Author Topic: Troy Simmonds to retire  (Read 6115 times)

Offline one-eyed

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Re: Troy Simmonds to retire
« Reply #30 on: May 27, 2010, 12:07:24 PM »
Tiger Simmonds calls time
richmonfc.com.au
By Luke Holmesby
Thu 27 May, 2010



RICHMOND ruckman Troy Simmonds has announced his retirement from football, signalling his intention to play his final AFL match against the Saints in round 11.

This means that Simmonds, who will not travel to Adelaide as part of the Tigers outfit to take on the Power on Saturday, will finish his career on a total of 197 matches.

But the ruckman was dismissive of missing out on reaching the 200 games milestone, and said he would leave the game on the best of terms.

"I've got no regrets. I'm really proud of what I've achieved and really it's just a number, whether it's 197 or 200. The timing was right for the club," he said on Thursday morning.

"I've decided the time is now for me to step down and it is really a great opportunity for our three young ruckmen in Ty [Vickery], Angus [Graham] and Andrew Browne."

Simmonds was drafted by Melbourne at pick No.9 in the 1999 pre-season draft after impressing for VFL side Box Hill and played in a grand final in just his second year of football.

The Demons lost to Essendon by 60 points, and Simmonds’ part in the match is best remembered for the bone-jarring hit he received from Essendon legend Michael Long that saw him stretchered off the field in a neck brace.

Simmonds played 40 games for the Demons before he was traded to Fremantle at the end of 2001.

He finished fifth in Fremantle’s best and fairest in his first year, during which he formed a strong ruck partnership with Aaron Sandilands, but after 75 games and 58 goals with Fremantle, Simmonds was on the move again to Richmond at the end of 2004.

He arrived at the Tigers as part of a three-way trade that saw Heath Black return to Fremantle from St Kilda and Aaron Fiora leave Richmond for the Saints.

Simmonds signed a five-year deal with his new club, arriving at the same time as new coach Terry Wallace.

He quickly assumed the mantle of No.1 ruckman at Richmond and finished third in the club’s best and fairest in 2006.

Things took a turn for the worse in 2007 when he was struck down by a blood clot in his lung, but he returned to play every game in 2008. During that season he represented Victoria in the Hall of Fame Tribute Match against the Dream Team.

Simmonds earned the nickname ‘Snake’ because of his fascination with reptiles and the fact he collected several pet snakes.

Simmonds has battled through a knee injury to play six games this year.

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/6301/newsid/95091/default.aspx

Offline cub

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Re: Troy Simmonds to retire
« Reply #31 on: May 27, 2010, 12:25:51 PM »
I have bagged Simmo at games a bit this year, unfairly I must admitt.
Injury caught up, Snake was a serviceable to goodish player for us and served us well - good luck Troy :cheers, 'even though you wouldn't read these forums' and who could blame you! some real mental pygmies around these parts.  :gotigers

Offline wayne

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Re: Troy Simmonds to retire
« Reply #32 on: May 27, 2010, 12:43:40 PM »
He was part of the deal that got Aaron Fiona out of the club, so he's ok in my books.

He was a capable player a couple of years ago, the last year and a half has really hurt how we remember him.

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Offline TigerLand

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Re: Troy Simmonds to retire
« Reply #33 on: May 27, 2010, 02:10:16 PM »
I'm not into attacking our players.

I'll leave it at I'm glad to see Simmonds is gone.
Go Tigers!

Offline Mr Magic

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Re: Troy Simmonds to retire
« Reply #34 on: May 27, 2010, 02:19:34 PM »
Not into bagging Simmo but really he should have retired at the end of last year or the club should have made the decision for him.

Offline Penelope

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Re: Troy Simmonds to retire
« Reply #35 on: May 27, 2010, 02:21:09 PM »
Reportedly he wanted to and Hardwick talked him into one more year.
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Offline one-eyed

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Re: Troy Simmonds to retire
« Reply #36 on: May 27, 2010, 02:38:31 PM »
Simmo on SEN just before with Hartford. I may have misheard as I had the radio in the background but i thought Simmo said he thought with our young ruck division it was important to be down there and so didn't really consider retirement even though Richo, Browny, Sugar had retired.

* Enjoyed working with Hardwick and the all the other coaches. He reckons we're on the right track.

* Has the option to stay on after his last game to help with the education of Vickery, Gus and Browne. He's got Vickery also into martial arts once a week.

* He's learnt a lot since Dimma has come on board. Zones etc were all new to him  :o.

* The knee was a battle every week to get up. Couldn't train as much as he wanted to and needed to for him to play at his best.

* Inside the club - tough but you learn about yourself and the people around you. Just missed the finals over those 5 years and now we're down the bottom. It's tough but he enjoyed it and took a lot out of it.

* Young list at the moment that's starting to improve all the time.

* Most annoying blokes at the club - Jack and Rance (laughs).

* Best part of footy is the 10 minutes after a win with your arms around your teammates and with the supporters.

