Shane Edwards

He played in the club's first two matches of the season before playing his 50th career match in Round 3 against.

He recorded his first ever 20 disposal performance in that match.

In Round 10 he set a career high with 11 tackles against He broke his own disposal record on four occasions including a season-best 28 disposals in Richmond's Round 18 win over Adelaide.

As promised, Edwards finished the season having played in all 22 Richmond matches.

He set then-career-best totals in all major statistical categories as well as in tackles and disposals per game.

For his break-out season Edwards placed sixth in the club's best and fairest count.

Shane Edwards (born 25 October 1988) is a former Australian rules football player who played for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).

He is a three-time premiership player, an All-Australian and has three times placed in the top five in Richmond best and fairest awards.

He holds the Richmond club records for most games by any Indigenous player and most games by any player in the number 10 guernsey.

Edwards is on record as saying he would like to go into recruitment and list management at the end of his AFL playing career.

Edwards was born in South Australia to parents Tara and Greg.

He spent his childhood years in the Adelaide suburb of Golden Grove and attended the local Golden Grove High School.

He began playing football at age eight with the local Golden Grove Kookaburras in their inaugural year.

While playing at Under-13 level he signed with his locally zoned SANFL club North Adelaide and began playing with the club's junior sides.

He was a member of the club's Under-19 premiership in 2006.

Edwards made his senior SANFL debut at age 17 and played 10 games at senior level in 2006.

Edwards represented South Australia at the 2006 AFL Under 18 Championships.

He kicked a goal in the state's second round loss to Victoria Country.

At the 2006 national draft combine he recorded top three scores in the beep test, three kilometre time trial and the standing vertical leap test.

Edwards was drafted by with the club's second pick and the 26th selection overall in the 2006 AFL National Draft.

He made his AFL debut in round 4 of the 2007 season in a match against the at the MCG.

Edwards' first career goal came during his fifth match, in Round 10 against Brisbane.

His first win came eight matches later, in round 19 against.

At the conclusion of his debut season Edwards had played 16 matches, kicked 11 goals and held averages of 10.3 disposals and 2.1 per game.

Edwards again missed out on round 1 selection in 2008 before playing his first match for the season in round 4.

He played eight straight matches before missing out for the club's Round 12 clash with.

He kicked goals in six of those matches including two goals in rounds 5 and 7 and three goals in round 9 against.

For his performance in that match he received his first Brownlow Medal vote.

Edwards finished the season having again played 16 matches, but with one more goal and 20 more disposals than the previous year.

2009 began with Edwards in the club's best 22, where he stayed through the first three rounds of the season.

But a six disposal performance in round 3 saw him dropped to reserves level where he stayed until Round 7.

He did not get selected the following week however, and remained at reserves level until the midway point of the season.

But when coach Terry Wallace was sacked prior to Round 12, Edwards saw new opportunity under caretaker Jade Rawlings.

He was selected to play in Round 12 and kicked two goals to go with 17 disposals and six tackles in the club's win over at the Telstra Dome.

He did not miss a game for the rest of the season, recording an average of 13.6 disposals a game over the back half.

Ahead of the 2010 season incoming coach Damien Hardwick assured Edwards that his development was a club priority, promising he would be selected in all 22 of the club's home and away matches that season.

Having cemented a spot in the club's best 22 the year prior, Edwards played in each of the first eight matches of the 2011 season, including with a career best tally of nine marks in round 4 against.

However, in Round 8, he injured his cheekbone in a centre-square collision at the opening bounce.

He was immediately ruled out for the remainder of the match and missed a further two matches as a result of the injury.

When he returned in Round 12 he would again secure his place, playing in the final 12 matches of the season and finishing the season with 20 games and four goals.