Shane Edwards is more than happy to keep flying under the radar with the Tigers

ONLY one judge gave Shane Edwards votes in the Norm Smith Medal for his performance in last year’s Grand Final. It isn’t the first time he has been overlooked and it won’t be the last. But that doesn’t bother this Tiger.

Shane Edwards celebrates with teammates on Grand Final day. Picture: Getty Images

ONLY one judge gave Shane Edwards votes in the Norm Smith Medal for his performance in last year’s Grand Final.

Former Richmond coach Terry Wallace deemed Edwards the second-best player on the ground behind Bachar Houli, with eventual winner Dustin Martin third in his eyes.

“He (Edwards) is a player to me that a lot of people miss when they go to the game, but not so much watching it at home because you get replays of things,” Wallace said.

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“He does things inside packs that people just don’t see, particularly with his hands which are so sharp. What he does is release other people into open space and he’s incredibly quick with his movements and incredibly lateral with his ability to see something other people just don’t see.”

The man who recruited Edwards to the Tigers with pick 26 in the 2006 national draft, Wallace had a fair argument to award him two votes that day.

Shane Edwards celebrates with teammates on Grand Final day. Picture: Getty Images

From 25 disposals the Tigers’ utility logged seven clearances, eight inside-50s, two goal assists and a game-high 10 score involvements.

Setting up others is what Edwards does best.

Now in his 12th season, Edwards admits the past 12 months have probably been the finest of his career.

While his overall disposal count has hovered around the same level since his fourth season and he has not polled a Brownlow Medal vote since Round 9, 2015, his impact for the Tigers has risen significantly.

“I’m probably getting the same amount of footy as what I have in the past but I think it’s all about playing my role and that’s what everyone in our team’s doing,” Edwards said.

“It’s mainly just about consistency over the game, not having any quarters where I’m out of it. I need to make sure I keep myself involved in the game and just keep getting my hands on it and when the ball’s up forward putting that forward pressure on and bringing it to ground when it’s in the air.”

Champion Data ranks Edwards the seventh-best midfielder-forward this year and has him in the elite category for score involvements at an average of 6.9 per game.

Not surprisingly for Wallace, he is also the No.1 ranked player in the competition for score assists with 27, six clear of teammate Martin who is second.

“That doesn’t shock me at all because that sums him up in one,” Wallace said.

Edwards smiles when asked if he feels he flies under the radar at Richmond given the “Big Four” — Martin, Trent Cotchin, Alex Rance and Jack Riewoldt — dominate most discussions.

“I suppose outside of the four walls they’re our highest profile players,” he said.

“Inside of the four walls, everyone, no matter who’s playing what role, gets the accolades from the coach and their teammates. We’ve got guys like Dylan Grimes and Jayden Short, Jason Castagna, Dan Butler — they’re guys that absolutely play really well in their role every week and within the four walls of the club they’re really highly rated.”

Shane Edwards doesn’t mind doing the dirty work for the Tigers. Picture: AFL Media

Now one of the veterans of a relatively youthful Tigers’ side, Edwards turns 30 in October but has played every game this season and is feeling as fit as ever.

“I feel like I’m early 20s,” he said.

“It’s just about managing my body throughout the week which the club’s really good with and I just have to be smart about.

“I feel like I’ve got a lot of footy in front of me.”

While Edwards is still playing — and playing well — Wallace will forever be in the radio commentary box saying the same old things and trying to give him the recognition he deserves.

“There’ll be a piece of play and the commentator will say, ‘Lambert gets it, feeds it out to Martin who kicks the goal’,” Wallace said.

“No one saw who got it to Lambert, but it’s Edwards flicking it behind his ear to get it to Lambert.

“I always sit there in the commentary box saying, ‘You know that was Edwards, again’.

“He’s a gun player.”

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Originally published as Shane Edwards is more than happy to keep flying under the radar with the Tigers