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Maxfield's journey to 250 games
5:36:20 PM Wed 11 June, 2003
Karen Collins
afl.com.au
Related Content:
Stuart Maxfield media conference
Former Richmond winger, and current Sydney captain Stuart Maxfield, is looking forward to playing his 250th game this weekend against the Western Bulldogs at the SCG.
But not one for landmark games, Maxfield admits he is treating the contest as just another week where he wants four points ? ever the team man as opposed to an individual in a team.
?Obviously it is good to have it at the SCG but personally I am not big on milestone games so hopefully the importance is certainly on the success of the side,? Maxfield said.
The 31-year-old played 89 games with the Tigers since debuting in 1990, but he reluctantly departed for the harbour city five years later after they made the finals.
?I always thought I would be a player who played his whole career at the one side but obviously I think it was one of the better moves I have made in terms of his football development and also my his family life,? Maxfield said.
While disappointed to leave his team-mates - and the side he predicted would make the grand final within two years - he saw his football ?journey? evolve.
Instead it was his new club, Sydney, which made the grand final in 1996 ? an achievement Maxfield calls the joint highlight and lowlight of his career so far.
The following season?s preparation was disrupted when he cut his hand during a pub fight, but managed to play all but one match.
Often used from the bench as an impact player from 1998-2000, the left-footer decided to lose some bulk and from there never looked back.
The dedicated trainer resurrected his career with a fine 2001 season as vice-captain, playing every game as the leading contributor and was runner-up in the Swans? best-and-fairest.
Although starting 2002 strongly, a mid-season knee injury cut short his season.
However, this year he was handed the captaincy reigns from the retiring Paul Kelly, and has inspired a team of youngsters to a current top-four position on the ladder.
?The best part of the year so far has been the contribution of the young guys and it does spur on the guys like myself, Paul Williams and the older guys to help improve those guys.
?And if we can help fast-track what they are doing it is better off for the team.?
Paul Roos played against Maxfield, was a team-mate at Sydney and now coaches the player who he believes is playing better now than he ever did which is a ?testament to the way he prepares himself?.
?When Stuart came up here from Richmond probably as an unknown type player I guess even as someone who played against him he was always someone you were mindful of at Richmond,? Roos said.
?He didn?t have a high profile and came up here and I suppose he is still pretty low-key but he has been thrust into a captaincy role and just the way he has responded to that has been I suppose as good as we could have expected.
?He has been terrific both on and off the ground, he is playing terrific footy and he is the ultimate professional so I certainly have nothing but admiration for him and the way he goes about his football, the way he plays and the way he has taken on the role of captaincy.?
Maxfield is enjoying the captaincy and learning how to handle the role each week -?handling the challenge of defeat and keeping everyone grounded when we have momentum up?. And he is excited about the success so far this season.
While hoping two or three more seasons beckon ? and possibly 300 game and AFL Life Membership - the decision will be reached by a look to his contribution to Sydney.
?If there is a younger guy who can do it better than me well then I am quite happy to step aside.?
5:36:20 PM Wed 11 June, 2003
Karen Collins
afl.com.au
Related Content:
Stuart Maxfield media conference
Former Richmond winger, and current Sydney captain Stuart Maxfield, is looking forward to playing his 250th game this weekend against the Western Bulldogs at the SCG.
But not one for landmark games, Maxfield admits he is treating the contest as just another week where he wants four points ? ever the team man as opposed to an individual in a team.
?Obviously it is good to have it at the SCG but personally I am not big on milestone games so hopefully the importance is certainly on the success of the side,? Maxfield said.
The 31-year-old played 89 games with the Tigers since debuting in 1990, but he reluctantly departed for the harbour city five years later after they made the finals.
?I always thought I would be a player who played his whole career at the one side but obviously I think it was one of the better moves I have made in terms of his football development and also my his family life,? Maxfield said.
While disappointed to leave his team-mates - and the side he predicted would make the grand final within two years - he saw his football ?journey? evolve.
Instead it was his new club, Sydney, which made the grand final in 1996 ? an achievement Maxfield calls the joint highlight and lowlight of his career so far.
The following season?s preparation was disrupted when he cut his hand during a pub fight, but managed to play all but one match.
Often used from the bench as an impact player from 1998-2000, the left-footer decided to lose some bulk and from there never looked back.
The dedicated trainer resurrected his career with a fine 2001 season as vice-captain, playing every game as the leading contributor and was runner-up in the Swans? best-and-fairest.
Although starting 2002 strongly, a mid-season knee injury cut short his season.
However, this year he was handed the captaincy reigns from the retiring Paul Kelly, and has inspired a team of youngsters to a current top-four position on the ladder.
?The best part of the year so far has been the contribution of the young guys and it does spur on the guys like myself, Paul Williams and the older guys to help improve those guys.
?And if we can help fast-track what they are doing it is better off for the team.?
Paul Roos played against Maxfield, was a team-mate at Sydney and now coaches the player who he believes is playing better now than he ever did which is a ?testament to the way he prepares himself?.
?When Stuart came up here from Richmond probably as an unknown type player I guess even as someone who played against him he was always someone you were mindful of at Richmond,? Roos said.
?He didn?t have a high profile and came up here and I suppose he is still pretty low-key but he has been thrust into a captaincy role and just the way he has responded to that has been I suppose as good as we could have expected.
?He has been terrific both on and off the ground, he is playing terrific footy and he is the ultimate professional so I certainly have nothing but admiration for him and the way he goes about his football, the way he plays and the way he has taken on the role of captaincy.?
Maxfield is enjoying the captaincy and learning how to handle the role each week -?handling the challenge of defeat and keeping everyone grounded when we have momentum up?. And he is excited about the success so far this season.
While hoping two or three more seasons beckon ? and possibly 300 game and AFL Life Membership - the decision will be reached by a look to his contribution to Sydney.
?If there is a younger guy who can do it better than me well then I am quite happy to step aside.?
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