Richmond Football Club has launched its new Matthew Richardson Academy for the sons and daughters of former Men’s and Women’s players.
Building on the work of the Club’s Past Players Association, the Academy will help to keep strong family bonds connected to Richmond.
Players and their families were invited to the Club last week to launch the program, with 17 former AFL Tigers and their children attending.
Former AFLW Player Courtney Wakefield will also have an involvement with the Matthew Richardson Academy. Wakefield and winger Kate Dempsey are two mothers to have already played for the AFLW Tigers in their short history.
Richardson himself was at the event to lead formalities along with his three daughters. The day included a tour of the Club, a football clinic with current players, and lunch with guest speakers in the Maurice Rioli Room.
The former 282-game superstar, a father/son selection to the Club in 1992, said he was honoured to have the Academy named after him.
“Anything to do with this football club, and to have my name involved, I cherish,” Richardson said.
“We have got a long family history with the Club, and hopefully, that continues with the girls, so I was thrilled when they asked me (to be involved).
“We all loved our time here at Richmond, but you do go off and do different things and start a different journey… so to have the Club as a place where we can come back and tell a few porkies about our playing days and for our kids to get connected- is fantastic.”
Richardson’s former teammates Chris Newman (268 games), Nathan Foley (154), Tony Free (133), Kayne Pettifer (113), and Brendon Gale (244) were among those at the Swinburne Centre on the day.
“All the kids have been given a jumper with their dad's number on it, so it is pretty special,” Richardson added.
Current players Nick Vlastuin, Dion Prestia, Sam Banks, Libby Graham, and Maddie Shevlin played the role of tour guide for the families. Current VFL coach and a former second-generation Tiger himself, Steve Morris, along with sons of former players and current VFL listed players Tom Bower and Harry Broderick took the older cohort of players’ children for a training session.
Richmond will continue to progress the Matthew Richardson Academy in future years, with the launch event an initial opportunity for close to 50 children of former players to visit the Club.
“Most importantly the day was about coming together with our families to reminisce about the past and look forward to the future,” Richardson added.
Father/Son eligibility in the AFL competition occurs if the players father featured 100 times at senior level for one club. The AFL-playing fathers of daughters need to have played one senior match for Father/Daughter selection eligibility in the AFLW.
The Matthew Richardson Academy will be a program for the families of all former Richmond players- not just those identifiable for selection to the Club through such eligibility.