Xavier Richards Biography

Xavier Richards will have a point to prove when he lines up for the undefeated Sydney University against his former club, the Swans, in the NEAFL this week in Marrickville.

"I think every week he has had a point to prove, which is no different to any of our players. He's very competitive. He hasn't given up on the AFL dream but he's also balanced out his life really well with his personal life, work and study," Sydney University coach Tom Morrison said.

"I'd be staggered if he wasn't keen to play well and impress but probably no more so than any other week."

Former Sydney Swan Xavier Richards will play for Sydney University in the NEAFL this season.

In an apparent backflip from his unsuccessful request to be traded to a Melbourne club in October, Richards has opted to stay in the Harbour City to play at the lower level.

"He obviously had a lot of other clubs from all over the country, in particular from Melbourne, chasing after his signature," University coach Tom Morrison said.

"Part of my role is to get him back on to an AFL list as much as it is to make sure we perform well for the upcoming NEAFL season."

Xavier Richards is training with Essendon in a bid to restart his career.

"They just invited him to train and he will probably spend this week there," Richards' manager Phil Mullen said.

"[We'll] see how it all unfolds and I guess they will make a call from there. It is an opportunity for him to train as well."

Xavier Richards says he will be unperturbed if he doesn't get another AFL opportunity after being cut by the Swans.

"I'm not fazed by it," Richards told News Corp.

"Whatever happens, happens, I can study in Melbourne if that's the worst case and be with family and friends.

"Sydney has been great to me and I'm grateful for the time I had there. I decided Melbourne is home and that's where I should be. When you are younger you don't realise how important family and friends are."

Richards was offered a two-year deal to stay in Sydney but denies he left to chase more money at another club.

"I just decided I didn't want to be in Sydney for another two years," Richards said.

"It was a late decision for me, I just wanted to be back in Melbourne. I know a lot of people may not understand that but I think family and friends are more important.

"I've been in Sydney for four years and decided this wasn't for me."

Xavier Richards' manager Phil Mullen says clubs have shown interested in picking up his delisted client.

Mullen would not comment on whether Richards' request for a trade had anything to do with his dumping, but confirmed he hoped to play on elsewhere.

"There's been some interest, yes," Mullen said.

"We're waiting for the [delisted free agency] period to start and we'll go from there."

Xavier Richards suffers a dramatic fall from a Grand Final appearance after being delisted by the Swans in the space of just 26 days.

Richards had earlier rejected a two-year contract extension from the Swans and requested a trade to a Melbourne-based club during the NAB AFL Trade Period.

Xavier Richards has been unable to come to terms with Sydney on a new contract and has officially requested a trade.

"We’ve been in discussions with Xavier’s management through the back end of the year and to this point we haven’t been able to come to terms," Sydney head of football Tom Harley said.

"We will work with Xavier and his management to find a mutually beneficial outcome."

Xavier Richards says Lance Franklin has been a great mentor to him as well as the other young Swans forwards.

"Buddy has been super. He's a very intelligent footballer, he really understands the game," Richards said.

"He's been really good, telling me about leading patterns and some little tricks that I never knew before.

"He'll speak up in meetings, help during games and while we're training. He's a real leader in our forward line, we've got some young players and he really mentors a lot of us."

The Swans have shown their faith in Xavier Richards, re-committing to the young defender for the next two seasons as a senior-listed player.

Richards, the younger brother of Swans premiership full-back Ted, has played just one AFL game in his two seasons on the Swans' rookie list, coming on briefly as the Swans' substitute in round 14 against Carlton last year.

Xavier Richards makes his AFL debut for Sydney at the SCG with 1 disposals (a kick) in a 22-point win over Carlton.