In the lead-up to yesterday’s hotly contested battle against Melbourne livewire Liam Jurrah, Sydney Swan’s defender Ted Richards celebrated victory over another formidable challenger - his commerce degree.

Richards graduated last Thursday night with a Bachelor of Commerce from UNSW - a qualification he has been working towards for seven years - and although he was ecstatic to finally don the mortarboard cap and gown, he admits that it was a struggle at times.

“It has been hard, especially early on,” Richards said.

“It’s taken me a long time and I’m absolutely rapt and just excited about the day.”

Richards, who has also been undertaking a cadetship at Citibank during his studies, said that university was a welcome distraction from the rigours of being an AFL footballer, despite the extra time constraints.  

“It’s healthy to do something outside of the football world,” he said.

“Football’s hard enough, but to do something outside of it is good, but it takes you a while to get your time management right.

“It (studying) gets you thinking about other things and it makes you switch off (from football), so mentally you are right.”

In speaking about Richards’ graduation, Sydney Swans Player Welfare & Development Manager Dennis Carroll said it was vital that players had a release away from the Club, and an eye to their future after football.

“To be learning something else so that it can help them later on in life to transition into the normal work environment, and to have the opportunity to meet other people and to develop relationships as well outside of the football Club - I think it’s very important to have that release,” Carroll said.

“Football is a very rewarding time for them, but they really need to understand that that’s a short period in their lives, and to have the opportunity to transition into something post football is essential.”

Carroll said he was proud of Richards’ achievement and that it was a fitting reward for his dedication and many hours of hard work.

“Ted’s a guy who has obviously put a lot of time and effort into his university, it’s taken him seven years from the time he started at Essendon to now, but he’s finally got there,” he said

“To finally be rewarded with a graduation last Thursday was a fantastic achievement for Ted.”