Alex Rance
Alex James Rance is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League. Rance was a premiership player, five time All-Australian, a one time All-Australian captain, a one-time winner of Richmond's best-and-fairest award and is widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders of his era. For three seasons between 2017 and 2019 he also served as Richmond's AFL co vice-captain.
Early life and junior football
Rance is of strong footballing heritage, being the son of Murray Rance, a former Footscray and player and Swan Districts captain in the WAFL. Born in Perth in the latter years of his father's VFL career, Rance played junior football at the Noranda Junior Football Club in Perth's eastern suburbs. He later played for Noranda in the Western Australian Amateur Football League before again moving to the Swan Districts side in the WAFL.In 2007 Rance represented Western Australia at the Under 18 National Championships. There he won a premiership medal with the team as well as being selected as an All-Australian.
He completed high school studies at Guildford Grammar School in Perth, Western Australia.
AFL career
2008 season
Rance was drafted by with the club's second selection and the 18th overall in the 2007 AFL national draft.He began his first season at the club by playing two levels below AFL, with the reserves side of Richmond's VFL affiliate, the Coburg Football Club. He played his first match at VFL level in mid April, before spending another month in development. When he returned in mid-May he became a regular selection, gathering 35 disposals and five tackles in a mid-June match. Though he spent some time in the lower level, he began to impress enough at VFL level that he was named an emergency for AFL games late in the season. He did not make his AFL debut that year, but did hold a spot in the VFL team through their finals series.
2009 season
Rance made his AFL debut in round 2 of the 2009 season in a loss to at Kardinia Park, recording 18 disposals and six marks in the match. Rance remained in the senior side until round 7, where he was involved in a head clash with Brisbane Lions player Troy Selwood. He suffered three small cheekbone fractures and missed three matches as a result of the incident. He returned to AFL level in round 11 and played three straight matches before missing his side's round 14 encounter with Adelaide. After one week out, Rance returned again to senior football in round 15, playing two more matches before another two week stint away from the level in rounds 17 and 18. But he would play out the last four rounds at AFL level, kicking his first career goal in round 19 and finishing the year having played 15 senior matches.2010 season
Rance played his first AFL match of 2010 in round 3 against at the SCG. That season he played in a number of different roles including as a key position player a rebounding half-back, and was even named on-ball for Richmond's round 5 match against. Rance drifted forward in that match however, kicking a career high three goals in an impressive display. After seven straight matches he would return to reserves football, before being recalled for one match in round 17. Despite notching a then career best 23 disposals and 11 marks, it was his only match in that spell, playing AFL matches on only two more occasions that season. He did not play in a victory that season, with the club losing all 10 matches he appeared in. Up to that point, Rance had shown plenty of athletic talent, but far more brain fades and failed plays. As a result of this form and an inability to gain regular selection at the highest level, Rance made contact with a number of clubs about a possible move, including,, and. Despite some interest, he chose to remain at Richmond, later admitting he grew in confidence as a result of the desire competing clubs had to attain his services.2011 season
Rance's fourth year at Richmond would prove to be his breakout one. For the first time in his career he played round 1 in the club's senior side. He would be suspended in that match however, following a hit on 's Jarrad Waite. Rance was suspended for three matches for the incident. He returned in round 4 and did not miss a match from that point forward. Rance earned the praises of former Richmond fullback Darren Gaspar for his work in round 13, consistently beating forward Jonathan Brown in one-on-one contests. The Herald Sun labelled Rance "a shining light in a shock loss" in round 17, after recording 25 disposals and nine one-percenters during a loss to the expansion side,. He was instrumental in restricting star Adam Goodes in round 21, holding him to just one goal while Rance collected 24 disposals and six marks in the Richmond win. At season's end he had lifted his disposals average from 12.5 the previous year to 19.1 per game in 2011. Rance finished second at the club for total marks that season and equal second for rebound-50s. He also cited 2011 as key for his growth as a key position defender, praising the efforts of then Richmond-defensive coach Justin Leppitsch in teaching him the technical aspects of the role. He was duley rewarded with the club's Most Improved Player award that season.2012 season
