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PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
Chaffey Ponders Future
By Tony Greenspin for spittle.com.au
Nuggety Richmond defender Mark Chaffey faces a difficult dilemma as the 2006 season comes to a close. Out of contract and under pressure to retain his spot ahead of a brigade of emerging young Tiger talent, Chaffey is considering how much more football his injury-prone body can take.
“I’d like to bow out of the game on my own terms,” he said, “whether that’s now or in 3 years time”.
Chaffey admitted that only a few weeks ago he had pondered retirement after a wretched season dogged from the start by osteitis pubis. “Three weeks ago my only goal was to get one final game in round 22 against the Eagles,” he said. “What kept me going was the thought of being chaired off the MCG by my teammates while the Tiger faithful cheered.”
He said that he was savouring every moment now that he has earned a regular berth in the Tigers’ best 22. “Every kick I think of as perhaps my last,” he said. “Against Carlton today, when I kicked across the full back line and it went out of bounds I thought: ‘That could have been my last clanger’. But then I realised that it probably wasn’t and got on with the game.”
The 28-year-old said he thought he still had “a few good years left at the top level in a young side needing some experienced players”, and was looking forward to opening contract negotiations with Kevin Sheedy.
By Tony Greenspin for spittle.com.au
Nuggety Richmond defender Mark Chaffey faces a difficult dilemma as the 2006 season comes to a close. Out of contract and under pressure to retain his spot ahead of a brigade of emerging young Tiger talent, Chaffey is considering how much more football his injury-prone body can take.
“I’d like to bow out of the game on my own terms,” he said, “whether that’s now or in 3 years time”.
Chaffey admitted that only a few weeks ago he had pondered retirement after a wretched season dogged from the start by osteitis pubis. “Three weeks ago my only goal was to get one final game in round 22 against the Eagles,” he said. “What kept me going was the thought of being chaired off the MCG by my teammates while the Tiger faithful cheered.”
He said that he was savouring every moment now that he has earned a regular berth in the Tigers’ best 22. “Every kick I think of as perhaps my last,” he said. “Against Carlton today, when I kicked across the full back line and it went out of bounds I thought: ‘That could have been my last clanger’. But then I realised that it probably wasn’t and got on with the game.”
The 28-year-old said he thought he still had “a few good years left at the top level in a young side needing some experienced players”, and was looking forward to opening contract negotiations with Kevin Sheedy.