Xavier Richards signs at Eastern Football League club Balwyn
Balwyn has secured its first high-profile recruit of the Eastern Football League off-season as it looks to make a return to Premier division finals.
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Balwyn has secured its first high-profile recruit of the Eastern Football League off-season, signing former Sydney forward Xavier Richards.
Richards played 12 games across his four seasons in the AFL, including the 2016 grand final.
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But the 25-year-old rejected a two-year contract extension from Sydney at the end of that season, citing the city’s cost of living as his reason for requesting a trade to a Victorian club.
He was unable to secure a new AFL home and was delisted by the Swans, but remained in NSW, where he has played for NEAFL club Sydney University the past two seasons.
Balwyn football director Paul Johnson said Richards had trained with the Tigers before Christmas and was committed to the club for 2019.
He will arrive at Balwyn as a six-point player under the player points system.
“Obviously he was getting calls from everywhere and he’s Old Xavs boy so there was a tie there,” Johnson said.
“He’s a guy that can play centre-half back and centre-half forward, which makes him a very valuable player for us.
“We haven’t got any other AFL players so his points aren’t a problem for us, but he’ll hopefully be a future leader and a key to our football club for many years to come.
“He’s a very prized recruit for us and very happy to have him.”
Richards was taken in the 2013 rookie draft, joining the Harbour City side alongside brother Ted.
He played the last 10 games of the 2016 season, including the Swans’ four finals, before his unusual exit from the elite level.
“He wasn’t a guy that wanted to shop himself around, I think he made his mind up pretty early it was us or Xavs,” Johnson said.
“I think he had a good feel with (coach) Rodney (Eade) and myself and we spoke about what we required and he fitted what we required and we were looking for a long-term fit, not just a short-term fit.”
Balwyn has turned to the local leagues in an attempt to return to the top five after missing finals for the first time in 23 years in 2018.
Alex Urban (East Ringwood), Jack Martin (East Doncaster), Kane Smart (Colac) and Bradyn Taglieri (Eltham) are among the other additions.
Premiership players Tom Roach (retired), Rod Crowe (retired) and Shane Tregear (Corowa-Rutherglen) are the departures of note.
Tall Ayden Kennedy is also recovering from a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament and could return in the second half of the season, while 2016 premiership player Shaun MacDonald has returned to Cherry Rd after focusing on his studies for the past two years.
Williamstown-listed tall Ryley Monkhurst, who is yet to make his senior VFL debut, will also be aligned with Balwyn this year.
“We’ve signed about eight local players and with the points system, they’re three or four-point players,” Johnson said.
“We have to be careful we abide by the system and with the salary cap and everything else, apart from Xavier, we have gone down the local path and happy to do that.”
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