Alex Rance Biography

Alex Rance joins Essendon as a part-time development coach, working with the Bombers' key-position and young players.

Alex Rance is back in the AFL system, joining Bombers coach Ben Rutten in a part-time development role at Essendon.

Rance will work the Bombers' key-position and young players alongside development coaches Leigh Tudor and Cam Roberts.

Harris Andrews says he has modeled his game after Alex Rance and Jeremy McGovern.

"(Rance) has probably got a little bit more athleticism than me, but I've watched countless hours of him and Jeremy McGovern, and the way they go about their footy," Andrews said.

"And certainly taking that next step as a defender, and not just locking down your bloke, but your ability to win the ball back is something in the modern day which is extremely important.

"Watching footage of those guys and how they position themselves at stoppages and the way they work with their teammates to create opportunities - it cannot be understated how important it is to have a good back six (defenders)."

Alex Rance admits he hasn't totally shut the door on a return to AFL football.

"I love the game and I love what I have contributed and I am not going to completely rule out the fact that I could come back," Rance said on RRR radio.

"But at this stage, I'm really happy with the life balance that I have and I don't regret any of my time spent at Richmond because it made me who I am.

"I know that if I go back to playing for Richmond I am going to love it so much that it's going to consume my life and my balance is going to go out again so I'm happy where I'm at."

Richmond's football manager concedes Alex Rance's return to the Tigers is increasingly unlikely.

"In the back of our minds, we are still hoping that he might think about coming back but that's getting less likely I think," Balme told SEN radio.

"I did think that (he would return) but it was probably more optimism than any evidence. He's such a strong-minded kid that he doesn't tell you things for the fun of it, so we have to accept the fact that maybe it is the end for him.

"It will be disappointing because he is such a wonderful player but in the end, as a club, you've just got to cope with it because it's something the individual wants to do."

Alex Rance announces his shock retirement, expressing a wish to spend more time on his family and his religion as a Jehovah's Witness.

"It was really tough because I love those boys, I care about them a lot, but it's now time for me to look after my own happiness and growth," Rance said.

"I was split between two worlds but I don't regret a thing because I've learnt so much across the journey and met so many amazing people.

"But I wish I had've been more honest with myself to understand what makes me happy and what I need.

"The main focus of my life (now) is my spiritual growth ... to just devote more time and energy to that."

Toby Nankervis credits Alex Rance as being an inspiration during his periods of rehab in 2019.

"It is challenging at times, you have to train away from the main group and I've never had to do it before. You are by yourself a lot of the time," Nankervis said.

"Alex Rance as well has been an absolute monster in rehab, he's trained harder than probably anyone I've seen and the way he's attacked it gives me such strength as well.

"He's been there the whole time, throughout everything, he's been in there … you just look at the way he goes about it and it just gives everyone a boost."

Alex Rance won't play again in 2019 after pulling the pin on an unlikely comeback since tearing the ACL in his right knee in the season-opener against Carlton.

"The thing that I couldn't control – and no one really can – is the graft itself, and how well that knits within my knee. So that's one thing that's a real unknown and something the club and I had to think good and hard about whether we were going to take that risk or not," Rance said.

"Some things that I wasn't willing to risk was the game-day emotional toll that a re-injury could have taken, and also the rotation. If I came back in a final and ruptured my knee, and that cost us the game, then I'd never be able to forgive myself."

Alex Rance will miss the remainder of the 2019 season after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in Ridhmond's 33-point win over Carlton.

"It is what it is, there's injuries all the time. I'm just grateful that I have the life that I have and have the people around me that I do," Rance said, remaining positive despite the shattering news.

"It's still pretty raw. I'm just trying to focus on all the great things in my life at the moment. I'm not too down. It was a beautiful full moon last night, we get the win, fresh meat in the armour, there's plenty to celebrate."

Sam Taylor earns the 2018 round 17 Rising Star nomination for his defensive efforts in the Giants' win over Richmond at Spotless Stadium.

"Sam's one of those rare beasts who's very quietly spoken but becomes a competitive beast once he gets on the field. He hates to be beaten," GWS boss Wayne Campbell said.

