Alex Rance on the Gold Coast with shock comeback rumour ‘catching fire’Seven
6 September 2023Rance has been linked to a wild comeback rumour after news broke that his AFL Academy schools were closing down.
Speaking on Channel 7’s new show Talking Finals, the recently retired Cotchin said Rance had moved to Queensland.
Talking Finals host James Brayshaw said the ”elephant in the room” was indeed Rance.
“Is there any chance (Hardwick) could talk him into playing?” Brayshaw asked.
Rance has three elite Academy AFL schools in Essendon, Geelong and Wangaratta, but they are shutting down with the five-time All-Australian telling families that the program was no longer “feasible”.
“So, that’s brought us to this point now where 2023 will be the final year of The Academy program,” he said in a statement.
He admitted he was devastated by the closure and cited a student drop-off during COVID and a teacher shortage as to why they had stumbled upon resource issues.
Rance was champion full-back for Richmond, a best-and-fairest winner, a club leader and a premiership player.
He retired at the end of 2019 but only managed one game that season after injuring his knee in the third quarter of the opening game.
He is only 33 now but turns 34 in October.
Cotchin didn’t rule out a shock return and said “maybe there’s a twinkling heartbeat there”.
“But the game is very hard and he is a little bit older than when he did leave it,” Cotchin said.
“In saying that, I have seen recent pictures of his rig and he is in good nick. It is just whether or not he has the appetite to do it.”
Speaking on SEN, former Melbourne great Garry Lyon said the rumours of a shock Rance return were “catching fire”.
Lyon said he had been told that Rance recently competed in a “strongman CrossFit event” and finished in the top 10.
He said he had been told Rance was still “as fit as a fiddle”.
Lyon then read a text message that had been sent to him.
“I confirm that’s the word around the Gold Coast members,” the message said.
“He’s up here now. He’s been around the club.”
Lyon’s colleague and Channel 7 commentator Tim Watson wondered if Rance had bought property in Queensland.
Lyon said: “I don’t know whether people are putting one and one together and coming up with 50.”
It was put to Lyon that coming back after a long absence was very tough, no matter how great the player was at the peak of their powers.
But Lyon pointed to defender Liam Jones, who is playing with the Western Bulldogs and sat out the 2022 season due to the AFL’s COVID vaccine policy.
“He came back pretty well .... (it was only a year) but he wasn’t Alex Rance, though,” Lyon said.
https://7news.com.au/sport/afl/alex-rance-and-dustin-martin-on-the-gold-coast-with-shock-comeback-rumour-catching-fire-c-11809256
