Ted Richards Biography

Ted Richards is inducted into the Swans' Hall of Fame in front of a packed house at The Star.

Ted Richards says players being tested for concussion should be assessed by independent doctors rather than by club medical staff.

Richards was concussed against Hawthorn in round nine last year and would play only two more senior games for the rest of the season before he retired after the Swans' Grand Final loss.

It was an injury he suffered on the football field more than six times in his career, including his junior days.

"I don't have any ongoing effects. I'm of the opinion, and I'm very happy with how the Swans looked after me, but I'd like to see an unbiased medical officer, a doctor, make the call," Richards said.

"I don't want any conflict of interest."

A quirk in the NEAFL fixture has forced Sydney Swans veteran Ted Richards to accept a one-game suspension, or risk ruining his chances of forcing his way back into the senior side this year.

Richards was reported for rough conduct in the first quarter of the Swans' 135-point win over the Brisbane Lions in the reserves on Saturday, and accepted a one-match ban.

"I'm a bit flat because I didn't think there was anything in it at the time, so I've accepted it, but I'm pretty disappointed," Richards told RSN radio.

"Unfortunately we had to look at the situation in context, and if I was to challenge it and fail, it was going to be hard to push my case without playing footy for three weeks.

"I reckon if it was earlier in the year I would have challenged it, but I just had to take it."

Ted Richards says he will fight for more senior games, despite telling his teammates that the 2016 season will be his last in the AFL.

"I'm quite excited about what the next two months hold, I've got a challenge in front of me and I'm up for it," he said.

"If it so happens that I don't (play again) I'm quite content, but I'm not going to concede, and I will try my best to make it hard for 'Horse' (John Longmire) and the match committee not to pick me each week."

Sydney Swans veteran and AFL Players' Association board member Ted Richards says players are unhappy at being ignored by the AFL over their calls for two mid-season bye weeks for every club.

"There's a lot of merit to having two byes evenly scattered throughout the season for all teams," Richards said.

"It's great for the physical rest it gives your body.

"I think most teams give four to five days away from the club, but that mental side (is important) too, where you can reset yourself and take a weekend off.

"Whether you go away with your family or maybe still even watch some football, you don't have that pressure (on you) to get yourself up for the next game."

Ted Richards is in doubt for the Swans this week as he recovers from concussion.

Richards landed heavily after taking a courageous mark in the first quarter of the Swans' 14-point win over Hawthorn and played no further part in the game.

"Obviously, we're not going to take any risks," Swans coach John Longmire said.

"It gets down to what the doctor says, in conjunction with Teddy."

Ted Richards has been ruled out for at least two weeks after having surgery on Monday to repair a fractured eye socket.

The 33-year-old suffered the injury in the second quarter of the Swans' 39-point win over West Coast at the SCG last Saturday.

Despite the wound, the experienced defender played out the game and was awarded best-on-ground honours.

Ted Richards will play on in 2016 after signing one-year new deal with Sydney.

"I still think I'm capable of playing some bloody good football," Richards said.

"Footy comes down to enjoyment, passion and capability. For a lot of guys injuries bring on the end of their careers. Fortunately for me I've played almost 100 consecutive games without missing.

"I knew physically I was capable and it was just a matter of sitting down and working it out."

The Match Review Panel should have penalised Jay Schulz's sling tackle on Ted Richards in the same way it did Bryce Gibbs' tackle on Robbie Gray, AFL football operations manager Mark Evans says.

Evans met with MRP members on Monday to discuss the guidelines relating to rough tackles, when he instructed them that when (a) a player's arms were pinned in a tackle and (b) he was taken to ground with force they had to be "far more protective" of the player's head.

Evans told reporters on Monday evening the MRP decision to clear Schulz's tackle had erroneously focused on the differences between it and Gibbs' round 12 tackle that attracted a two-week penalty for rough conduct.

Upon releasing its verdict, the MRP said of Schulz's round 14 tackle: "The tackle was undertaken in one continuous motion, with no secondary action."

On Monday, Evans conceded it was a wrong decision.

"It's caused us a deal of concern on reflection over the last week. While last week I accepted the MRP's determination on some of the differences particularly between the Gibbs tackle and the Schulz tackle, I don't think we've processed that one correctly," Evans said.

"What we should have focused on was the fact that Ted Richards' arms were pinned, he was in a very vulnerable position and he was taken to ground with some force.

"We think that on reflection he should have been charged with rough conduct very similar to the way that Gibbs was charged.

