Shane Edwards - Leading a Tiger Revival
Jennifer Phelan
AFL Record, Round 22
August 22-24, 2014
He is a tenacious Tiger who has quietly slipped under the radar on his way to 150 games. But Shane Edwards is embracing his role as one of Richmond's more experienced players.
Playing in the AFL wasn’t something that occurred to Shane Edwards as a kid.
So much so, when he was drafted by Richmond in 2006, he had been to only one AFL game.
As a youngster growing up in the Adelaide suburb of Golden Grove, Edwards had more interest in basketball and wasn’t drawn towards football until he was eight.
Even then, it took some persuading for the lightly framed youngster to branch out of lunchtime school footy.
“I was just too scared to go and actually play for a team,” Edwards told the AFL Record this week, on the eve of his 150th AFL game.
“Then, my best mate across the road signed up for a team and I got pretty jealous.
“Mum would say, ‘Why don’t you go out and have a kick?’ and the next year I said, ‘Well, OK, I will then’. I just went out and played.”
That was for the Golden Grove Kookaburras, where he stayed until he joined North Adelaide as a teenager.
Edwards’ rich family link to the SANFL meant playing at senior level in the state league was his obvious goal.
His father Greg played 43 games for Central District – and was the first player from the club to kick 100 goals in a season (1982) before an injury left him blind in his left eye and forced his retirement at 20.
Greg is the CEO of North Adelaide, where Edwards’ 22-year-old brother Kym plays. Edwards’ grandfather Doug played for North Adelaide and West Torrens (before the 1990 merge with Woodville) and his uncle Russell for Port Adelaide before it entered the AFL.
So, it wasn’t surprising Edwards turned his sights on following in their footsteps once he started playing.
He’s not sure of the exact circumstances that led him to the Roosters, given his father’s links to Centrals. The family lived in the North Adelaide zone and the club sent Edwards a letter when he was playing under-13s.
He thinks it may have been an administrative error that led him to missing out on a father-son berth at the Bulldogs.
“I think Centrals got my age wrong,” he said.
“I think they thought I was the year below so I went up to North and made a few mates and then I wanted to stay there.”
It was at the Roosters he impressed on the wing, and then at the draft camp, where his fitness stood out.
He was picked by Richmond at No. 26 in the 2006 NAB AFL Draft and, although he was on the radar of a couple of AFL clubs, he had spoken to only the Tigers.
Relocating to Melbourne proved a big step. He moved in with then Richmond captain Kane Johnson, who became a significant mentor, but pined for his hometown.
He missed his father, mother Tara and brother and his mates, despite being thrilled with making his senior debut for Richmond in round four of his first season.
He loved Melbourne life, but went home every chance he got. If the Tigers played on a Friday night, he’d fly to Adelaide on Saturday morning and return Sunday night.
“It took a bit to settle in and realise that Melbourne was my home and would be for as long as I could make it,” he said.
"I was going back and forth to Adelaide as much as I could and there was really no point in taking my clothes out of the suitcase.”
But he found his feet. He lived with a host family for a period before spending a year with then Tiger Will Thursfield, and then it was back to Johnson’s place.
On the field, Edwards has played a variety of roles from half-back to half-forward, with stints through the midfield.
While the change in responsibilities has made it hard for fans to decide where his best position is, he believes it’s made him a better player – especially after spending half of 2009 playing on forwards.
“That was a pretty valuable experience,” he said.
“It was important, learning what makes them so hard to play on. I can make sure I do that now.
“Sometimes, when you get in a form slump, you think that could be the reason – because you’re getting moved around, you can’t get settled and get used to a position.
“But it’s much better looking at it as a positive; the fact you can influence the game in different areas.”
That influence isn’t lost on his teammates. Dan Jackson recently said when Edwards plays well, the team usually does too.
“He’s a silent assassin in a way. Internally we know the value he brings to our side; maybe not necessarily to the outside world, but he’s one of the most loved guys at our club, the boys just love playing with him, they express that all the time,” Jackson said.
“The way he uses the ball under pressure and in traffic is up there with the best in the competition.”
Finding his voice has been another important part of Edwards’ development. He confessed to being shy – even today at 25 – but has made it a focus to become more vocal.
He said the biggest difference from the draftee who couldn’t cook or use household appliances to the person he is today is how he sees himself at Richmond.
It’s something that’s changed dramatically for him in the past two years as he’s neared his latest milestone.
“I always felt like one of the least experienced players and that the young guys would rather hear from the guys who have more experience,” he said.
“Now I sort of think I’m actually pretty experienced. If I’ve got something to say, I should definitely say it because I’ve done something well to actually get here.
“I’ve been speaking up more in the last few years and backing myself in what I think and how I look at what sort of player I am and not trying to be another player – just trying to be the player I am.”
PROUD HERITAGE
Recognising and celebrating his indigenous heritage is something Edwards believes has helped him come out of his shell.
He is the only indigenous player on Richmond’s list and is called on each season for media requests leading into the club’s Dreamtime at the ’G clash with Essendon.
It’s only in the past few years the AFL world became aware of Edwards’ heritage, which is something he’s always been proud of but his quiet nature meant he didn’t broadcast it.
Since, he has talked openly about his maternal great-grandmother being part of the Stolen Generation that hailed from the Arrernte tribe in central Australia.
He has visited Santa Teresa, a community an hour out of Alice Springs where he can trace his relatives to for what he called “the biggest moment of my life”.
It has all done wonders for Edwards. He is proud of his background, is honoured his teammates want to know more about it and loves feeling special every Dreamtime game.
“It’s definitely helped me as a player – and as a person,” Edwards said.
“(Talking about it) threw me in the deep end a bit because I still consider myself to be shy, but I feel like I’ve got a lot of responsibility now.
“I’ve no doubt it’s helped with everything in my life. It’s made me more proud of what I’m doing.”
