Shane Tuck

Shane Tuck (24 December 1981 – 20 July 2020) was an Australian rules footballer who played 173 matches for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL) after also spending two years on the AFL list at Hawthorn without making an AFL appearance. Tuck was a life member at Richmond and placed in the top 10 of the club's "best and fairest" award in seven of his ten seasons at Richmond. His father is seven-time Hawthorn premiership player Michael Tuck.

Shane Tuck
Tuck with Richmond in May 2007
Personal information
Date of birth (1981-12-24)24 December 1981
Place of birth Victoria, Australia
Date of death 20 July 2020(2020-07-20) (aged 38)
Original team(s) Dandenong Stingrays (TAC Cup)
Draft No. 24, 2000 rookie draft
No. 73, 2003 national draft
Height 190 cm (6 ft 3 in)
Weight 92 kg (203 lb)
Position(s) Midfielder
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2004–2013 Richmond 173 (74)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2013.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Early life and junior football

Tuck played junior football at Beaconsfield in the suburbs of Melbourne, and played representative football with the Dandenong Stingrays in the TAC Cup.[1] In his draft-age year in 1999, Tuck also played with the Hawthorn reserves side in the AFL reserves competition.[2]

Playing career

Hawthorn (2001–2001)

After being overlooked by the club as a potential father–son rule selection at the 1999 national draft, Tuck was offered a rookie contract opportunity when selected by Hawthorn with the club's second selection and 24th pick overall in the 2000 rookie draft. He spent two seasons at Hawthorn without earning an AFL debut, instead playing reserves grade football with the club's VFL affiliate, the Box Hill Hawks. At the end of the 2001 AFL season, Tuck was delisted by Hawthorn.[2]

Local and state-league football (2002–2003)

Tuck played local football in the Mornington Peninsula League in 2002, before moving to South Australia to play with West Adelaide in the SANFL in 2003, where he began attracting the attention of AFL scouts.[1]

Richmond (2004–2013)

Tuck was drafted by Richmond with the club's six pick and the 73rd pick overall in the 2003 AFL Draft.[3] After spending much of the year playing reserves football with the club's VFL-affiliate Coburg, Tuck made his AFL debut in round 14 of the 2004 AFL season.[4]

In 2005, Tuck had a stellar season and played all 22 games Richmond were involved in.[5] He finished third in the club's best and fairest award that year.[6]

Tuck placed 10th in the club's best and fairest in 2006, third in 2007, and second in 2008.[6] Tuck missed playing in round 17 2009, ending a 104-game streak of consecutive games since playing in round 1, 2005. He placed seventh in the club's best and fairest in 2009.[6]

In round 6 2010, Tuck collected a career-best 28 disposals in a match against Geelong.[7] A month later he set a new club record with 14 tackles in a match against Port Adelaide in round 10.[4] That year he placed fifth in the club's best and fairest count.[6]

After the 2011 season, Tuck informed the club of his decision to retire, but was talked into recommitting to the club for at least one further season.[8]

In round 12 in 2012, he collected a club record 23 contested possessions, a feat which he equaled six weeks later in round 18.[4] In 2012, Tuck placed fourth in the club's best and fairest count.[9] He set new records that year for the most contested possessions (298) and most tackles (124) in a single season by any Richmond player in the club's history.[4] Both records stood for five years until broken by former teammates Dustin Martin and Trent Cotchin, respectively, in 2017.[10] At the end of the year he was awarded life membership at Richmond.[7]

Tuck suffered a fractured scapula in May 2013 that saw him miss two months of football.[11] Following four weeks of reserves football, Tuck made a return to AFL football for the later part of the season, before announcing he would retire at season's end.[12]

Tuck featured in the club's first finals match in 12 years when Richmond earned an elimination final berth against Carlton in 2013. He was the substitute player for Richmond during that match, but played almost the full match when brought on to replace Reece Conca after the latter suffered a hamstring injury just 10 minutes into the game.[13]

Tuck retired following the 2013 season, after 173 games over 10 seasons with Richmond.[12]

AFL statistics
Legend
 G  Goals  B  Behinds  K  Kicks  H  Handballs  D  Disposals  M  Marks  T  Tackles
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2000 Hawthorn 380——————————————
2001 Hawthorn 380——————————————
2004 Richmond 21310211637720.30.07.05.312.32.30.7
2005 Richmond 21221014323195518106710.50.614.78.923.54.83.2
2006 Richmond 2122118262199461102720.50.411.99.021.04.63.3
2007 Richmond 2122126253237490114610.50.311.510.822.35.22.8
2008 Richmond 2122101229318547102840.50.010.414.524.94.63.8
2009 Richmond 21198321331052390620.40.211.216.327.54.73.3
2010 Richmond 212055227283510911030.30.311.414.225.54.65.2
2011 Richmond 2110128511019531360.10.28.511.019.53.13.6
2012 Richmond 212211112663105761171240.50.512.114.126.25.35.6
2013 Richmond 211156959418922240.50.58.68.517.22.02.2
Career[5] 173 74 56 1974 2072 4046 782 639 0.4 0.3 11.4 12.0 23.4 4.5 3.7