"He has really good speed, seems to be able to make up ground, and has really good courage, so he can spoil the ball, then win it at ground level.

"He understands when he's got the ball he needs to be a bit conservative with it, so he's got a good understanding of his all-round game."

Alex Rance is off the 2019 free agents list after signing a two-year extension with Richmond to remain at the club until the end of 2021.

"Never have I spent a time in my life where I've enjoyed work so much," Rance said.

"We enjoy each other's company on and off the field, and to be able to go out and play in front of so many people is a pretty amazing privilege for us to have."

Alex Rance says he won't change the way he plays despite being sanctioned for staging in round 11.

Rance was fined $1000 after playing for a free kick when bumped by Essendon's Shaun McKernan in the Tigers' Dreamtime at the 'G win, provoking competition-wide scrutiny questioning his actions.

"I think I'll just keep playing my way. It happened, I accepted the sanction and moved on," Rance said.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick fires back at critics of Alex Rance who was fined $1,000 for staging in the Tigers' win over Essendon.

"I was really disappointed in the commentary. He's a champion of the game and I don't think we need to be saying it's a stain on his career," Hardwick said.

"I found that really disappointing, and I think there will be a lot of people embarrassed by the commentary if we go back and look at their career."

Alex Rance has doubts about whether Richmond should be going after Gold Coast co-captain Tom Lynch as a free agent, arguing that it may unsettle the club's list management and team structure.

"I don't necessarily believe that we should be upsetting the apple cart, to go and chase a big fish ... he (Lynch) is the big tuna," Rance said.

"I think you always have to look at the big picture when it comes to these things."

Alex Rance can't guarantee he will play on beyond 2019, admitting he constantly considers when he should walk away from the game.

"Physically, I feel like I could play for a long, long time," Rance said.

"But am I going to play until my legs give out, or am I going to play until I want to pursue something else with as much hunger and passion as I do football?"

Rance says he lives his life "off the cuff" and does not have a plan laid out for the rest of his AFL career.

"I don’t want to set myself a 10-year plan and that, ‘You’ve got to do all these things’, because it’s like — where’s the excitement in that?" he said.

"I take every year how it comes and see how it feels, which is probably not what the club wants to hear. I’ve got this year and next year and who knows after that."

Tigers assistant coach Justin Leppitsch says Alex Rance could be the best full-back of all time.

"You can only really play to your era and what your era provides, and in my era we didn't press up and down the field as much as they do nowadays, you sat back a bit more, whereas 'Rancey' has got that run to get up and back, which is a bit different to the (full-backs) of the past," Leppitsch said.

"Amongst his peers in this era he's definitely the best (full-back), no doubt, and he's in the conversation for the best of all time."

Dustin Martin caps off a season of individual brilliance with his second consecutive Jack Dyer medal as Richmond's best and fairest for 2017.

Martin claiming the medal with 89 votes from key defender Alex Rance (80 votes), with half-forward/midfielder Kane Lambert (76) a surprise third after a career-best season.

"It's been an awesome year and we all deserve it," Martin said of the Tigers' premiership in 2017.

"I just love getting out there with all the boys, playing footy and you don't have to think about all the other crap in your life for those two hours, you just get out there and play footy like I've loved since I was five or six."

Alex Rance has been rewarded with the captaincy of the Virgin Australia AFL All Australian team after another brilliant season.

At the Palais Theatre in St Kilda, Rance was picked in the side for the fourth-straight season.

A humbled Rance admitted to knowing in advance he had been awarded the honour, which came for the first time in his career.

"It's a bit embarrassing, to be totally honest. There's so many super players up here," Rance said.

"I found out pretty early on in the night because I had a look at my jacket and it had the 'C'.

"Standing in front of 'Buddy' Franklin, Josh Kennedy, Joel Selwood, these guys who are true champions of the game. I'm sort of just making up the numbers."

Geelong coach Chris Scott has called for a tougher stance on players staging for free kicks after Alex Rance was cleared by the Match Review Panel.

In the dying minutes of the third quarter of the Swans' nine-point win against Richmond, Lance Franklin and Rance engaged in a shoving match with the Tiger awarded a free kick after going to ground.

