In the lead-up to Shane Edwards’ 300-game milestone at the MCG on Sunday, the triple Tiger premiership star talks to Richmond Media (in the player above) about his huge achievement, transitioning to Tigerland from SA, the team’s rise to the top, the importance of family, and the Club’s powerful Indigenous connection.
Reaching the 300-game milestone
“It’s something that I haven’t really thought about too much. I’ve just put my head down and taken it week by week. A lot of things can happen each week, so looking too far ahead kind of gets you in trouble.”
From Golden Grove to Punt Road
“It’s a long time ago now, 16 years . . . drafted the end of ’06. I’d just turned 18, barely left the suburb I grew up in in Golden Grove, to, all of a sudden, I’m in Richmond and having to figure out a way to get to the Club with a Melways.”
From team failure to glorious success
“I can’t remember how many games it took to actually win my first one, but I did have a draw before I won my first game. So, we had some pretty lean years early. Look, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Starting from the bottom, essentially, and working our way up to the top, to having three flags, is just incredible. You dare to dream about one of them, let alone having three. Sometimes the perspective hits me and I get a bit emotional. It’s pretty special.”
Most memorable moment
“It would probably be the 2020 Grand Final. Just the fact that I pretty much had a separate year to all the other guys because I stayed back . . . my partner Sam was pregnant. And then actually winning the premiership on the same night that my dad and my brother met my daughter. It was probably like the biggest day you could ever have.”
A little ray of sunshine
“Something really special about having a daughter is it doesn’t really matter if you have a bad game or you lose or anything like that. You come home and she either makes everything better or you pretty much have to just not think about the game and get to work at home. She’s just all-encompassing and brings a smile to me at the drop of a hat. So, if I’ve played badly, I just can’t wait to see her.”
Great Indigenous pride at Tigerland
“I think it’s pretty amazing that the club I get drafted to ends up having a redevelopment that has an Indigenous institute on the third level. I’ve just been really lucky with the amount of support and help I’ve been given from the Korin Gamadji Institute and everyone that’s worked there. I’ve been able to see the start of the Dreamtime and Sir Dough Nicholls Rounds and how much it’s evolved into what it is today, where it’s over two rounds and it’s just larger than life. Seeing the brothers we have now, who have such an enormous say on what goes on at the Richmond Footy Club, on the field and off the field, it’s really special.”
Joining the exclusive 300 club
“I’ve seen the lists of players that have played 300 (games) and it looks wrong my name being there. I’ll definitely be telling my daughter one day that I was up there with the other guys. It’s pretty special . . . something I’ll look back really fondly on.”