Honours and achievements
  • Jack Titus Medal (2nd place, Richmond B&F): 2008[6]
  • 2× Maurie Fleming Medal (3rd place, Richmond B&F): 2005, 2007[6]
  • Fred Swift Medal (4th RFC B&F): 2012[6][14]
  • Kevin Bartlett Medal (5th place, Richmond B&F): 2010[6]
  • Richmond life membership, awarded 2012[7]

Post-AFL life

In 2014, Tuck played local football for the Goodwood Saints Football Club in the South Australian Amateur Football League (SAAFL).[1]

Tuck debuted in professional boxing in November 2015 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, being knocked out in the fourth round from an uppercut to the chin by Lucas Miller,[15][16] he was carried out on a stretcher.[17] He fought in five professional matches over a boxing career that lasted until August 2017, winning three, losing once and drawing on one other occasion.[18]

Personal life

Shane was the son of Hawthorn footballer and former-VFL/AFL games record holder Michael Tuck and older brother of former Hawthorn footballer Travis Tuck. He was the nephew of Geelong great Gary Ablett Sr and former VFL footballers Geoff and Kevin Ablett. He was cousin to Geelong and Gold Coast players Gary Ablett Jr and Nathan Ablett.[19] Tuck was married to wife Katherine and had two children, a boy and a girl.[1]

Tuck committed suicide on 20 July 2020 at the age of 38.[20][21][22] Richmond wore black armbands to honour his memory in their Round 8 match against Greater Western Sydney on 24 July 2020.[23]

In January 2021 it was announced that Tuck suffered from a severe case of the degenerative brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy.[24]

References
  1. Capel, Andrew (13 May 2014). "After long road former Richmond player Shane Tuck finds happiness in Amateur League with Goodwood Saints". The Advertiser. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  2. "Football world mourns the shock loss of a Tiger 'warrior'". AFL Media. Telstra Media. 20 July 2020. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  3. "2003 AFL National Draft". Footywire. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  4. Greenberg, Tony (14 June 2017). "Welcome home, 'Tucky'". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  5. "Shane Tuck". AFL Tables. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  6. Greenberg, Tony (9 February 2020). "Richmond Team of the 21st Century squad member profile: Shane Tuck". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  7. Greenberg, Tony (31 May 2012). "Tuck gets life at Tigerland". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  8. Edmund, Sam (5 September 2012). "Shane Tuck set for his 10th season". news.com.au. News Corp Australia. Herald Sun. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  9. "Trent Cotchin wins second Jack Dyer Medal as Richmond best-and-fairest". Herald Sun. News Corp Australia. 6 September 2012. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  10. "Richmond – Season and Game Records (1965–2020)". AFL Tables. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  11. Seewang, Niall (12 May 2013). "Double blow for Tigers: Knights, Tuck hobbled". AFL Media. Telstra Media. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  12. Phelan, Jennifer (29 August 2013). "Tiger Tucks into retirement". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  13. Bowen, Nick (8 September 2013). "Blues ensure Tigers' September return ends in heartbreak". AFL Media. Telstra Media. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  14. "Trent Cotchin wins second Jack Dyer Medal as Richmond best-and-fairest". Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  15. Greenberg, Tony (10 November 2015). "Tuck continues Tiger boxing tradition". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  16. Harvy, Ben (17 February 2017). "Shane Tuck's journey from the AFL to the boxing ring". The Advertiser. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  17. https://au.sports.yahoo.com/shane-tuck-death-new-details-mental-health-battle-afl-235305318.html
  18. Anthony Colangelo and Daniel Cherny (20 July 2020). "'A really good friend': Tigers mourn Shane Tuck". The Age. Nine Entertainment Co. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  19. Goodwin, Sam (21 July 2020). "'Bloody horrible': AFL world reacts to death of Shane Tuck". Yahoo. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  20. "Is Australia honest about suicide?". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 24 July 2020. 0:20. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  21. "Vale Shane Tuck". Richmond FC. Richmond Football Club. 20 July 2020. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  22. Goodwin, Sam (22 July 2020). "'Only way out': Father details Shane Tuck's devastating struggle". Yahoo. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  23. Otto, Tyson (20 July 2020). "Shane Tuck dead at 38: Richmond, Hawthorn confirm AFL great's death". News Australia. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 20 July 2020.
  24. "Shane Tuck had severe CTE, brain bank reveals". The Age. Nine Entertainment Co. 23 January 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
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