"I think if you do it over a period of time, the players that have had this accusation levelled at them over the last say five or six years would say, 'Don't get into habit of doing it because it'll be really hard to break (and) once it's hard to break, you develop a reputation for it'," Scott said.

St Kilda coach Alan Richardson concurred with Scott.

"Rance is not someone that does this often, if at all, but if he kept doing it, he's going to cop it from the media (and) he's going to cop it from the crowd eventually – that can have a real impact," Richardson said.

Alex Rance admits he was wrong about teammate Richmond Jack Riewoldt, declaring the star forward is one of the best leaders he's ever seen at the Tigers.

"I can definitely resonate with the frustrations and things that he went through over the past few years, but I can safely say that I was wrong about a lot of my judgements on his leadership over the past few years," Rance said.

"This year he's been arguably one of the best leaders we've ever had at our football club. We've got a really strong three in Jack, Trent [Cotchin] and myself. We are really trying to steer the ship in the right direction and get the most out of everyone else.

"Jack's been one of the main drivers towards that and I couldn't be more proud of him."

Alex Rance and fellow Tigers Brandon Ellis, Sam Lloyd and Daniel Rioli meet the fastest man in history, Usain Bolt, at the Puma store in Melbourne for a jumper presentation.

Alex Rance is positioning himself as a next-generation television star, signing on as a travel show presenter.

Rance has inked a deal with Channel Nine to present stories on Sunday evening lifestyle show Postcards as well as his own new segment on The Footy Show.

"Every now and then a player stands out from the crowd and we think Alex does that, and he’s a natural on screen,” said Nine programming executive Tim Cleary said of Rance.

Dustin Martin wins Richmond's best and fairest for the first time, capping a career-best season that has seen him overcome personal adversity to flourish.

Martin edged fellow 2016 All Australian Alex Rance by one vote to take home the Jack Dyer Medal, polling 62 votes in a thrilling count at Crown Palladium.

Captain and three-time winner Trent Cotchin finished third (51 votes).

"I'd like to thank Peggy (O'Neal), the board and Brendon (Gale) for sticking by me," Martin said.

"'Choco' (Mark Williams), as every year, you've helped take my game to another level and I'm going to miss you around the club.

"I'm very blessed to have so many great people in my life and I'm very grateful for it."

Alex Rance accepts a two-match suspension for his crude strike to the back of Jack Watts' head in Richmond's clash against Melbourne.

The MRP, which had the option to upgrade the impact of Rance's hit because of the risk of serious injury, used a medical report from the Demons and assessed the strike as intentional conduct with medium impact the head.

Rance said he didn't want to be remembered for what he called a "stupid and emotional act".

"I've had some pretty low points in my career, but I think from a perspective of knowing better and knowing the person I want to be and the person I want to portray, absolutely," Rance said.

"It's a pretty low emotional time … I haven't been this low in a long time.

"It's something that I can't take back. It's going to be out there for good, and one thing I can pass on to the younger players now is to be so careful of your actions because often things like that stick.

"I'm absolutely remorseful for what I did and very frustrated at myself, because I know I've let my teammates down and I don't want that perception to be made of me."

A frustrated Alex Rance is seen to have struck Jack Watts in the back of the head when the Demon was on the lying on the ground after a marking contest in the late stages of Richmond's loss to Melbourne.

"He was disappointed with the action," Richmond coach Damien Hardwick told reporters after the game.

"It's unlike Alex, he was frustrated. But there's not much more I can say."

Richmond has made two additions to its leadership group for 2016, with midfielder Trent Cotchin retained for his fourth year as captain.

Reigning club champion Alex Rance has been added to the five-man leadership group, along with small forward Shane Edwards.

Vice-captains Brett Deledio and Ivan Maric remain in official leadership roles, which are voted on by the players in consultation with the coaches, while defenders Steven Morris and Troy Chaplin have been omitted.

Alex Rance wins his first Richmond best and fairest for the Tigers, capping a brilliant season just months after he considered walking away from the game.

Rance polled 76 votes to edge out midfielder Dustin Martin (60) and vice-captain Brett Deledio (54), receiving the Jack Dyer Medal at a sold-out Crown Palladium.

