Richard Osborne                                                                               

Number

  44

Height

  180

Weight

  85

Birthday

  3 April 1973

Period on list

  1994 to 1996

Senior Games

  16

Goals

  3

Disposals

  183

Recruited From

  Sydney in the 1993 National Draft traded Daryl Griffin. Previously was with Fitzroy.

                                 

Honours 

  Topped club goal kicking in 1995 with 52 goals. International rep 1997.

Richard Osborne was originally with Fitzroy but transferred to Sydney. He was then traded by Sydney to the Bulldogs in the 1993 National Draft for draft selection 28 (that got them Darral Griffin).

An ambulance was brought on to the SCG in 1993 to remove a stricken Richard Osborne, who had clashed heads with team-mate Dale Lewis. People who were in the vicinity still talk about Osborne quivering as he lay on the ground that day. "I had a bit of a fit," says Osborne. "They were worried about me because I swallowed my tongue, I stopped breathing and I went blue. They thought I was a goner at one stage."

Three weeks later, Osborne resumed playing. "I had all the scans and I was fine ... It's a contact sport and you run the risk that you can get hurt. You know that before you run out. Love of the game just outweighs that."

Richard played for the Bullies from 1994 to 1996, a total of 51 games during which he took 153 marks, had 551 disposals and kicked 98 goals.

He was a fast half forward who like carrying the ball and kicking goals.

Osborne was a very talented player who continually re-invented himself as a player. Played some good footy early on for the Roys on a HBF and then did it again with the Pies at the end of his career. Shocking knock out at Sydney when he played for the Swans.

Osborne was a legend and quite a few considered him one of the 'more special' players in his time with us. The goal against Melbourne was great, and we entrusted him with the goal kicking abilities.

Scored lots of goals for us. Remember the goal, 50m out on boundary line off-balance (Sydney Cricket ground, night game 95) where we pulled off an incredible win. Cruelly taken from us. Busted his arm (or elbow) against North in a night game in 96. Little did we know he would never return.

In 96 prior to his injury he seemed to trail off the goals slightly, half the reason for his departure. If we knew he was going to play back pocket / CHB the way he did for Collingwood for a few years then maybe 97 would be a story with a vastly different ending.

Terry Wheeler always blamed Osborne's decision to quit the club in search of a gridiron kicking job as the reason he lost his job.

n the 1996 National draft he was traded to Collingwood for draft pick #61 for which we received Stephen Powell. He played 29 more games for Collingwood and retired at the end of 1998.

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