Stuart Maxfield
Encyclopedia
Stuart Maxfield is a retired Australian rules football
er who played for the Sydney Swans
in the Australian Football League
(AFL). He was the Swans' captain until 5 May 2005, when he stood down from the position.
Maxfield was recruited in 1990 from Caulfield Grammar School
by Richmond
, and debuted that year. He played six seasons at Richmond, making 89 senior appearances.
In the 1996 pre-season AFL Draft, Richmond released Maxfield from his contract and he was drafted by Sydney, arriving at the club in the same year as Tony Lockett
. Maxfield was a solid midfield contributor alongside Paul Kelly
, and in 2003 was rewarded by being appointed captain after Kelly retired from the AFL.
In 2005, Stuart Maxfield and his wife separated, and he decided to resign from the Sydney captaincy to spend time with his children in Melbourne
on weekdays.
He remained at the Swans, but missed much of the 2005 AFL season after resigning from the Swans captaincy, and as a result missed an opportunity to play in the 2005 AFL Grand Final in which Sydney defeated the West Coast Eagles
by four points. Shortly after the game, at the club's 2005 Best and Fairest awards night, he announced his retirement from the AFL.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er who played for the Sydney Swans
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(AFL). He was the Swans' captain until 5 May 2005, when he stood down from the position.
Maxfield was recruited in 1990 from Caulfield Grammar School
Caulfield Grammar School
Caulfield Grammar School is an independent, co-educational, Anglican, day and boarding school, located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1881 as a boys' school, Caulfield began admitting girls exactly one hundred years later...
by Richmond
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
, and debuted that year. He played six seasons at Richmond, making 89 senior appearances.
In the 1996 pre-season AFL Draft, Richmond released Maxfield from his contract and he was drafted by Sydney, arriving at the club in the same year as Tony Lockett
Tony Lockett
Anthony Howard "Tony" Lockett is a former Australian rules football player. Lockett is the highest goal scorer in the history of the VFL/AFL with 1,360 goals in a career of 281 games, that commenced in 1983 with the St Kilda Football Club, and finished in 2002 with the Sydney Swans...
. Maxfield was a solid midfield contributor alongside Paul Kelly
Paul Kelly (footballer)
Paul Kelly is a former Australian rules footballer, winner of the Brownlow Medal and captain of the Sydney Swans for ten seasons. He was and still is known to Swans fans everywhere as "Captain Courageous"....
, and in 2003 was rewarded by being appointed captain after Kelly retired from the AFL.
In 2005, Stuart Maxfield and his wife separated, and he decided to resign from the Sydney captaincy to spend time with his children in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
on weekdays.
He remained at the Swans, but missed much of the 2005 AFL season after resigning from the Swans captaincy, and as a result missed an opportunity to play in the 2005 AFL Grand Final in which Sydney defeated the West Coast Eagles
West Coast Eagles
The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
by four points. Shortly after the game, at the club's 2005 Best and Fairest awards night, he announced his retirement from the AFL.