Player Watch #37 Matthew Parker - Returned home to WA effective immediately
- Thread starter Sterge
- Start date
- Tagged users None
- Apr 10, 2013
- 6,543
- 16,727
- AFL Club
- Richmond
- Other Teams
- East Fremantle
To be fair, the second year he had the full pre-season before Covid really hit, and he didn't improve, everyone's saying the extra pre-season will help him, I'm not convinced.
If he had the whole pre-season, why did he only play two games?
It's got to help him this time around surely? Didn't get the chance to properly learn the game plan in detail before he was thrown into a shambles of a side missing key players and absolutely no cohesion. Jason Castagna is a 3 time premiership player. Parker only has to play a role. Good, cheap depth at the very worst.
It's not just the pre-season, he didn't have a chance to play any games at the lower level given they were only doing multi-club scrimmages
Similar thing happened this year as he couldn't learn our game plan at VFL level as it wasn't on for the 2nd half of the year
I'm not saying that he's going to become a superstar, I just don't agree with your premise that he's had much opportunity to improve
Matt Parker ahead of the round 13 VFL match between Richmond and Collingwood at the Swinburne Centre on July 11, 2021. Picture: AFL Photos
MATT Parker didn’t hear back from Blair Hartley. The pair met for coffee inside an Adelaide hotel midway through last year the day before Parker kicked two goals for Western Australia in the state game against South Australia. The Tigers had a spot available in the mid-season rookie draft, but Hartley kept his cards close to his chest.
The next time Richmond's general manager of football talent contacted the West Australian was shortly after the Tigers pounced at pick No.10 in last year's mid-season rookie draft. No other club had shown interest in Parker, but the Tigers decided to go back to the well that produced Marlion Pickett and try and see if lightning could strike twice.
Six months on from being cut adrift from St Kilda, after playing 19 games across two seasons, Parker was back in Melbourne and back in the AFL. And it didn’t take him long to earn a spot in Damien Hardwick's team, where he remained for the final six games of 2021.
Matt Parker in action during the round 22 clash between the GWS Giants and Richmond at Marvel Stadium on August 13, 2021. Picture: AFL Photos
Many in the industry – including some inside Moorabbin – were surprised Parker had been delisted after such a bright start to his career. But with small children a long way from home, the hub was more challenging for some than for others in 2020.
Now there is a belief that being forced to return to South Fremantle and face his AFL mortality could prove to be the making of Parker. The 26-year-old didn’t sulk when he didn’t get another deal at St Kilda. Instead, he returned to Perth a more mature version than the one who left two years earlier and let his football do the talking.
"I think it was a good lesson for me getting delisted by St Kilda," Parker - who took his career tally to 25 games in 2021 - told AFL.com.au last week.
Matt Parker during a St Kilda training session in Maroochydore in 2020. Picture: AFL Photos
"I went back and just worked on my game and had that attitude that I wanted to prove everybody wrong and get back to where I wanted to be. If you don’t like it then that’s on you, but I'm going to put my best foot forward.
"There were some things behind the scenes that didn’t work out. I copped it on the chin and went back and put my best foot forward for Souths and took that attitude that I'm never going to give up – which I never will – lucky enough Richmond picked me up."
Parker didn’t have to look too far for a familiar face when he arrived at Punt Road. Pickett is practically family. The pair played together at South Fremantle alongside West Coast star Tim Kelly – who dragged Parker from C-grade amateur football down to South Fremantle ahead of 2017 – and have ridden some of life's bumps together.
Matt Parker in action for South Fremantle in the WAFL. Picture: @WAFLOfficial
Now they live down the road from each other in Thornbury, helping provide their kids – Pickett has four, Parker now has three after the recent arrival of his daughter – with a strong sense of family while living on the other side of the country, which has felt like the other side of the world during the pandemic.
"Marlion and I played at Souths together then I went and he came over. It's a bit of a coincidence that we've ended up here together," Parker said.
"My journey started with him so there was a bit of a brotherly love moment there. He's always been the big brother I never had; I've always said that. I'm always there for him. Obviously we don’t have much family over here so we're always getting around the kids, the nephews and nieces. We're always around each other having a laugh."
Marlion Pickett presents Matt Parker with his Richmond AFL jumper in July, 2021. Picture: richmondfc.com.au
Before Parker packed up his life and moved back to Melbourne last June, he had to go back to Safety Bay Senior High School in southern Perth to collect his belongings from the staffroom, much to the delight of footy mad students who were pumped to see him get another opportunity in the AFL.
