Towner has announced his retirement.
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Jacob Townsend talks to Cal Twomey about his incredible career and why he's finally calling it a dayAFTER spending the 2017 season starring at VFL level but unable to break into Richmond's senior line-up, Jacob Townsend finally cracked into the AFL team in round 22 of that year. The advice from coach Damien Hardwick was simple.
"It's a funny story. Just before the game he said, 'Righto 'Towna', all you need to do is go out there and kick six and you'll stay in'," Townsend said. "And that's exactly what happened."
Townsend booted six goals that day, then five the next week, and kept his spot in the Tigers' glorious ascent to their drought-breaking premiership, with Townsend kicking two goals in the Grand Final win over Adelaide.
His five-game, 16-goal run is the stuff of folklore at Richmond and the crowning point of a 10-year, 62-game and four-club AFL career that has reached its end after Townsend recently decided to retire.
The 28-year-old had been delisted by Gold Coast at the end of the season but invited to train with the Suns over summer as part of the pre-season supplemental selection period in a bid to win his place back on the list.
But Townsend made the decision to decline that offer, instead ready to move into the next phase of his life.
"I thought about it and knew I was going to be fighting for my spot with someone else and I thought the time was right for me to call time," Townsend told AFL.com.au.
"I've got the next phase already planned out and I'm really keen for that so that was why I chose not to take up that offer. I was still keen to play AFL footy if they picked me up in the rookie draft but unfortunately they didn’t and I thought the time was right.
"It was a tough call because everyone's always saying, 'You're a long time retired', which I completely get, but I've been fighting for my spot the last four years and I wanted a bit of certainty."
Townsend's late run to the Richmond premiership will be the defining point of his career, and saw him become a life member of the club, with his crunching tackle on Crows midfielder Matt Crouch remaining a memorable moment for Tigers fans as they've pored over the replay of the first of their three flag wins under Hardwick.
"I tried to be the best player in the reserves just in case something did happen and pop up, and Josh Caddy was injured in round 21 and I came in and played my role and kicked some goals," Townsend said.
"After the round 23 game I actually thought I was still a chance to be dropped after that and I went and saw Dimma and he said, 'Don't worry about your spot, you're in'. It was probably the first time I felt like I wasn't on the outer after any game and I think it was the most calm I've ever been.
"Everyone who comes up to me always brings up that tackle. It was just one of those moments that was there and I was fortunate enough that it was me, but that's probably the most recognised thing I've done in my AFL career."
https://www.afl.com.au/news/691345/ultimate-journeyman-takes-final-bow-as-wild-four-club-ride-comes-ends
