Resilience is the word that immediately springs to mind when evaluating the 99-game AFL career of Tiger Shane Edwards.

The 23-year-old endured a nightmarish start to his league career back in 2007, some further bumps along the way, but now seems to have found his niche in the Richmond line-up as a dangerous, small/medium-sized forward.

Edwards was recruited by the Tigers from SANFL club North Adelaide at pick 26 overall in the 2006 National Draft, and made his senior league debut in Round 4 of the 2007 season against the Western Bulldogs.

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Richmond lost to the Dogs by 32 points, and Edwards had to wait until Round 19 that season to sing the famous Tigers’ theme song, following an upset victory over Collingwood.

His first 12 games in the Yellow and Black resulted in 11 losses and a draw (against the Brisbane Lions).

After showing glimpses of his undoubted ability in his first three seasons for Richmond, Edwards has thrived under Damien Hardwick’s coaching guidance.

In Hardwick’s first season as coach, in 2010, Edwards finished sixth in the Jack Dyer Medal and won the Club’s Most Improved Player Award.

Last year, he finished in Richmond’s top 10 for inside-50 entries, handballs, hard-ball gets, contested marks and tackles.

This season, Edwards has blossomed in his role up forward.  Since moving there for the Dreamtime clash with Essendon in Round 8, he has booted 12 goals, to move into equal third place on the Tigers’ goalkicking list, with a total of 13.

“I think this year it’s been more about playing your role and trying to do your job every week . . ,” Edwards said in the lead-up to his 100th game, against Adelaide at AAMI Stadium this Saturday.

“He (Damien Hardwick) gives me a lot of confidence, just through the amount of opportunities he’s given me over the last couple of years.”

Edwards reflected on his achievement in reaching the 100-game milestone in typically modest, concise fashion . . .

“I’m just happy to be given the opportunity to play for such a great club,” he said.
The bonus for Edwards is that he’ll run out for his 100th game in front of family and friends in his home-town of Adelaide.

“Amazing it’s worked out like that . . . I’m really happy about it,” he said.

“I’ll have my parents and my little brother and a couple of really close mates there.”
Edwards anticipates a tough contest against an Adelaide side on the rebound from a surprise loss to North Melbourne last Sunday.

“We’re expecting them to come out all guns blazing and we’ll have to be at our best to match it,” he said.

“They’ve got a really potent forward line, with Tippett and Walker.  We’ve got to make sure we’re solid back there and also stop their midfield run.”

Edwards also was quick to reject claims Richmond’s draw became easier after the Round 14 clash with Adelaide.

“We don’t look at the draw, as such, opening up for us,” he said.

“Every game’s hard and it’s shown, with the upsets of late, that you have you have to be on your game against anyone, otherwise they beat you.

“So, there’s no easy draw.”