AFL 2022: Richmond premiership hero Shane Edwards announces retirement

Another premiership could be the perfect end to Shane Edwards’ stellar career with Richmond.

Shane Edwards has announced his retirement. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

A second Richmond premiership hero has called time on his career, with Shane Edwards to end his 16-year AFL career at the conclusion of the Tigers’ season.

Edwards joins fellow three-time premiership player Kane Lambert in announcing his retirement in recent weeks, declaring it was time to “step aside and move on just as players did for me when I started”.

“I am trying to play to the best of my ability out there, but it is pretty obvious to me that I won’t be helping us move forward next year,” Edwards said, having racked up 300 games in yellow and black.

“The club has given me everything, it has changed my life forever and I will always be connected to the Richmond Football Club.

“My teammates are what I will miss the most. We have been through so much together and always had fun. I will miss putting the jumper on before a game and when we really flick the switch. I love the 15 minutes after a win as well, it is the best feeling.

“When I look back on my career, what I think of is how lucky I have been; on the injury front, I have never really had a big injury, and I got to come to a big club with really passionate supporters.

“I am lucky the Korin Gamadji Institute emerged upstairs a couple of years into my career as well, and I (am grateful to) have seen so many sides of the game as a player.

“I have won premierships and a few wooden spoons and finished everywhere in between as well.”

As a player, he made his teammates better. As a person, Shane Edwards made our whole Club better.

Thanks for providing the spark, Shedda. A 10 through and through 💛

— Richmond FC 🐯 (@Richmond_FC) August 16, 2022

Picked up in the 2006 AFL draft, Edwards made his debut in round 4 of the 2007 season before going on to become one of just five players in Richmond‘s history to reach the 300-game milestone.

Edwards was also the first Indigenous Tiger to reach the feat.

Shane Edwards celebrates the Tigers’ 2020 AFL grand final win. Picture: Jono Searle/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said Edwards epitomised the Richmond journey.

“Shane came in as a young player and leaves as a proud Richmond and Indigenous man,” he said.

“The journey he came on reflects us as a club and what we have achieved. Shane leaves us as a three-time premiership player and All Australian. It resembles everything we have become.

“What we have gained from Shane is incredible insight as individuals and about Indigenous culture as well.

“The lessons we have learned from Shane as a player can never be understated. The way he came in and impacted games when we needed a spark, is the one thing I will remember from Shane as a player.

“There is nothing more comforting as a coach than having a player you know you can count on, and here is hoping we have got a couple more games to go on the journey.”

Originally published as AFL 2022: Richmond premiership hero Shane Edwards announces retirement