In a sign of his growth away from football, Parker found employment as an Aboriginal Islander Education Officer, which didn’t go unnoticed by those at South Fremantle. It not only helped him pay the bills, it also helped him give back to those who had walked a similar path to him growing up. And it sure as hell beat the back-breaking holes he used to dig for an underground gas company when he first played for Souths.
2022 FREE AGENTS REVEALED Your club's crunch re-signings
"I just wanted to try something different and try help some young kids and Indigenous kids and create a pathway. Obviously don’t take the hard route when you've got an easy route there, you've got the opportunities now while you're young, so take it. That brought me a bit of joy," he said.
"Some kids have it harder than other kids, so to help them with what I've been through and give them a bit of advice, if they take it they take it, the advice is always there. When I ended up getting picked up and seeing the kids smiles when I went back to pick up my stuff was pretty awesome. It was really special."
South Fremantle Football Club is a massive part of Parker and Pickett's story. Without the influence of coach Todd Curley and many involved at the Bulldogs, including their manager, Anthony Van Der Wielen, from Empire Sports Management, Parker and Pickett wouldn’t be playing in the AFL. It is a big reason why Parker decided to go back to Perth at the end of last season to try and help South Fremantle win a second consecutive premiership.
In a move that would have been unfathomable before the pandemic, Richmond temporarily released Parker to play for the WAFL club in the finals after reaching an agreement with the West Australian Football Commission. The Bulldogs fell just short, but Parker played all four finals, ending a wild season in red and white, where it started six months earlier.
Now Parker finds himself at another football club with a rich Indigenous history, both past and present, one that embraces multiculturalism. With Maurice and Daniel Rioli, Shane Edwards, Sydney Stack, Shai Bolton and Pickett all at the Swinburne Centre, as well as Xavier Clarke coaching the VFL program, not many clubs are as well represented as the Tigers.
Seven Indigenous Tigers played in R19, 2021 (L-R) Shane Edwards, Daniel Rioli, Rhyan Mansell, Marlion Pickett, Sydney Stack, Shai Bolton and Matthew Parker. Picture: AFL Photos
Six games was a strong start for Parker in 2022, but it's only a start. Now he has his heart set on playing more and proving to St Kilda they made a mistake giving him the flick.
"If I could swear and say what I want, I would, but I'm very grateful for the opportunity Richmond have given me. Now I've got a point to prove," he said.
"I don’t get many opportunities; I had it taken away from me so quick, so I'm just trying to stay here as long as I can.
"Forty-four players want to play round one as well. We all want to play round one. You've got to do the hard work now and hopefully it pays off with a game in round one. If it's not round one, I'll keep working away. No point putting your head down or not believing in yourself, you've got to stay confident and when it comes, take it with both hands. Coming off six games can hopefully lead to more."
Now Parker and Hartley work in the same building. They cross paths almost every day. Life has changed enormously for Parker since they sat down for a latte in Adelaide.
Love his effort, but said many times if this guy plays regularly we've been smashed by injury or our young midfielders suck.
Either way it's bad news for us, tries hard but is VFL standard.
Either way it's bad news for us, tries hard but is VFL standard.
Be nice if he could kick.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reckon the kicking thing is a bit overblown. I have also seen kick the ball very well as well and hit leading forwards, and miss them. Sort of like his mate Pickett in that regard.
Parker has serious pace and aggression so he is the sort of footballer most don't like playing against. A full preseason and a great attitude might see him raise the bar this year. I wouldn't write him off just yet.
Parker has serious pace and aggression so he is the sort of footballer most don't like playing against. A full preseason and a great attitude might see him raise the bar this year. I wouldn't write him off just yet.
I always worry about mature age guys who were delisted from average clubs (Saints) and are already 26.
Not a great starting point and suggests limited upside. It's the similar story with Pickett. His best game was his debut game, and he hasn't reached that level since.
I thought Pickett was pretty good last year. I get what you are saying, but most saints fans were surprised when he was delisted. Something about speed and aggression that gets you places. Of course he is up against it in a fully fit side, but he is not as average as some on here suggest.
Dr Tigris
Brownlow Medallist
I thought Pickett played quite a few really good games. He played much more defensive, and did that well.
Parker is good, except for his skills at times. If he can clean that up a bit then he's a really solid depth AFL player.
