TonyK
CibbuanoI've made the right decision: Richo
November 13th 2009 02:55
RICHMOND great Matthew Richardson says his decision to hang up the boots is the right one.
The 34-year-old officially drew the curtain on his stellar 282-game career on Friday morning.
Richardson said his troublesome hamstring which restricted him to just six games in 2009 left him with no other option than to retire.
"I had a pretty ordinary medical diagnosis on Monday which sort of confirmed the gut feeling that I already had, that my body is not going to be able to stand up to another year of AFL football," Richardson said at a packed media conference at Punt Road.
"I guess I couldn't look people around the club and the supporters in the eye by saying I was ready to go when deep down I knew that I wasn't."
"I haven't got any doubts that I've made the right decision. I really did want to pull on the jumper again, but it's just not to be."
Richardson said his biggest regret was not seeing more September action.
"I would change a few things. I would have liked to play a few more finals for this great club but it wasn't to be," he said.
"The timing wasn't right. But I certainly wouldn't have ever wanted to be anywhere else but at Punt Road."
Richardson, who played in just three finals during his 17-year career, named Richmond's semi-final win over Carlton in the 2001 as his most cherished moment.
"At the MCG, a traditional rival, and to beat them in a final at the 'G was a great feeling," Richardson said.
"We had to travel to Brisbane the next week, and we all know what they were going on to achieve, three premierships in a row, so it just wasn't to be."
"If we didn't have to go up there, you never know, we might have been able to get into a grand final that year."
The popular Tigers forward leaves the club confident it is heading in the right direction under new coach Damien Hardwick, who was appointed in August.
"Damien and the new coaching staff have put together a great plan, it's a real learning and teaching environment" Richardson said.
"We've got a young group and I think they're really flourishing already."
Hardwick said Richardson was 'a giant of the game'.
"I reckon it'd be fair to say there'd be 15 other AFL coaches that are happy he's retired," Hardwick said.
"It's disappointing from a selfish point of view, I'd have loved to have coached the great man but it wasn't to be".
"He will go down as one of the greats of the club and more importantly one of the greats of the game. He is one of those guys people love to watch."
"When people come through the gates to watch a certain player, that it the mark of a champion as far as I'm concerned."
Richardson is expected to given a farewell lap of honour before the round one clash against Carlton at the MCG next season.
The 34-year-old officially drew the curtain on his stellar 282-game career on Friday morning.
Richardson said his troublesome hamstring which restricted him to just six games in 2009 left him with no other option than to retire.
"I had a pretty ordinary medical diagnosis on Monday which sort of confirmed the gut feeling that I already had, that my body is not going to be able to stand up to another year of AFL football," Richardson said at a packed media conference at Punt Road.
"I guess I couldn't look people around the club and the supporters in the eye by saying I was ready to go when deep down I knew that I wasn't."
"I haven't got any doubts that I've made the right decision. I really did want to pull on the jumper again, but it's just not to be."
Richardson said his biggest regret was not seeing more September action.
"I would change a few things. I would have liked to play a few more finals for this great club but it wasn't to be," he said.
"The timing wasn't right. But I certainly wouldn't have ever wanted to be anywhere else but at Punt Road."
Richardson, who played in just three finals during his 17-year career, named Richmond's semi-final win over Carlton in the 2001 as his most cherished moment.
"At the MCG, a traditional rival, and to beat them in a final at the 'G was a great feeling," Richardson said.
"We had to travel to Brisbane the next week, and we all know what they were going on to achieve, three premierships in a row, so it just wasn't to be."
"If we didn't have to go up there, you never know, we might have been able to get into a grand final that year."
The popular Tigers forward leaves the club confident it is heading in the right direction under new coach Damien Hardwick, who was appointed in August.
"Damien and the new coaching staff have put together a great plan, it's a real learning and teaching environment" Richardson said.
"We've got a young group and I think they're really flourishing already."
Hardwick said Richardson was 'a giant of the game'.
"I reckon it'd be fair to say there'd be 15 other AFL coaches that are happy he's retired," Hardwick said.
"It's disappointing from a selfish point of view, I'd have loved to have coached the great man but it wasn't to be".
"He will go down as one of the greats of the club and more importantly one of the greats of the game. He is one of those guys people love to watch."
"When people come through the gates to watch a certain player, that it the mark of a champion as far as I'm concerned."
Richardson is expected to given a farewell lap of honour before the round one clash against Carlton at the MCG next season.
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