Troy Simmonds is set to play his final football match with the AFL games elite.

Little have many known, but Troy is also a highly skilled martial artist, having started training with Peter Muys at the BJC Mt Evelyn Club as a junior.

After attaining the grade of 3rd Degree under Peter's tuition, he was picked up in the AFL 1999 Preseason Draft to play for Melbourne. He played only five 5 games in 1999 but then played 22 in 2000, including the 2000 Grand Final against Essendon.

In 2002 he was traded to Fremantle which was seen as a chance for Simmonds to become Fremantle's main ruckman, as opposed to being Jeff White's understudy at Melbourne. In three seasons at Fremantle Simmonds played in 64 out of a possible 67 games, including Fremantle's first ever finals game in 2003.

At the end of the 2004 season, Simmonds was traded back to Victoria, signing a five-year deal with the Tigers, as opposed to the usual two or three year contracts.

After a serviceable first year with Richmond, Simmonds played some of the best football of his career in 2006 - taking several big marks and scoring several goals up forward. At the end of 2009 Simmonds signed a one year contract for the 2010 season. The Tiger veteran is now the 2nd oldest player at the club behind Ben Cousins.

Throughout his AFL career, Troy has maintained his martial arts training within the BJC.

In WA, he trained with WA Head Instructor Justin Boylan and in Victoria with Michael Kenna.

The BJC congratulates Troy on a successful career and wishes his luck for his future endeavours.

Courtesy Herald Sun Online - 3 June 2010

RETIRING Richmond ruckman Troy Simmonds will stay on at the club to help his young teammates in the gym.

Simmonds will play his 197th and last AFL game when the Tigers meet St Kilda at Etihad Stadium tomorrow night.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said this morning Simmonds' dedication in the gym was a fine example for his young team and he would seek to use the ruckman to help the club off the field after he hangs up his boots.

"He's just very good with his weights, his rehab and recovery, so he can actually work with our players at a high level in that area," Hardwick said.

Hardwick was full of praise for the outgoing ruckman, who arrived at Tigerland at the end of 2004 after stints at Melbourne and Fremantle.

"It's always an emotional occasion when a guy finishes up after almost 200 games.

"Troy is very well respected in our footy club, so hopefully he can go off with a win.

"He's in our leadership group. He's been terrific in my short time here and he's very popular with our playing group."

Hardwick said the players had pulled up well after their tough slog at AAMI Stadium last weekend, saying the horrendous conditions meant the players didn't run as far as they did in most games.

And he said the players were focussed on achieving their second win of the year after the high of last Saturday's breakthrough victory against Port Adelaide.

"We quickly brought them back to earth," Hardwick said.

Hardwick said the club would take a cautious approach with midfielder Nathan Foley and give him one more week to recover from an ankle injury that kept him out of last week's win.

The Tigers face a rare tough afternoon at selection with virtually a full list to chose from, no injuries from last week's game and the task finding someone to make way for Simmonds.

Graham Polak appears the likely casualty.

Ben Cousins left the training track early today but should play.

St Kilda has won its past 10 games against Richmond.

Thrill of the hunt for Simmonds and his Richmond teammates all too brief

Courtesy of Herald Sun Online, 5th June 2010

TROY Simmonds turned to the yellow and black behind the goals during the third quarter, pumped both fists and wanted the faithful to believe the improbable was possible.

The Tigers had kicked four goals in a row to reduce the margin from 37 points to 13.

Simmonds, who at that stage had "given a contest" to St Kilda, wanted the fairytale.

Not just for him because it was his 197th and final game, nor even for his Richmond teammates.

It was for all the Richmond people.

For a brief period last night the bottom-of-the-table Tigers prowled the Friday night stage hunting one of the best teams in town.

The hunt was fun, but the kill didn't come.

On the back of another magnificent all-round game from Brendon Goddard and Stephen Milne, who harvested 5.5 from 10 shots at goal, the Saints prevailed by 38 points.

From the start it seemed this was to be a so-so affair.

The poor kicking in the first quarter was curious. Leigh Montagna and Sam Gilbert missed targets, as did Dustin Martin and Jake King.

Milne kicked two behinds, Clint Jones missed from 20m, while Jack Riewoldt and Jeromey Webberley also missed goals, which meant the first quarter was clanger city.

Milne started the second quarter similarly, missing his third shot at goal from directly in front.

Ben McEvoy was ugly and wide five minutes later, and Justin Koschitzke uglier and wider three minutes after that.

Which brings us to Jason Akermanis. He wasn't supposed to make news this week, but Aker has had his own thoughts on the make-up of the balls used this season.

They're different in size and shape, he said, and after the butchery last night, he may have a point.

As expected, the Saints ground their way through the first half.

The Tigers had only one inside-50 entry in the first 10 minutes and didn't kick their first goal until the 21st minute of the second quarter.

By then the Saints had kicked seven goals.

By the end, the Saints had 14 and the Tigers eight, all coming from two players - Jack Riewoldt (six) and Andrew Collins.

Riewoldt will be a major player, if he isn't already. He took a serious "hanger" in the second quarter, kicked a goal off the ground from 20m and, another time, took a one-hander and goaled.

They say he may be different off the field, but he has talent, spring, presence and great hands.

At the other end, Milne's performance was as captivating.

He kicked two goals in two minutes in the second quarter and stopped the Tigers' surge with a rolling goal from the pocket in the the third .

His tally last night took him to 403 career goals and 26 for the season. There's no such award, but where would Milne sit on the list of all-time small forwards?

There's him, Jeff Farmer, Phil Matera. Was Leigh Matthews a small forward or full-forward?

Goddard was phenomenal, yet again, in all his positions, and Rhys Stanley gave another sighter to his talents, mostly in the first quarter.

Then it was the usual suspects: Leigh Montagna, Sam Gilbert, Sam Fisher and, for the third week running, Raphael Clarke, whose response to wide public criticism should be applauded.

Kosi was, well, Kosi, Clinton Jones tagged Trent Cotchin, Lenny Hayes laid 11 tackles, and the Saints defence was back to its lock-tight best - for the most of the game. Just 38 inside 50s for the Tigers says it all.

Ben Cousins was admirable in the middle, as was the Tigers' skipper, Chris Newman, at the back. Dustin Martin and Jeromey Webberley were the best of the kids.

Simmonds played a valiant final game in what was a valiant 12-year career. He gave his all, and you can't ask for any more.