Troy Simmonds

D.O.B:    
13 July 1978
Club:    
Richmond
Honours:  
1999 Pre-Season Draft No. 9 (Melbourne)
1999 AFL Debut (Melbourne)
2001 National AFL Draft (Fremantle)
2004 NAB AFL (Richmond)
2006 Richmond 3rd Best and Fairest

Recruited from Box Hill by Melbourne in the 1999 pre-season draft, Troy has developed into one of the competition’s premier big men.

Troy managed five games during his first season, before playing 22 (including the 2000 Grand Final) the following year. The shadow of Jeff White ensured he was traded to Fremantle, at the end of 2001, where he thrived.

He managed 64 games in three seasons which resulted in Fremantle rapidly improving, as Simmonds played a vital role in their surge. A three-way trade at the end of 2004 allowed Simmonds to return home, with Richmond winning his coveted signature.

In 2005, his first season with the Tigers, Troy slowly settled into his new club providing both a rucking and forward option. Having set this solid foundation with the new club, Troy looked set to have a great 2006 and he did just that. He played 21 games for the year managing 386 hitouts which was ranked sixth in the AFL and kicked 25 goals. This brilliant performance saw him finish third in the Jack Dyer Medal, Richmond’s Best & Fairest award.

Unfortunately in 2007, Troy had a nagging ankle injury for much of the first half of the season before a he managed to string 6 games together without injury until he suffered a potentially life-threatening blood clot on his lung. He was sorely missed as the club had to continually play undersized and inexperienced players in the ruck.

The Tigers will be looking at Troy to provide valuable leadership to the younger players at the club both in 2008 as well as in the future.