Alex Rance retirement plans: Richmond finals 2017, All-Australian defender on what has changed at Tigers, quitting footySeptember 23, 2017
Max Laughton
FOX SPORTSALEX Rance has revealed what has changed at Richmond to help them break their 16-year finals duck while also stating that he has “a pretty good idea” of when his career will end.
The Richmond defender heavily considered walking away from footy in 2014 before signing a contract extension which has him tied to the Tigers until the end of 2019.
Rance told AFL Tonight he isn’t thinking about the end of his illustrious career yet, and isn’t sure whether the potential of a premiership would hasten the close.
“If I had left, there would have been something else in my life that I would have been enjoying, whether it was my family or travelling overseas or something like that,” he said on Fox Sports News.
“But I’m extremely grateful that the club has given me the opportunity to stay around and that we can have some fun together now.
“I’ve got a pretty good idea of when would be enough time for me. Whether that gets lengthened or shortened (by winning a flag), I don’t really know. It would have to be a bit of an in the moment type decision.”
After a 2016 season full of disappointing results on the field as well as attempted board coups and a senior coach under major pressure, this year has been a raging success for Richmond.
The Tigers head into a home preliminary final on Saturday as favourites, with a real chance to play in their first Grand Final since 1982.
Rance credited Richmond footy boss Neil Balme, who joined the club at the end of last year, as helping fix the team’s culture.
“Balmey was a huge introduction for us. There was a bit more connection between the coaching staff, admin and then the playing group,” he said.
“A lot of it was based around embracing your vulnerabilities and not feeling that you had to put up this strong bravado of a man’s man. If you wanted to be vulnerable, be vulnerable.
“That really creates connection and if you’re trying to lead people, you have to have that connection, because they’re not going to want to follow you if they don’t like you as a person or believe that you don’t care about them.”
Rance explained that the team is a lot more relaxed now than it was last season.
“I think what we were doing last year was a little bit of analysis paralysis as individuals and a coaching staff. We were trying to fit a square peg into a round hole,” he said.
“This year it’s been know yourself as an individual, and what your x-factor is, and just go and do it. And have fun out on the field — you shouldn’t be thinking out on the field because you play your best footy when you’re playing on instinct.
“We’ve been playing a really good, instinctual, hard defensive game this year which has brought us the success that we’re after.”
https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/alex-rance-on-what-has-changed-at-richmond-to-produce-2017-success-knowing-when-he-wants-to-retire/news-story/53f8b0e1b1a84fec6eaa8d92beb160e7
