Ted Richards says that brother and fellow former Sydney Swans player Xavier Richards has bounced back well from his shock AFL exit at the end of last season.
The Swans’ 2012 premiership defender says that his 23-year-old younger sibling’s delisting and subsequent inability to find a new club via the draft afterward, despite playing in the club’s Grand Final defeat to the Western Bulldogs last year, has been a sad process.
The elder Richards backed his brother’s choice to seek a trade away from the Swans after failing to agree to contract terms with them, and believes that he will learn from the ordeal.
“It was a really sad process for Xav,” Richards said on SEN Breakfast.
“Xav made a decision that he wasn’t happy with the contract offer that he got from the Swans. He’s not the only one to ever do that, he tested the market and it didn’t work out well for him.
“A real credit to Xavier that he has played the cards that have been dealt to him. He’s got on with life and even though he might not be playing AFL this year, he’s very much head down, bum up onwards with things.”
The retired Swans player says that his brother would easily consider a return to AFL football should be ever be offered a place on a list in the future, something he believes is easily possible if he excels with new club Sydney University in the North East Australian Football League (NEAFL).
“I think he would (entertain a return to the AFL),” Richards said.
“He has had quite a few offers from different teams in different leagues around Australia.
“The offer that Sydney Uni put to him of not only playing football but at a really good level in the NEAF is a huge attraction to him, and to be able to do a Master’s (degree) at uni was a massive carrot for him to start some business study and get on with that side of his life.
“He very much enjoys his footy.”
Click here to view Xavier Richards’ SEN Inside Football AFL Player Ratings.