HOW HARDWICK'S PRE-GAME SPEECH INSPIRED TOWNSEND'S GOLDEN RICHMOND RUNBy Andrew Slevison
SEN
9 December 2021While he’ll continue to have a kick with the Southport Sharks in 2022, the 28-year-old has opted to walk away from the elite level after his time with Gold Coast ended in October.
The 2017 Tigers premiership hero explained the reasons why he has drawn the curtain on his impactful, yet frustrating playing days at the top.
“It’s a bit of everything really,” he said on SEN Breakfast.
“The last four years I’ve been fighting for that spot on the list and I thought it was time for me to move on.
“To try and have a bit more certainty in my life, that’s what it came down to.”
Townsend gave some insight into the mental battles he has faced with constantly worrying about his spot in the senior side.
“Every Thursday was probably a call from the coach saying I was playing twos for the majority of the 10 years, but that’s fine,” he added.
“Up until this one (Suns delisting), I was ok with it, knowing it is what it is and I couldn’t do much about it.
“But as I got a bit older and after 10 years, I wanted a bit more certainty. Those early years, everyone asked me how I coped with it and deal with it. I couldn’t do anything about it, so I just had to wait and see what unfolded. I was fortunate enough to hang on there for the last four years.”
He holds a place in the hearts of many Richmond fans for his heroics late in the 2017 season.
Townsend went on a five-game run from Round 22 to the Grand Final where he played a key role as a defensive forward, chiming in with 16 goals through bags against Fremantle (six) and St Kilda (five).
The Leeton product proceeded to contribute in three winning finals, including the drought-breaking Grand Final triumph over Adelaide, and recalled what coach Damien Hardwick said to him in the lead up to that successful period.
“I wasn’t expecting to come into that team at all,” he said.
“But when I did, that’s when I was the most calm and relaxed I’ve ever felt.
“In the pre-game speech, that was my first game of the year, he (Hardwick) said, ‘Go out there and have six and you’ll be sweet’. Fortunately enough I did kick six.
“I think he might have said something the next week too when I played against St Kilda and kicked five. He didn’t say five, but he said something along those lines as well.”
The crunching tackle on Matt Crouch during the Grand Final win over the Crows is one moment that will live forever.
It is something referenced often when people think of his career.
“That’s probably the most recognised thing I’ve done in my AFL career and especially for Richmond fans,” he added.
“They always say that’s the best thing from that Grand Final.
“It’s just in the last 24 to 48 hours, the amount of support and text messages and messages on social media from Richmond fans, or anywhere, has been overwhelming.
“I didn’t really think it was going to be like that.”
After his time in the AFL, Townsend will now stay on the Gold Coast, play VFL footy with the Sharks and press on with a career in carpentry.
He finished with 28 matches for the Giants, 20 games and 28 goals for the Tigers, 12 appearances for the Bombers in 2020 (his most in a single season) and two games for the Suns.
https://www.sen.com.au/news/2021/12/08/how-hardwicks-pre-game-speech-inspired-townsends-golden-richmond-run/
