Richard Champion (1991 - 2000)

[Grimreepah]

Pick 30 in the 1988 National Draft (http://users.comcen.com.au/%7Eweaver/draft88.html)

http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/4381/richardchampion1.jpg

[Grimreepah]

Brisbane Bears Club Champion results:

1991:
1992:
1993:
1994:
1995:
1996:

Merrett-Murray Medal results:

1997: 20th 21 votes
1998: 27th 4 votes
1999: 19th 24 votes
2000: 29th 4 votes

[Grimreepah]

footyinfo (http://footyinfo.net/player/display/9340)

Full name: Richard Champion
Born: April 14, 1968
Teams: Brisbane Bears 1991-96, Brisbane 1997-2000
Height: 186cm
Weight: 94kg
Debut: Brisbane Bears vs North Melbourne Round 2, Carrara, 30 March 1991

Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Champion)

While he was drafted to the Bears in 1988 he did not move to Brisbane until 1991 when he made his AFL debut.

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/7234/richardchampion.jpg

Statistics:

afl tables (http://stats.rleague.com/afl/stats/players/R/Richard_Champion.html)
footywire (http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/pc-brisbane-lions--richard-champion)
final siren (http://finalsiren.com/PlayerStats.asp?PlayerID=1114)
all the stats (http://www.afl.allthestats.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=164&catid=49&Itemid=56&pl=10187)

[Grimreepah]

Link to site (http://www.queenslandweekender.com.au/gse/the_team.asp)

Richard Champion or ‘Champs’ as he is better known, has had a football career spanning 14 years, including 10 years with the Brisbane Bears / Brisbane Lions before his retirement at the end of the 2000 season.

Richard has a multi-talented personality, always prominent in the club's off-field activities and, in 1998 won an AFL Talent Show on Network Seven for his marvelous impersonation of Jimmy Barnes.

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/6326/richardchampion2.jpg

[Grimreepah]

Link to site (http://www.icmi.com.au/Speaker/Sports/Richard_Champion/Biography)

During his career he finished in the top six places for the Best & Fairest Awards three times. He also won the Bears’ prestigious “Most Professional Player” award in 1994 & “Best Clubman” honours in 1995.

Qualifying for entry to the AFL’s prestigious 200 Club at the conclusion of his career, Richard Champion won rarely-given, lavish praise from coach Leigh Matthews for the professional manner in which he conducted himself. He was awarded Brisbane Lions Life Membership at the end of the 2000 season for his 10 years of loyal service to the club.

http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/3638/richardchampion3.jpg

[Grimreepah]

Link to article (http://www.afana.com/afl/johnson/afl_jl_000806.html)

32-year-old Brisbane Lions veteran Richard Champion has announced his retirement. Champion has played 183 AFL matches for Brisbane since moving from Adelaide club Woodville in 1991.

“This is a day you don’t want to come but it comes to everyone eventually and I’m just very proud of the contribution I’ve made to the club and thankful for all the good times,” Champion said at the press conference.

Champion was one of the AFL’s premier full-backs during his prime but he struggled for opportunities this season, spending time in the reserves. He said he was uncertain of his future but wanted to stay involved in football, preferably in a media or assistant coaching role.

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/7234/richardchampion.jpg

[Grimreepah]

Link to site (http://www.invigorate.com.au/full_story_speakers.php?newsstory=6015&result_number=333&total_results=365)

Equally effective at either end of the ground, he made a name for himself in his early days as a quality fullback before finishing his career as a running key forward. Originally from Kadina, north of Adelaide, Champion was a top South Australian junior who played four years? senior football with Adelaide club Woodville from 1987 to 1990.