"I've instructed the MRP today that we should have taken greater consideration to where a player's arms have been pinned and he's been rotated towards the ground the way that [Schulz] was ? we need to be far more protective of players' heads."

Ted Richards will extend his AFL career into a 14th season after re-signing with the Swans for 2015.

Ted Richards will play his 200th game this week against Collingwood and former Sydney coach Paul Roos says poaching the defender from Essendon at the end of 2005 was one of the best decisions he has ever made.

"There is no doubt that the 2012 Grand Final showed the player that Ted has become," Roos wrote in a column for the Herald Sun.

"After a very tough battle with "Buddy" Franklin in the first three quarters, he could have easily dropped his bundle and in fact this would more likely have happened in the early part of his career with the Swans.

"But the now-confident Richards went on to be one of the Swans' most important players in the last quarter, reading the ball and winning critical contests. As Ted runs out tonight he has established himself as one of the most popular members of the team."

Despite turning 30 in 2013, Ted Richards believes his best football is yet to come.

"I was watching footy the other night and they were talking about some player coming to the peak of their career and he was 23," Richards said.

"If that's the case, I'm definitely an exception to the rule.

"Right now I'm really enjoying my footy and I think that has a lot to do with how you play, so hopefully it continues. The optimist in me thinks that this year could be even better than last year."

Veterans Ted Richards and Lewis Roberts-Thomson will be Swans for life after signing new deals that will keep them at Sydney until the end of 2014.

"Ted is coming off a personal best season in 2012 that saw him named All Australian after playing on some of the game's biggest and best forwards," Sydney Swans general manager Dean Moore said.

"He is an important member of our leadership group, so it is pleasing to have him re-sign.

"Lewis is born and bred here in New South Wales and is a club life member so we are obviously very excited to have him extend his career at the Swans."

Josh Kennedy's fairytale season continues, scoring a record total in the Swans' best and fairest.

With 877 votes, Kennedy won the award by 172 votes from fellow All Australian Ted Richards, and Norm Smith medallist Ryan O'Keefe in third.

"Every year we implore our players to improve and in the three seasons he has been at our club, Josh has just kept getting better and better," Sydney head coach John Longmire said.

"To poll votes in every game is an outstanding achievement in itself and is testament to his consistency this season."

Sydney defender Ted Richards says his aimagainst Israel Folau during the Swan's clash against GWS was to negate the Giant's athletic abilities.

"His ability to run and jump at the ball without any pressure, it's his real strength. He gets up high," Richards said.

"I was very conscious of stopping him before he could run and jump at the ball and get on someone else's shoulders."

A year ago Sydney Swans defender Ted Richards was looking to Sweden to continue his football career, this week he will play his 150th game against his old club Essendon.

"Last year I was thinking 'If I'm not going to be playing football, what would I be doing?'," Richards said.

"My older brother lives in Sweden and things like that come into your mind; I'd go over and study and do something different. I go over there from time to time and I would've gone over there for a year or two and just do something different, but I'm very happy here.

"I was fortunate enough to finish last season off quite well and I was able to keep going with footy here."

Sydney Swans defender Ted Richards has been released from hospital after four days of treatment for injuries suffered in last Saturday's horrific on-field clash with Carlton's Brendan Fevola.

The 105kg Fevola's knee broke four of Richards' ribs - two of them twice - and punctured a lung but the defender was all smiles as he left Melbourne's Alfred Hospital on Wednesday night.

"I'm feeling better. I'm just excited about being able to get out of here," he said.

"I've spent a while in here and I got a bit sick and tired of sitting in the same bed watching TV. Midday TV is not too good.

"Blood and fluid was getting into my lung and they had to drain that out. It was just a matter of getting all that out before I was allowed to go home but the lung has come up really well."

Paul Roos has paid tribute to Ted Richards who was taken to hospital after a heavy collision with teammate Craig Bolton and Carlton's Brendan Fevola.

"He really is a courageous player but unfortunately things like that happen from time to time and I'm sure Teddy would agree with that," Roos said.

"But it was a courageous act and the real positive is that he's okay and hopefully he's up and about soon."

Swans defender Ted Richards has punctured a lung and broken a rib after an accidental collision with Brendan Fevola during Sydney's clash with Carlton and will miss the rest of the season.

"He's broken a rib and punctured his lung, and he's off to hospital now," coach Paul Roos said after the match.

"He's okay. I just saw him in the rooms there, so they'll get him off to hospital and do what they have to do as quick as they possibly can."