Playing for their careers
25 June 2006 Sunday Herald Sun
Jon Ralph
BY the time Rory Hilton finally worked his way into the Richmond side in Round 11 last year, he knew he had half a year to prove himself all over again.
Only 12 rounds to somehow circumvent the club's new youth policy or go and get a real job.
It is a scenario scores of AFL footballers will be considering during the split round.
Their dilemma? Either make the coaches take notice or face the scrap heap.
It's no place for the faint-hearted, says Hilton, now happy to be out of the cut-throat world of AFL footy and playing with mates in the Goulburn Valley league.
``It's just that week-to-week thing. You live and die by your results on the weekend,'' Hilton says of that phase when you simply must perform.
``It's kind of like everything you do you feel is getting scrutinised, from every kick, to every time you go towards the ball, every time you kick a goal or your opponent kicks a goal.
``You have basically got 10 or 12 or however many weeks to prove your worth.''
By late in the year, Hilton was resigned to his fate, but still it didn't get any easier.
``I think the third-party influences from family and friends, that's where the pressure comes from because they are wondering what's going to happen,'' he says.
``And then every time there is someone in the paper mentioning your name, that you are out of contract, and the club is not sure what to do, it is coming from all angles.
``If you live and breathe footy, you are not going to handle it well and not going to survive, but I had a few other things going on in my life to take my mind off it.
``I was coming back from a knee reconstruction and my footy wasn't going too great. I was almost over it by the time it was happening.''
If Hilton felt his cards were marked no matter how well he played, he remained grateful for the chance to prove himself in the seniors in his final year at Richmond.
Former Essendon and Tiger onballer Justin Blumfield, whose career was cut short at 27, is a player manager with Athletes1 and at this time of year can be found advising players on how to resuscitate flagging careers.
``The kids in the system these days have three to four years to show something and, by the middle of the third year, if there is not much being shown, you have to see what is going wrong,'' Blumfield says.
``We encourage them to knuckle down or do things differently or do extra training or something that might get them the spark and lift that will get them over the line.
``When I was at Richmond it was tough to deal with. You knew if you didn't have the opportunity it was hard to prove yourself, but you just try to be positive and you can't think too far ahead.
``You just have to think of the smaller things, like training hard and doing the right things.''
Even if they manage to impress late in the year, some players will be culled simply because of list management.
Every club needs a minimum of three picks in the national draft and, if there are rookies to be elevated or players to be picked in the pre-season draft, space needs to be made on the primary list.
``You get to the stage where you are being told that your career depends on how you play each week,'' Hilton says.
``It's pressure, but it's also an opportunity.''
Playing for their careers
RICHMOND
Darren Gaspar: Can't find a spot in Richmond's best, presumably because of lack of rebound. Just turned 30. Tigers have postponed contract talks - never a good sign for an ageing player.
David Rodan: An undoubted talent, but few chances this year in the seniors. Future could be elsewhere if opportunities don't present themselves in the second half of the season.
Greg Stafford: Only five goals in seven matches as a forward. He is 32 in August, so retirement is more likely than not.
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,19578439%255E19742,00.html