Champion played an essential role in the growth and development of the club from the slow-moving days at Carrara on the Gold Coast to a legitimate force in the AFL following the 1993 relocation to the Gabba. In 1996 he became the seventh player to register 100 AFL games for the fledgling Bears and was appointed a deputy vice-captain of the post-merger Lions in 1997. He played in each of the Bear's finals in 1995-96 but missed the Lions' first final in 1997 with a calf injury suffered at training.

http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/6326/richardchampion2.jpg

[Grimreepah]

Link to site (http://www.thebackpocket.com.au/is-a-team-of-nobodies-really-a-team/)

Full Back
Richard Champion was an absolute spit of He-Man, and I’m not just talking about his strong, muscular build, I’m referring to the facial features. Champion looked EXACTLY like the rubberised action figure after he’d been held too close to the gas heater. Speaking with elastic band seemingly permanently affixed around the testicles, Champs look liked Tarzan and sounded like Jane. Shocking on his left foot he was part of that transition Brisbane team who started off as the Bears and were all undeniably shit and somehow became the Lions and undeniably great. Weird.

http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/4417/richardchampion4.jpg

[Grimreepah]

Brisbane Lions Team of the Decade (http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/6301/newsid/27239/default.aspx)
12:00 AM Fri 23 Jun, 2006

The final place in the 22 was cause for most debate amongst the selectors, with two-time premiership player Robert Copeland, former Bears All-Australian and club champion Craig Lambert, and loyal club servants Richard Champion and Kennedy in the mix.

Champion was described as the player the team could ill afford to lose the most in a stellar 1999 season, and his overall performances coupled with his link to the start of the new Lions era saw him claim the final place.

Backs: Chris Johnson Mal Michael Darryl White
Half-Backs: Marcus Ashcroft Justin Leppitsch Chris Scott
Centres: Nigel Lappin Michael Voss (c) Brad Scott
Half-Forwards: Jason Akermanis Jonathan Brown Craig McRae
Forwards: Luke Power Alastair Lynch Daniel Bradshaw
Rucks: Clark Keating Simon Black Shaun Hart
Interchange: Martin Pike Tim Notting
Jamie Charman Richard Champion
Coach: Leigh Matthews

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/3638/richardchampion3.jpg

[Tim the Toolman]

Link to site (http://www.thebackpocket.com.au/is-a-team-of-nobodies-really-a-team/)

Er, actually, in that photo he looks like MacGyver!

I remember a test the AFL did back in the mid 90's to find the "perfect" football physique or player and he ranked number 1 in that. Does anyone else remember this?

I also remember the "strongest man in AFL" back in the early 90's which Jason Dunstall won out from Lynchy.

[Grimreepah]

Brisbane Lions first ever team (1997) (http://www.lions.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/5085/newsid/53904/default.aspx):

B: Ben Robbins Richard Champion Danny Dickfos
HB: Michael McLean Jarrod Molloy Andrew Gowers
C: Matthew Kennedy Adrian Fletcher Nigel Lappin
HF: Scott McIvor Dion Scott Michael Voss (c)
F: Darryl White Alastair Lynch (c) Chris Johnson
R: Matthew Clarke Marcus Ashcroft Shaun Hart
I/C: Justin Leppitsch Clark Keating Tristan Lynch

Emer: Nathan Chapman Simon Hawking
Scott Bamford Shane Clayton

[Grimreepah]

New Bears in 1991 (http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/129703)
AFL Record 1991
Round 6, page 7

Richard Champion: He played 79 games with Woodvilie, SA, before heading to Queensland. Turned 23 earlier this month and a former SA Teal Cup player (1985) and State representative (1990).

[Grimreepah]

Pocket Profile (http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/138431)
AFL Record 1997
Round 6, page 19

WHY DO YOU THINK YOU MADE SUCH AN IMPROVEMENT IN YOUR FOOTBALL FROM ABOUT 1995?

It started at the end of 1993 when the club went through the process of culling a lot of players. I saw a lot of players come and go and I didn't want to be just another one through the revolving door. I hoped I'd be safe, but you're never absolutely sure. When I got through that, I made a commitment to work a lot harder and not to rely on natural ability. I've got a fair bit of pride and a real fear of failure and that's a big driving force. I'd hate to go back home

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR 1997?

First and foremost to win the AFL premiership. After our learning apprenticeship over the past two years, I think that is a reasonable expectation, and it's what every player is in it for. Personally I just want to have an injury-free and consistent season.

http://img806.imageshack.us/img806/4381/richardchampion1.jpg