Goulburn Valley League: AFL great Alex Rance makes Seymour debut

Richmond premiership defender Alex Rance returned to the field on Saturday — but not in the way fans are used to seeing.

Alex Rance returned to the field on Saturday. Picture: Alex Coppel.

At AFL level, Alex Rance made his name as one of the game’s best defenders in the 21st century.

But in his return to the field for the first time in almost two years, the 31-year-old did it as a forward.

On Saturday, the Richmond premiership player made his debut for Seymour in the Goulburn Valley League starting in the goalsquare — at the opposite end fans had been used to seeing.

He had the opportunity to kick the game’s first goal when he won a free kick about 50m out, but he handballed to a teammate, who missed.

But Rance said he couldn’t have been happier to return to the field.

“I didn’t trouble the scorers too much, I kicked one point and gave a couple off,” he laughed.

“I was a little bit nervous on the drive up but once I got here it was business as usual.

“I never thought I would really play anywhere but Ben Clifton (Seymour captain) is a good mate of mine and we thought we would have a kick together.

“It was more fun than anything else.”

In sloppy conditions on a wet Kings Park oval, despite not putting one through the big sticks, Rance showed his talent.

He was eventually moved into the midfield in the second half where his size proved critical around the ball.

Rance played up forward and in the midfield. Picture: Alex Coppel.

And despite the scoreboard reading in Seymour’s favour by 41 points, Rance was full of praise for Mansfield.

“I was really impressed by the standard of football,” he said.

“Mansfield have some really good young players. Number 21 (Sam Thompson) had a lot of talent and gave us a few problems all day.

“It wasn’t easy.”

While the attention was on what Rance would bring on the field, Seymour coach Ben Davey said he was more impressed with what he did off the field.

“Alex is such a good guy,” Davey said.

“He trained Thursday night and it was immediately visible to everybody he wasn’t just here to run around.

“He was here to win a game of footy. He kicked with the younger guys for 30 minutes after training.

“After our meeting, I came out and he was there cleaning up the tables and putting chairs away.

“That is the quality of the man besides the fact he is an absolute gun.”

Rance during his comeback appearance. Picture: Alex Coppel.

But Davey said it was important his side not get caught up in the hype surrounding Rance’s debut before the game.

“The energy around the club this week has been enormous,” he said.

“It was always a worry we could have gone over the top but the boys were able to settle.

“Mansfield are a quality team with talented youngsters and midfielders.

“They play a bit like us, they move it quick and try to get through the corridor as often as possible and down into their forwards.

“It was just up and down all day.

“I was happy we were able to get on top in the middle in the second half and create repeat stoppages inside our forward 50.”

A strong crowd turned out for Rance’s debut. Picture: Alex Coppel.

While Rance may have been the centre of attention, Seymour forward Harley Taylor-Lloyd gave him a run for his money, according to the coach.

“Harley is a ripper,” Davey said.

“He’s a big man but he just knows football so well and reads the game as well as anyone.

“You just know he’s going to create opportunities for himself or his teammates and he will get the rewards like he did today.

“I’m really happy for him because he’s done a lot of hard work.”