Fred Swift

Frederick Norman Swift (6 July 1938 – 28 April 1983) was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

He also played first grade cricket with the Eaglehawk Cricket Club in the Bendigo and District Cricket Association.

Swift played in two practice matches with Richmond in 1957 but was not given a full, extended clearance; and he consequently returned to Sandhurst for the 1957 season.

Although Swift had played at full-back at Sandhurst, he had not played full-back in any of Richmond's 1957 or 1958 practice matches; he had "played brilliantly at centre" during the practice matches in 1958 and had satisfied Richmond that he could "play in any position" – to such an extent that the Wednesday Age speculated that he would be picked at full-back, in place of the injured Allan Cations on the following Saturday.

He was, however, picked on the half-forward flank for his first senior game, in round 1, against South Melbourne.

In early March 1958, Richmond were able to come to an agreement with Sandhurst and Swift was allowed to travel to Melbourne to train with Richmond.

He starred in Richmond's 1958 pre-season practice games – "he marked well, played on with determination once the ball hit the ground, and frequently sent his side into attack with long, driving kicks into the goal mouth" – and, by mid-April 1958, nineteen years old Swift, regarded by Richmond as the "recruit of the year", was finally cleared to the Tigers.

Because it seemed certain that he would "definitely play for the Tigers in the opening game against South Melbourne", it was thought during the week prior to the first match of the 1958 season that he had so well demonstrated his ability to play at centre-half forward, half-back flank, and centre ("where he gave what was probably his most impressive performance") that "he could fill any one of these positions in the game against South"; and, moreover, that "his natural ability is such that he would probably be successful no matter where he is played".

At nineteen, he played his first senior game for Richmond against South Melbourne in the first round of the 1958 season on the half-forward flank.

Richmond unexpectedly beat South Melbourne, and Swift kicked one goal.

One of the football writers of The Age commenting on his debut, said that, "Fred Swift was strange early but in the last quarter showed good football sense and ability on his half-forward flank. He should develop into a useful player.

Given Richmond's place on the VFL ladder, only one Richmond player could be selected in the Victorian Interstate team for the fifteenth Australian National Football Carnival, that would be held in Brisbane in 1961.

Ruckman Neville Crowe, was selected.

In the interim, Crowe had injured his knee, and was forced to withdraw from the team.

Richmond paid for Crowe's expenses to travel to the carnival with the team, and the allocated Richmond place in the Victorian team was taken by Swift.

The Victorian team was coached by Len Smith.

Swift played in both of Victoria's matches.

He played on the half-back flank in the first match against Tasmania on 19 July 1961, until he injured his ankle and was replaced; Victoria won by 61 points: 23.30 (150) to 12.17 (89).

His ankle recovered and he played, again on the half-back flank, in the Victorian team that finished with 17 men, that was comprehensively beaten in an extremely rough and tough match by West Australian team, on Sunday, 24 July, by 9 points: 15.14 (104) to 14.11 (95).

The West Australian team won the carnival competition; coached by Jack Sheedy, the team included John Todd, Graham "Polly" Farmer, Ray Gabelich, Jack "Stork" Clarke, and Ray Sorrell.

Richmond played its first match against Fitzroy on Tuesday 4 September 1962 with Swift at full-back.

Richmond beat Fitzroy 12.9 (81) to 9.10 (64).

In the semi-final match, on Friday, 14 September 1962, Richmond played against the strong favourites North Melbourne.

Swift played at full-back, and was best on the ground.

Richmond beat North Melbourne 12.13 (85) to 9.8 (62).

The final match of the series was originally scheduled to be played at the Lake Oval on Monday, 24 September 1962, but was moved to Wednesday, 26 September 1962 because of bad weather.

He did not play his first match with the seconds until the round 16 match against Carlton at Princes Park on Saturday, 24 August 1963, by which time he had already played 83 senior games.

Playing at center half-forward, he was best on the ground, kicking 3 goals.

He was a highly talented footballer, with great anticipation, and highly polished ball skills, and he was equally at home in the forward line – he kicked 5 goals against Fitzroy in round 18, 1966; and, when moved from center half-back to full-forward, in the last quarter against St Kilda in round 6, 1959, he kicked 3 goals, in a losing side – wing, centre, or in defence".

In his entire career with Richmond, he only played five games with the second eighteen.

In the first four matches of 1966, Swift played at full-forward, kicking a total of 10 goals.

His knee was badly injured in the last quarter of the round 4 match against Collingwood, and it was feared that he might not play again that season.

However, his knee did eventually come good; and, whilst playing a couple of matches in the Second Eighteen, to get back his touch and his match fitness, he broke a bone in his hand.

This meant that he was not fit to resume his place in the senior team until the last round match against Fitzroy.

Swift has a special place in the history of the Richmond Football Club as the captain of the drought-breaking 1967 premiership team.

He was murdered during a home invasion at his farm at Lockwood, near Bendigo, Victoria, at the age of 44.

Swift was recruited as a utility player from the Sandhurst Football Club in the Bendigo Football League.

He played with their senior team, coached by Kevin Curran (and playing alongside Brendan Edwards), from the time he was seventeen and, at 19, he was the youngest player ever to win the club's best and fairest award.

In the Grand Final, Swift was again best on the ground, playing at full-back against Hawthorn's John Peck, and as the team's captain in Richmond's only ever Night Premiership victory: "Swift played a superb game at full-back repelling Hawthorn’s forward thrusts and marking everything that came his way" (Hogan, 1996, p. 300) and, according to the press, "his superb defensive play, in that game, was the difference between victory and defeat" (Hogan, 1996, p. 224).

Richmond 8.16 (64) defeated Hawthorn 9.6 (60).