In the 14th of a Bingle Recruitment Zone special series, featuring 20 highlights from Richmond’s trade/draft history during the off-season, we focus on how Shane Tuck thrived at Tigerland after flying the Hawks’ nest.
Shane Tuck was keen to make a name for himself, at the game’s highest level, when he arrived at Hawthorn via the 2000 AFL Rookie Draft.
His father, Michael Tuck, had played in seven premierships with the Hawks, captained them, and earned an awesome reputation as one of their all-time greats throughout a VFL/AFL record 426 games.
And, his uncle was a fairly handy player, too . . . Gary Ablett snr.
Young Tuck had shown some promise while playing at TAC Cup level with the Dandenong Stingrays, but Hawthorn wasn’t prepared to claim him under the league’s father-son rule.
The Hawks subsequently provided Tuck with an opportunity on their rookie list, but after three frustrating, injury-riddled seasons he was delisted.
Tuck then received an invitation from former Hawthorn and Adelaide ruckman, Shaun Rehn, to join him at SANFL club West Adelaide, where he had taken over as senior coach.
He took Rehn up on the offer, and proceeded to produce some top-class football with West Adelaide throughout the 2003 season.
Richmond’s recruiters had been tracking Tuck’s progress at West Adelaide, and liked what they saw.
The Tigers made their move on Tuck, taking him with their sixth selection in the 2003 AFL National Draft.
Here’s what the Club’s then Director of Football, Greg Miller, had to say, at the time, about Richmond’s mature-age recruit (Tuck would turn 22 on Christmas Eve, 2003).
“Shane was on the Hawthorn rookie list for three years, but was plagued with injuries . . . he just struggled to get on the track and play some footy. When Shaun Rehn (former Adelaide and Hawthorn ruckman) got the coaching job at West Adelaide, he rang Shane, because he knew he was a bit of a talent. Shane played primarily in the midfield for West Adelaide. He’s a 190cm wingman, half-back/half-forward, who did some tagging roles on ‘talls’ as well with West Adelaide, and even did some of the ruckwork occasionally. He had a really good year with West Adelaide. He’s got the Tuck pedigree and, hopefully, he’s going to be one of those kids who matures late and keeps on getting better with age. Shane’s the first to admit that we’ve given him a chance to prove that he’s an AFL player. He’s got a lot of work to do, but he hasn’t been tried at the top level when he’s been fit and healthy. So, at 21 now, and with a clean bill of health, he gets a chance to prove that he can play at the level. He’s got good running ability, he’s hard at it, he’s good in one-on-one contests, and his skills are sound.”
Tuck made a slow start to his Richmond career, having to wait until Round 14 of the 2004 season to make his AFL debut, against Brisbane at the Gabba.
Just two more senior appearances followed that year and, at season’s end, Tuck’s name was in the Tigers’ delisting frame.
Ultimately, it came down to a choice between Tuck and fellow midfielder Tim Fleming, for the one remaining spot on Richmond’s senior list.
Given the fact Tuck senior had been a late bloomer at Hawthorn, the Tigers opted to take a punt on Tuck junior, and retained his services.
It proved to be a particularly wise decision . . .
Tuck, with his superb ball-winning ability, toughness, consistency, durability and resilience proceeded to provide the Richmond side with enormous value over the next decade.
Admittedly, there were some times throughout Tuck’s Tigerland tenure, where he fell out of favor with the coaching group.
On each occasion, however, he showed tremendous resolve to fight back and restore his reputation as a mighty midfield warrior – one of the competition’s premier inside ‘mids’.