Rance approached the 2012 season with building expectations, citing a desire to play finals for the first time. Though the club did not reach the goal in 2012, Rance's output improved considerably. In addition to his growing acumen in the rigidly defence focused parts of his game, he began improving on his rebound from defensive 50. In round 2's win over, he recorded a career-best 34 disposals as well as a career best 17 marks. In a round 6 win against, Rance recorded his first career Brownlow Medal votes, scoring the maximum three votes for the match. He finished the season with then career-best totals in kicks, marks and handballs after playing all 22 possible matches for the first time in his career. Rance also placed sixth in the club's best and fairest award.2013 season
Rance started the 2013 season poorly, giving up a career-best four goals to forward Liam Jones in the clubs' round 3 match-up. Despite this, he remained the team's foremost defender even with the recent acquisition of former Port Adelaide tall defender Troy Chaplin, whom Rance praised heavily prior to and during the season. During the season Rance would be tasked with defensive roles on some of the league's best forwards including Travis Cloke, Josh Kennedy and Lance Franklin. In particular, his performance in negating Franklin in the club's round 19 match against was crucial to the team's victory. He held Franklin to only one goal in the match. In 2013 Rance played in the club's first final in 12 years, an elimination final loss to traditional rivals at the MCG. At the end of the season Rance was ranked ninth in the league for marks. He ranked first at the club for marks, rebound 50s and one-percenters as well as top ten in both kicks and handballs.Rance received the player-voted Francis Bourke award for the second time in three seasons for his embodiment of the club's principles of awareness, belief and discipline.
2014 season
After playing in Richmond's round 1 match against, Rance would subsequently miss 5 matches due to a bizarre foot-fracture. He sustained the break while riding his bicycle prior to the club's round 2 match. At the mid-point of the season, Rance was labelled by his coach as the best "one-on-one player in the competition", before he recorded a season-high 29 disposals in the club's round 13 match with. Through round 15 Rance was placed first in the league for win–loss differential in one-on-one contests. In Richmond's must-win round 23 clash with, Rance recorded 16 disposals with a spectacular 12 coming off intercept possessions. Teammate Jack Riewoldt said at the time it was "probably the best quarter of footy ever seen someone play" while Richmond CEO later said that Rance "single-handedly won that game."Rance won his first All-Australian selection that year, named in the position of centre half back.
He also won his third consecutive player-voted Francis Bourke award at Richmond's best and fairest night.
In later years, Rance would reveal he had privately decided to give up football after enduring a grueling 2014 season. He had intended at the time to complete the last year of his contract in 2015 before retiring from the game.
2015 season
In the early parts of the 2015 season, Rance's unwillingness to sign a contract extension with Richmond led to media speculation concerning his future. It was reported at the time that he was considering significant contract offers from other AFL clubs, specifically Fremantle and the Brisbane Lions.Later reports emerged suggesting Rance was also considering retiring. On-field his game followed the trajectory established in previous years, with Rance maintaining his status as one of the competition's best defenders. In round 2, he "annihilated" young opposition forward Tom Boyd in his defensive matchup, also contributing 13 marks and 28 disposals in a loss to the that saw Rance post a career-best 156 Champion Data ranking points. In round 15 he was among the best players in a win over, notching 18 disposals in a first half in which the Herald Sun said he "looked unbeatable in one-on-on-one contests" and that also earned him the label as the "dominant figure on the ground". Through 17 matches Rance had conceded only 19 goals, and with a disposal average of 17 per game, was a solid rebounding presence as well.
In June Rance ended contract speculation by signing a four-year contract extension at Richmond, keeping him tied to the club through the end of the 2019 season.
Rance finished the season playing in all 23 of the club's matches including in an elimination final defeat at the hands of.
His season was rewarded with the Jack Dyer Medal as the club's best and fairest player. He also won a second consecutive selection as an All-Australian, this time in the position of fullback.