Offline one-eyed

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Perspective earned the hard way: Simmo (RFC)
« Reply #37 on: May 27, 2010, 02:51:36 PM »
Perspective earned the hard way
richmondfc.com.au
By Luke Holmesby
Thu 27 May, 2010



IT WAS late 2007 when Troy Simmonds was a strong chance to lose more than just his football career.

Simmonds was discovered to have a blood clot in his lungs and was diagnosed with pulmonary embolism - a condition that could have been fatal.

Three years later, Simmonds has made a full recovery from the condition and his biggest health concern is the knee injury that has brought upon his mid-season retirement.

Many footballers struggle with the concept of life after football, but speaking on Thursday morning, Simmonds said he was lucky to have a life at all.

“I had that life-threatening cardio vascular event back in 2007 and faced a less than 10 per cent chance of living at that time. That changed my whole outlook on life,” he said.

“I had no idea what pulmonary embelism was at the time. I was just ready to get back out there and play. It really did set me back and it was a wake-up call. It showed we’re not bullet proof and you can’t take anything for granted in life.

“I learnt a lot about myself and that is what footy has done. It has been a great training ground for me. I said to the boys this morning it has given me a great vehicle to really learn about myself as a player, as a person and in a team environment.”

Simmonds has no lingering problems from his near-death episode and says the shock of it all helped him reassess what was important in life.

“Since 2008, I’ve been fine but it gave me a bit of a wake-up call to make sure I know my body really well and I do things a little differently to what I had in terms of what I eat,” he said.

“I got told that if it happened again my footy career would be over and I’d have to be on a drug for the rest of my life.”

Simmonds will play his last game against St Kilda next week but says he hopes to play some role in guiding Richmond’s young ruckmen Angus Graham, Ty Vickery and Andrew Browne for at least the rest of the season.

“ I’ve got a good relationship with a lot of the boys and I will help the young rucks where I can. I’m there if they want chat," he said.

"The other thing I weighed up was life after footy. I’ve got some things going on and and I’ve got a business in helping other people. I’m writing a book with a business partner that will hopefully be released at the end of the year."

 Asked what his fondest memories of life as an AFL player would be, Simmonds took no time to identify a feeling that has been few and far between at Punt Rd in recent times.

“I said this morning to the boys, it’s the winning feeling. That first ten minutes after a game when you are arm-in-arm with the boys and thanking the supporters walking off the ground and singing the song,” he said.

“A lot of the young guys out here today haven’t experienced it yet but it’s just an amazing feeling when you win a game of football. I will take those memories with me.”

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/6301/newsid/95101/default.aspx

Offline eliminator

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Re: Troy Simmonds to retire
« Reply #38 on: May 27, 2010, 05:48:17 PM »
Made the right decison. Good luck to him in his retirement

Offline Mr Magic

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Re: Troy Simmonds to retire
« Reply #39 on: May 27, 2010, 06:01:32 PM »

* He's learnt a lot since Dimma has come on board. Zones etc were all new to him  :o.


Good lord  :o and some still want to call Wallet a master tactician & good match day coach?

Offline one-eyed

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Re: Troy Simmonds to retire
« Reply #40 on: May 27, 2010, 08:16:44 PM »
Simmo on 3aw just after 7pm tonight repeated his comment about learning about zones first under Dimma  :o


* He's got Vickery doing martial arts to improve Ty's flexibility and balance.

* Freo had all the facilities compared to Richmond's old clubrooms but he loved coming back to a traditional club. 

* Richmond's history is no burden. It's been a long time since 1980 but he truly believes the Club is on the right track and has great people down there.

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Re: Troy Simmonds to retire
« Reply #41 on: May 27, 2010, 10:36:20 PM »

* He's learnt a lot since Dimma has come on board. Zones etc were all new to him  :o.


Good lord  :o and some still want to call Wallet a master tactician & good match day coach?

Says alot about the Dried Sultana. Eye opening indeed.

Offline Owl

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Re: Troy Simmonds to retire
« Reply #42 on: May 28, 2010, 08:58:43 AM »
Simmo was a cunning player and in his day, pre near death embulism and other injuries was pretty good.  I hope he can pass some of his little tricks on like using his body to take out a pack and tapping down to our crumbing forward lol.  I heard he is staying on to help out a bit which is great.
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Tigermonk

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Re: Troy Simmonds to retire
« Reply #43 on: May 28, 2010, 03:48:26 PM »
Oh what Shock Simmonds going to retire

such old news move on please. cya Simmo,
club made another mistake of getting you to playon when you wanted to retire last season.

Bad Decision still being made  :banghead


Offline Go Richo 12

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Re: Troy Simmonds to retire
« Reply #44 on: May 28, 2010, 04:03:58 PM »
Oh what Shock Simmonds going to retire

such old news move on please. cya Simmo,
club made another mistake of getting you to playon when you wanted to retire last season.

Bad Decision still being made  :banghead


"Simmo said he thought with our young ruck division it was important to be down there and so didn't really consider retirement even though Richo, Browny, Sugar had retired. "