Shaun Grigg to feature in massive Swifts round five clash

Richmond premiership hero Shaun Grigg has signed on with a country club for the 2023 season in a move which will see him play alongside one of his childhood friends.

Shaun Grigg at Geelong's first training session after season 2019. Picture: Alison Wynd

Richmond premiership player Shaun Grigg will make his return to the footy field in 2023 with Horsham District Football League club Swifts.

Grigg, who retired in 2019 and now works an assistant coach with reigning AFL premier Geelong, will make his Swifts debut in their round five home clash with Natimuk United.

The idea of Grigg featuring for Swifts was sparked through conversations between himself and childhood friend and Swifts player, Joel Matthews, about the pair wanting to reunite on the field for the first time since their junior days at Redan.

The premiership midfielder is a highly respected AFL figure and someone Swifts senior coach Brett Hargreaves expects to generate plenty of excitement at the club.

“He will be debuting in round five for us here in North Park against Natimuk and he's going to make that a really a big one for us,” Hargreaves said.

“He’ll be at training during the week and will be doing sportsman’s night afterwards.

Grigg is now an assistant coach at Geelong. Picture: Alison Wynd

“In terms of the rest of the games, it will depend on his availability. No other games are locked in because the AFL have a floating fixture towards the back end of the season.

“Already, I think everyone wants to try and be in that [round five] game. It's going to drive competition among the group, which will drive the standards pretty high.

“He‘s already made it pretty clear that he wants to help us out as much as he can.

“Not only is he a premiership player but he’s currently involved in the most successful footy program in Australia.”

Shaun Grigg . Pic: Michael Klein

Swifts president, Peta Folkes, said the buzz in the hours following the club’s announcement on social media had been “hectic”.

“A lot of people have been sharing the posts on Facebook and getting really excited,” she said.

“We’re ecstatic to have him on board.”

Grigg’s presence in the side may just be the spark to launch the club back into premiership contention.

Swifts last won a premiership in 2014 and have qualified for the last four finals series.

Last year they side finished sixth and stumbled out in the first week of finals after a 132-point loss to Harrow Balmoral.

Grigg played 171 games for Carlton and Richmond, the latter of which he tasted premiership glory with in 2017 and was credited as being one of the Tigers’ most valuable contributors.