Troy Simmonds to retire

[gtig]

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/tiger-simmonds-to-retire-wont-play-out-season-20100525-wb2w.html

 Tiger Simmonds to retire, won't play out season
JAKE NIALL
May 26, 2010



RICHMOND ruckman Troy Simmonds is set to announce his retirement from AFL football and will not play out the season for the Tigers.

Simmonds, 31, is expected to announce that he will retire mid-season, to allow the club to continue on its youth track. He is the first player to choose a mid-season exit, rather than announce his retirement and then play until the end of the season, like Adelaide's Simon Goodwin - who announced his decision yesterday - and Sydney's Brett Kirk.

Richmond has not yet determined whether Simmonds will be given a send-off game before he finishes, but if both parties want a final game, then it would most likely be the club's next home game against St Kilda at Etihad Stadium, on Friday week.

Simmonds' retirement will intensify the spotlight on the club's only other 30-plus veteran, Ben Cousins, who struggled against Essendon on the weekend and has had an injury-interrupted second season at Tigerland.

It is understood that the decision has been made by the player, rather than the club, Simmonds understanding that the Tigers wish to develop and fast-track their three young ruckmen - Angus Graham, Andrew Browne and Tyrone Vickery - for the future. If he plays only one more game, he will finish his 12-year, three-club career on 197 games.

Richmond general manager of football operations Craig Cameron would not comment on Simmonds late yesterday.

Simmonds and Cousins were the only players aged 30 or older to survive the post-season cull which saw the retirements of Joel Bowden, Nathan Brown and Kane Johnson and eventually Matthew Richardson. Simmonds was retained because, as a ruckman in a very young list, he could protect the club's young ruck division from the physical demands of a position with a high attrition rate.

Simmonds has played six senior games this season, missing the past three due to a knee injury. In the meantime, Graham has shown significant improvement under the tutelage of assistant coach and former Port Adelaide star Brendon Lade.

Simmonds' exit will deprive the Tigers of a seasoned option in the event that Graham, Brown or Vickery are injured, although key position player and mature rookie Graham Polak could fill in.

Simmonds joined the Tigers, his third club, at the end of 2004, in effect replacing Geelong-bound Brad Ottens as the club's premier ruckman, and performed well immediately. He finished third in Richmond's best and fairest in 2006.

Simmonds went to the Tigers in a three-way swap for midfielder Aaron Fiora, who went to St Kilda, while Heath Black went from the Saints to Fremantle, where Simmonds had spent the previous three seasons for 64 games. The ruckman and some-time forward played 39 games for his first team, Melbourne, before was traded to the Dockers at the end of 2001. He was one of the VFL's major recruiting successes, having been drafted from Box Hill by Melbourne before the 1999 season (via the pre-season draft).

Simmonds also will be remembered as the Melbourne player who was on the receiving end of a heavy front-on bump from Essendon great Michael Long in the 2000 grand final. Simmonds was carted off on a stretcher following the collision, for which Long was suspended and later issued a public apology.

[WA Tiger]

Good on you Simmo, good call, you served us well and all the best!!

[mightytiges]

Well done to Simmo. He's made the right call as his knee has been stuffed since last year and he couldn't play at the level he did in his first 4 years with us. Especially in 2006 and 08 he was great. One trade we actually came out a winner in. A shame for him he couldn't quite make it to 200 games.

[Chuck17]

Simmonds went to the Tigers in a three-way swap for midfielder Aaron Fiora, who went to St Kilda, while Heath Black went from the Saints to Fremantle, where Simmonds had spent the previous three seasons for 64 games.

Oh yeah just gotta love it.

Just remember when you are talking about how bad we are at trading remember that in effect we offloaded Fiona for Simmonds. 

[Penelope]

Thought i'd get this in before the crap starts getting dropped on simmo.

On big footy a poster claimed to have a 'contact' inside the club. amongst the mainly obvious personal opinions put forward by the 'contact', was the claim that simmo wanted to retire and the club talked him into a one year contract.

I think it may have been reported on here around trade time that ST kilda offered him a 2 year contract that he rejected.

Any personal critism put onto the bloke for continuing is probably unfair and good on him for now saying enough is enough. It's been pretty evident that mind has been willing but the body was not. The only real thing that Gus has bought to the side as his replacement is a younger body that is able to get around the ground for the entire game, even it it seems the mind isnt always instructing it that way.

It's a pity though there is no way to have put him on the LTI list.

[Smokey]

It's a pity though there is no way to have put him on the LTI list.

No value in putting him on the LTIL Al, if we have no-one playing up to a level that demands senior games.  Only impact is that it costs the club more player payment $$'s so if none of our rookies are ready then no point doing it.  If we had a rookie ruckman then you 'might' (a small might) be able to mount a case as insurance but otherwise it would be a waste of money.

[Infamy]

Should be conviced to stay on until the year for 2 reasons
1) If we get any injuries to our young rucks then we'll be screwed as we don't have much depth
2) Would rather he went onto the LTIL like Johnson did so we can elevate Gourdis

[Chuck17]

I think enough is enough

Thanks for the good times Simmo

[Francois Jackson]

best news ive heard in a while.

Yeah nice guy he may be well nice guys dont win flags.

thanks for the 15 metre kicks Simmo we will miss you terribly.

Adhious muchachos.

NEXT!!

[TigerTimeII]

its a damn disgrace he was kept on for this yr

pathetic, at least he could just go out on the LTIL RATHER THAN RETIRE

snake ur pathetic, glad to see the back of u fairy floss

[Owl]

its a damn disgrace he was kept on for this yr

pathetic, at least he could just go out on the LTIL RATHER THAN RETIRE

snake ur pathetic, glad to see the back of u fairy floss

That's a bit harsh, he is a bit over it this year but he has been a good player for us.  He was never soft either.

[Mr Magic]

Don't blame Snake for playing on, he thought he was doing the right thing by the club.
Blame those who put us in that position.

[Penelope]

It's a pity though there is no way to have put him on the LTI list.

No value in putting him on the LTIL Al, if we have no-one playing up to a level that demands senior games.  Only impact is that it costs the club more player payment $$'s so if none of our rookies are ready then no point doing it.  If we had a rookie ruckman then you 'might' (a small might) be able to mount a case as insurance but otherwise it would be a waste of money.

Just because you elevate a rookie, doesn't mean you have to select them straight away. The more options you have for team slection the better, although reading around the traps some seem to of the opinion you can replace a retiree with a rookie elevation?

I wouldn't be too concerned about the money. In the whole scheme of things it wouldn't be that much.

[Penelope]

its a damn disgrace he was kept on for this yr

pathetic, at least he could just go out on the LTIL RATHER THAN RETIRE

snake ur pathetic, glad to see the back of u fairy floss

The question here is, how would have gus done if he had been thrown to the wolves since round 1.
Although he has far from set the world on fire, his performances have been a vast improvement on that pathetic effort in the NAB cup. Those extra 2 months of development and teaching from Hardwick, Lade and Leppitch could very well have been invaluable.

[mat073]

Keeping Simmo on the list in 2010 sounded good in theory.

That theory went out the window right after round 1.

Sure it was a mistake in hindsight....but we move on.2010 was never going to be a success only journey.

Great years in 06 & 08 Simmo.