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Stafford out to prove a point to Swans
By James MacSmith
May 9, 2004
Tigers giant Greg Stafford is still rankled by the treatment dished out to him by Swans officials more than two years ago.
The 1996 grand final ruckman was traded by Sydney at the end of 2001 in a complex deal that brought Barry Hall to the club. Stafford had a below-par 2001 that Sydney used to justify moving him on, but he has since claimed his poor treatment at the hands of club medical staff contributed to his struggles.
Stafford returns from a three-week suspension for rough play for today's Tigers-Swans clash and is determined to exploit Sydney's current ruck crisis.
"When you're moved on and told you're not required, a little bit of that stays with you always," Stafford said.
"There were days when I first left that I was quite upset about it. But you learn to deal with it. But coming up against your old club is always a chance to prove a few people wrong."
Stafford was the first Sydney-born player to notch up 100 games for the relocated club, and was paraded for years as a pin-up boy for the AFL's expansion into Sydney, a tag now worn by the likes of Lewis Roberts-Thomson and Paul Bevan.
"When you're at a footy club, you give yourself to that footy club, and that was the case when I was at the Swans. It was a jumper I was proud to wear because it was my city. But now that I'm with Richmond, I give my all to the Tigers, and now it is all about winning games here," said Stafford who played 130 games for the Swans.
Stafford will partner former All-Australian Brad Ottens in the ruck today against the Sydney trio of Jason Ball, Adam Goodes and Stephen Doyle. Stafford is confident the Tigers, buoyed by their one-point win over fellow battlers Hawthorn last week, can gain an edge over the home team at the clearances.
"There's been a spring in everyone's step at training this week. A win gives you that little bit more confidence in your performance. I've had some great matches at the SCG, and I'm looking forward to another one," he said.
Sydney was badly beaten 50-31 at the clearances in last round's controversial 10-point loss to Essendon. The Swans' promising ruck permutation hasn't worked as well as the coaching staff had hoped. And Sydney ruck coach John Longmire said the club was still working out how to best manage its versatile ruck stocks. But he denied his side had an advantage in that area against Richmond on the small SCG ground.
"Last week, Essendon got first use of the football all too often, and you can't afford to do that on any ground, whether it is the SCG, the MCG or Subiaco Oval," Longmire said.
"Their onballers were all over ours, and we can't let that happen again. We were in pretty good form in the ruck coming into last week. But then it all seemed to fall apart last week."
By James MacSmith
May 9, 2004
Tigers giant Greg Stafford is still rankled by the treatment dished out to him by Swans officials more than two years ago.
The 1996 grand final ruckman was traded by Sydney at the end of 2001 in a complex deal that brought Barry Hall to the club. Stafford had a below-par 2001 that Sydney used to justify moving him on, but he has since claimed his poor treatment at the hands of club medical staff contributed to his struggles.
Stafford returns from a three-week suspension for rough play for today's Tigers-Swans clash and is determined to exploit Sydney's current ruck crisis.
"When you're moved on and told you're not required, a little bit of that stays with you always," Stafford said.
"There were days when I first left that I was quite upset about it. But you learn to deal with it. But coming up against your old club is always a chance to prove a few people wrong."
Stafford was the first Sydney-born player to notch up 100 games for the relocated club, and was paraded for years as a pin-up boy for the AFL's expansion into Sydney, a tag now worn by the likes of Lewis Roberts-Thomson and Paul Bevan.
"When you're at a footy club, you give yourself to that footy club, and that was the case when I was at the Swans. It was a jumper I was proud to wear because it was my city. But now that I'm with Richmond, I give my all to the Tigers, and now it is all about winning games here," said Stafford who played 130 games for the Swans.
Stafford will partner former All-Australian Brad Ottens in the ruck today against the Sydney trio of Jason Ball, Adam Goodes and Stephen Doyle. Stafford is confident the Tigers, buoyed by their one-point win over fellow battlers Hawthorn last week, can gain an edge over the home team at the clearances.
"There's been a spring in everyone's step at training this week. A win gives you that little bit more confidence in your performance. I've had some great matches at the SCG, and I'm looking forward to another one," he said.
Sydney was badly beaten 50-31 at the clearances in last round's controversial 10-point loss to Essendon. The Swans' promising ruck permutation hasn't worked as well as the coaching staff had hoped. And Sydney ruck coach John Longmire said the club was still working out how to best manage its versatile ruck stocks. But he denied his side had an advantage in that area against Richmond on the small SCG ground.
"Last week, Essendon got first use of the football all too often, and you can't afford to do that on any ground, whether it is the SCG, the MCG or Subiaco Oval," Longmire said.
"Their onballers were all over ours, and we can't let that happen again. We were in pretty good form in the ruck coming into last week. But then it all seemed to fall apart last week."
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