The AFL has defended umpire Shaun Ryan's decision to pay a free kick against Richmond defender Alex Rance for throwing the ball back in a "demonstrative" manner.

The incident occurred in the final quarter of the Tigers' loss to West Coast at the MCG last Friday night.

Rance was denied a mark with 16 minutes remaining in the match and was tackled to the ground by Eagle Josh Kennedy.

Angry at not being paid the mark, Rance threw the ball back with force to umpire Ryan who had called a ball up.

While Ryan caught the ball, he immediately penalised the Richmond star and awarded a free kick to the Eagles.

Head AFL umpires coach Hayden Kennedy said the manner in which Rance threw the ball back to Ryan was akin to verbal abuse.

"We're more than happy that's a free kick," Kennedy said.

"Shaun Ryan the umpire on the day felt that this was a very demonstrative action from Alex. I know [the throw] doesn't look terribly hard from the slow motion vision, but we're certainly in a situation where we've got community in mind.

"We can't have players been demonstrative toward umpires whether it's through their body language or the way they throw balls back."

Alex Rance says he seriously considered walking away from the game before signing a new deal with Richmond.

"If I thought football was going to impact on my family, my beliefs or my relationship with my wife, then I would very seriously think about leaving the game," Rance said.

"But I'm very happy with the decision I made and I feel like it is the right decision."

Alex Rance signs a four-year deal with Richmond, putting the idea of early retirement and the lure of unrestricted free agency behind him and committed to the Tigers long-term.

"He's a person of great integrity so he wouldn't commit for four years if that wasn't what he intended to fulfil as a minimum," Richmond football manager Dan Richardson said.

"Once he'd reached the conclusion that he had, I think a longer term deal and the security of that was principally what he wanted to do.

"There wasn't really a discussion about anything else, in terms of [a potentially shorter] term."

Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale says he believes Alex Rance will remain a Tiger beyond 2015.

"He has some things in his life he values other than footy and we respect that so we are letting him work through those things in his own time," Gale told SEN radio.

"But that is coming to a head now. We need to plan for the future and build our list accordingly.

"Without going too far into it, I am very confident Alex will be a Richmond player."

Frustrated Richmond coach Damien Hardwick has demanded the AFL ban clubs from talking about their rivals' out-of-contract players until the free agency period opens.

He said the constant speculation around players coming out of contract had an impact on football clubs, but Hardwick refused to be drawn into a discussion about the exact nature of the impact.

Instead he slammed the current situation that allowed the Brisbane Lions to discuss the prospect of Richmond defender Alex Rance joining their club. Hardwick then cut the media conference short.

"Other clubs shouldn't be talking about Eddie Betts, Alex Rance, Patrick Dangerfield [or] Rory Sloane. It's inappropriate as far as I'm concerned," Hardwick said.

"From our point of view there is a trade period and a free agency period at the end of the year and this is where all this should be taken care of.

"It's just ridiculous we're talking about contracted players. We shouldn't be talking about wanting to have players come to our footy club."

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick says he is bullish on the chances of free agent Alex Rance re-signing with the club.

"We think we're in a good situation with Alex at the moment, the way he's playing is an outstanding brand of football," Hardwick said.

"He's playing well for our jumper, he's very happy where he is and I've got no doubts that he'll be here next year."

Alex Rance is weighing up his options for 2016, one which includes the possibility of walking away from the game.

The 25-year-old has many interests outside football, and has never viewed football as the be-and-end-all of his life.

"We'll support him fully as teammates and a footy club, for my sake fingers crossed it all gets sorted out," Tigers teammate Brett Deledio said when asked about Rance on Channel Nine.

"It certainly doesn't stand out judging by the way that he's playing at the moment, unbelievable passion and want to win every contest that he's in.

"Rancey's his own man and he'll come to whatever decision he wants to."

Tigers chief executive Brendon Gale says the club is confident it will re-sign star defender Alex Rance despite his reluctance to start contract negotiations.

"We will be happy to speak to Alex when he's good and ready," Gale said.

