Australian Football

One of the AFL's last non-draftees, Stuart Maxfield was recruited by Richmond from Glen Waverley Rovers, and made his senior league debut for the Tigers in 1990. Strong, courageous and pacy, he developed into a fine wingman or half forward flanker, and was a key contributor to Richmond's 1995 finals campaign, the club's first since 1982. In 1996 he crossed to Sydney, and was a member in his first season of the Swans' losing grand final team against North Melbourne. Highly professional in his outlook, he was appointed Sydney's captain in 2003, and still officially held the role when he retired two seasons later. Tragically for Maxfield, however, a knee injury limited him to just five appearances in his final season, and he missed the club's historic four point grand final win over West Coast. Swans coach Paul Roos later paid glowing tribute to Maxfield when he described him as vying with Bob Skilton and Paul Kelly for the mantle of the greatest captain in the club's history. Stuart Maxfield played a total of 289 AFL games, comprising 60 with Richmond, and precisely 200 with the Swans. He booted 152 goals. (Coincidentally, Maxfield's replacement as captain after his enforced retirement, Barry Hall, also ended his career with a total of 289 games.)

Author - John Devaney