Rance almost traded the Tigers for the HawksAAP / afl.com.au
August 19, 2014 RICHMOND'S Alex Rance has revealed he met with Hawthorn to discuss a potential trade before recommitting to the Tigers.
Rance did not specify which season it was, but confirmed on Monday he talked about the prospect of joining the Hawks with then board member Jason Dunstall.
"Dimma (Richmond coach Damien Hardwick) by his own admission tried to trade me for a box of stubbies at that time," Rance said on Fox Footy.
Key defender Rance has played a crucial role in the Tigers' seven-match winning streak.
The team faces St Kilda and the Sydney Swans in the final two rounds of the season and is on the cusp of achieving a finals berth that was unfathomable when they started the season with a 3-10 win-loss record.
"Who knows what can happen," Rance said.
The 24-year-old played in Richmond's season-opening loss to Gold Coast, but then missed five games with a broken foot he sustained while falling off a bike.
Influential ruckman Ivan Maric and playmaker Brett Deledio also missed large chunks of the first half of the season, but Rance said the absence of the key trio should be overplayed.
"It's a team game, there's more than three players on the field at one time. Everyone's got to be accountable for their actions," he said.
Rance admitted it was hard to live by that mantra when he told Hardwick about the cycling accident.
"It was like telling your mum you've broken her favourite vase," he joked.
"It wasn't the best experience and I felt gutted.
"Especially when the team wasn't winning as well, I felt a little bit responsible for that ... I wasn't out there helping the boys.
"In saying that, there's always a silver lining. I did learn a lot ... seeing it from the stands."
The Tigers face the Saints at the MCG on Sunday.
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-08-19/hold-that-tiger