"We're very confident in the relationship he has with the club, he's very happy and settled here.

"He's been playing good football for a few years and we're confident Alex will be secured."

Alex Rance is set to become a free agent at the end of the 2015 season but Richmond coach Damien Hardwick believes he will stay at the club.

"Alex is an important player to us and he's been at the club now for eight years so it's part of his DNA," Hardwick said.

"With all free agency, it's part and parcel of what we do now and Alex knows he's a required player for us and that he's part of our family.

"He'll make the required decision when it's there to be [made], but we've got no doubt this is where he'll play his best footy, at the Richmond football club, and Alex realises that also."

Bachar Houli says he believes that teammate Alex Rance will reject the lure of free agency to remain a Tiger.

"I've got faith in him (Rance) that he'll stay. You don't want to see anyone leave, especially good players and good people," Houli said.

"Alex is another warrior who loves the club, loves success and being a part of that group, especially a young group growing up at Tigerland."

Alex Rance has revealed he met with Hawthorn to discuss a potential trade before recommitting to the Tigers.

Rance did not specify which season it was, but confirmed on Monday he talked about the prospect of joining the Hawks with then board member Jason Dunstall.

"Dimma (Richmond coach Damien Hardwick) by his own admission tried to trade me for a box of stubbies at that time," Rance said on Fox Footy.

Alex Rance hopes that working on his offence during the pre-season will help minimize or eliminate any 'brain fades' from his game.

"I've always thought that I'm quite decent at defending one-on-one and things like that, but it was the offensive brain fades that I'd get in trouble for a bit," Rance said.

"I'd turn the ball over a bit and probably cost us one or two goals a game, so if I can minimise that to one goal every couple of games, and then I save us two or three defensively, then that's going to be a win."

Alex Rance becomes latest Rchmond player to re-sign, committing to the Tigers for a further two years.

"We've got great depth in the side. We're just waiting on another couple of big names to sign up but I'm sure they're not far away," Rance said.

"Definitely it's good to see that young kids believe in the style of play we're playing and the wins help too."

Richmond assistant coach Justin Leppitsch admits the improvement of defender Alex Rance in 2011 caught the club by surprise.

"He probably caught the match committee by surprise a bit this year, by the amount he actually improved," Leppitsch said.

"He was able to hold down the key defensive post this season, showing fantastic leadership within his role."

Gutsy Richmond defender Alex Rance surprised his teammates yesterday, showing up for training just four days after a horrific collision with Brisbane Lions midfielder Troy Selwood.

Rance, his face still badly swollen, had plates and screws inserted into his cheekbone on Sunday to repair three small cracks in his face.

Richmond defender Alex Rance was recovering last night from surgery to insert plates and screws in his cheekbone.

"As soon as he went down, we knew he was out to it and I know my wife was pretty much beside herself, but we just got on our skates and got downstairs as quick as we could," Rance's father Murray said yesterday.

"We met him on the way in and he was still pretty much out to it then."

Richmond defender Alex Rance hopes he might miss only a fortnight after his horrific collision with Brisbane Lion Troy Selwood.

Brisbane coach Michael Voss was impressed with his team rallying around Troy Selwood who suffered from a sickening collision with Tiger Alex Rance after their win against Richmond.

"Every now again as a coach you get goose bumps about different things, and I got goose bumps when I saw that," Voss said on Monday.

"I thought 'that's what teamwork is all about' - when one of your mates puts his body on the line for you and is willing to hurt himself for the greater cause.

"When you see all the guys go over to him after the game and acknowledge that effort, it is spine tingling."

Richmond youngster Alex Rance is in hospital after a sickening head clash with Brisbane's Troy Selwood at the MCG today.

Demon Brad Green will miss six weeks after copping a broken jaw against Richmond.

Green sustained the injury after clashing with Tiger youngster Alex Rance at the 24-minute mark of the opening term. He immediately left the field and was taken to Epworth Hospital.

The Tigers are in a frightful mess but pleasing was Alex Rance, who in his second game, is still a little sloppy with the pill, but the same cannot be said of his attitude.

He started back yesterday, and finished in the middle and attacks as if his career hangs on every contest.