Full Name: MATTHEW KNIGHTS
Date of Birth: 05/10/1970
Height: 178 cm ( 5-10 )
Weight: 78 kg ( 12-4 )
Guernsey: 33
Debut: 30/07/1988, Round 18, North Melbourne
Last Game: 26/07/2002, Round 17, Essendon
RICHMOND SENIORS
Seasons: 1988-2002
Total Games: 279
Total Goals: 172
Honours: Best & Fairest 1990, 1992, Victorian Representative Team 1990-91, 1993, 1995 Games 5 Goals 2.
RICHMOND RESERVES
Seasons: 1988-89
Total Games: 17 TO BE CHECKED
Total Goals: 4 TO BE CHECKED
Honours: Best & Fairest 1988.
BIOGRAPHY
Matthew plays in the centre. He is a very classy left footer who seems to get better each season. He has an uncanny sense of balance and is able to spin out of trouble with ease. He is a good kick to position and uses handball constructively to bring other players into the game. He moves well, has plenty of time and is rarely caught out of position. He is an expert at roaming across the centre and gathering possessions at will. He reads the play well and uses his experience to place himself in the best position for each contest. He is the youngest Seniors’ Best and Fairest award winner in the history of the Richmond Football Club, and won his first Best and Fairest in 1990 as a 19-year-old; his second in 1992; he also finished third in 1993; and second in 1995. He has also represented Victoria five times.
He has been Richmond’s vice captain for the past five seasons. His 1994 form was effected by a niggling leg injury; however, this did not stop his brilliance entirely and he still performed very well, particularly when captaining the side in Tony FREE’S absence. After five games in 1995, Matthew was again promoted to acting captain after Tony FREE injured his knee. He again showed his class, winning another Victoria Guernsey and finishing equal third in the “Brownlow Medal.” He has also been a model of consistency and between 1988 and Round 14 of 1995 he played in 143 consecutive games before injury intervened.
He was a member of Richmond’s Finals teams in 1995. In the semi-final against Essendon it was Matthew’s three brilliant solo efforts in the first half that gave Richmond an outside chance of victory. All three efforts resulted in goals. One of his goals in the second quarter came after five bounces. It was fitting that Richmond went on to win the game so that his efforts received the recognition they deserved. Matthew was awarded Life Membership at the end of the 1995 season. His 1996 season was interrupted due to an ankle injury.
PRE RICHMOND
Mermen U/11 to U/17 ( Honours - U/13 Club Best & Fairest & Competition Best & Fairest ) ; Mildura Imperials U/17, Games 4 ; Mildura Imperials Seniors 1987 ( Honours - Premiership 1987 ).
POST RICHMOND
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