a heavy loss in 2006 the last time a flag was unfurled at the SCG.

“In my first game on the SCG back in 2006, we unfurled the flag here in round two and we got smashed out here [against Port Adelaide] so there won’t be too many players who can remember that game,” said Richards.

“I’m fully aware if we take our minds off what it should be on we could be in for a real shock. So it’s something we’re proud to do, we’re going to do it before the game but then we’re going to quickly know what we are here to do and that’s to win on the weekend.”

First bounce for Saturday afternoon’s match with Gold Coast is at 1.45pm with the unfurling of the flag from 1pm.

You can purchase your tickets for the match here.