Morro
Brownlow Medallist
I am with you on this one. He can actually play the game and unlike most small forwards, he can roll through the middle and can also hurt you physically.
I reckon he will play a handful of games and keep pressure on the small forwards we are used to seeing.
Tough SOB but can't see a role beyond an aggressive medium forward. Good bit of depth to have as we see what we have in Maurice, Cumbo, Juddy. Even with what we want to do with Bolton and Martin, Parker is a useful piece who can slot into a forward pocket and not really be a net loss as compared to putting a kid in.
Still, if he's at the club in 2023 Ill be surprised. If he's still here in 2024 I will be shocked and a bit alarmed.
Still, if he's at the club in 2023 Ill be surprised. If he's still here in 2024 I will be shocked and a bit alarmed.
If that’s really what you think, I think your expectations for Pickett are far too high. We played with the Giants that day so hardly a tough initiation.
Marlion has been more than solid, makes mistakes for sure, but runs hard both ways and is as tough as they come. I’m happy with him in the side
If him and George are playing in the same forward line... Oh dear. The chaos ball plan just went into overdrive. Our forwards, oppo backmen, coaches, no one would have any idea where the ball is likely to go with these two.
But perhaps he's there as the wildcard 'Towno' for finals.... The big difference being Towno nailed all his shots at goal.
But perhaps he's there as the wildcard 'Towno' for finals.... The big difference being Towno nailed all his shots at goal.
Think he can roam a bit wider than forward pocket. High half forward to wing, pinch hit through the middle. He is also quite a good mark. Cumberland is a similar sort who I have a good feeling about. We have some good depth in that department for sure.
Good cheap depth capable of stepping up and playing a role. Can't ask for much more than that.
I agree no worse kick than our wingers , tbh I was more pissed he flunked several chest marks and Sodas directly in front of goal ,,,he needs to make most of every single chance not squander half of . I don’t mind as a depth player but grab your chance mp
Last edited:
I agree to some extent on the upside, but I also reckon they're both perfect list additions for a club with a list age and cap situation like ours.
Sure, Parker has flaws, you don't get mid-career players for min wage unless they have flaws and the strengths he does have - pace, hardness, mercurial goalkicking, ability to pinch hit in midfield - fit well with a depth need we have.
You know he's gonna give 100%, he's liked among the players, he puts fierce pressure on anyone getting a game ahead of him and the long list of juniors we have coming through must sit back after training most days and think...'geez, what that intense mofo brings still doesn't make him best-22 - that's the level I have to SURPASS to have a career.'
Hes not terrible to have on the list for another year as a good training track and VFL senior body.
But my original point still stands, if he's playing regular games likely we've been hit pretty hard or there's serious concerns with our other mids not coming on.
Oh, I agree with that mate, he's not best-22 when he have a full list to choose from, or he gets picked as a kick up the arse for someone who needs it.
I don't totally discount his ability to force his way in and play well enough to stay there, and I also don't totally discount the ability of our system to take players to a higher level, but I fully accept that it's unlikely without an injury or three.
My point was I really like him on our list ATM.
Apart from my earlier points, with aggressive, no backwards steps blokes like him and Caddy around our VFL boys have some serious man power backing them and helping them grow.
Jack5
Cancelled
Richmond Tigers - Josh Gibcus Player Sponsor 2022
Richmond Tigers - Kamdyn McIntosh Player Sponsor 2022
- Sep 15, 2017
- 929
- 3,442
- AFL Club
- Richmond
I like this guy's attitude. Not gunna die wondering. Gets delisted, goes home, works hard, gets a second chance. The club is better for having people like that around.
All Aust
Avatar for ol' mate
- Oct 29, 2020
- 2,508
- 5,194
- AFL Club
- Richmond
At 1 premiership- Juss 1. Who's to say St Kilda know who is good on the list. The Tigers post Bennies "big call" have recruited and / or trained for commitment to the cause. The coach has to change his ways, skill up to be a premiership performer, Balmey coming in at an age when the game spits out everyone, Grigga recruitment for his attitude and IQ, Liam Baker adding skill to his natural tenacity, just to name a few.
There is no hard and fast rule that says a skilled human "topped out" because they are 26. that they have no more potential. It will be team efforts that get W's from March to Sept/Oct.
There is no hard and fast rule that says a skilled human "topped out" because they are 26. that they have no more potential. It will be team efforts that get W's from March to Sept/Oct.
