View source for Richard Swain

{{short description|New Zealand international rugby league footballer}}
{{for|the British virologist Richard Swain|R. H. A. Swain}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2015}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2015}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
| new              = yes
| name             = Richard Swain
| image            = Richard Swain Hull FC.jpg
| caption          = Swain playing for Hull in 2007
| fullname         = Richard Gregory Swain<ref>[http://nzleague.co.nz/kiwis/player_profile.php?letter=S&id=680 SWAIN, RICHARD GREGORY 1999 - 2003 - KIWI #680] ''nzleague.co.nz''</ref>
| birth_date       = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1975|07|02}}
| birth_place      = [[Tamworth, New South Wales]], Australia
| height           = {{convert|179|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}
| weight           = {{convert|89|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}
| position         = {{rlp|HK}}
| club1            = [[Hunter Mariners]]
| year1start       = 1997
| year1end         = 
| appearances1     = 13 
| tries1           = 0
| goals1           = 4
| fieldgoals1      = 0
| points1          = 8
| club2            = {{nowrap|[[Melbourne Storm]]}}
| year2start       = 1998
| year2end         = 02
| appearances2     = 132
| tries2           = 17
| goals2           = 12
| fieldgoals2      = 0
| points2          = 92
| club3            = [[Brisbane Broncos]]
| year3start       = 2003
| year3end         = 
| appearances3     = 21
| tries3           = 0
| goals3           = 2
| fieldgoals3      = 0
| points3          = 4
| club4            = [[Hull FC]]
| year4start       = 2004
| year4end         = 07
| appearances4     = 94
| tries4           = 5
| goals4           = 0
| fieldgoals4      = 0
| points4          = 20
| retired          = yes
| teamA             = {{nowrap|[[New Zealand national rugby league team|New Zealand]]}}
| yearAstart        = 1999
| yearAend          = 03 
| appearancesA      = 20
| triesA            = 4
| goalsA            = 16
| fieldgoalsA       = 0
| pointsA           = 30
| updated           = 27 October 2008
| source            = <ref name="Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/richard-swain/summary.html|title=Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|access-date=1 January 2018}}</ref>
}}

'''Richard Swain''' (born 2 July 1975) is a New Zealand former professional [[rugby league]] footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. A [[New Zealand national rugby league team|New Zealand]] international {{rlp|hk}}, he played club football in Australia for the [[Hunter Mariners]], [[Melbourne Storm]] (with whom he won the [[1999 NRL premiership]]) and [[Brisbane Broncos]] and in England for [[Hull FC]].

==Early years==
Swain was born and raised in [[Tamworth, New South Wales]], Australia, he went to [[Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School|Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School, Tamworth]] the same school as former Canberra Raiders captain [[Alan Tongue]] and [[Tom Learoyd-Lahrs]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Knights want Farrer as a nursery|url=http://www.northerndailyleader.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-league/knights-want-farrer-as-nursery/1942931.aspx|publisher=The Northern Daily Leader|access-date=1 May 2012}}</ref>

==Playing career==
===Australia===
Swain made his first grade début in 1997, playing for the new [[Hunter Mariners]] club. With the demise of the club at the end of the year he moved south, joining the [[Melbourne Storm]].

Swain never missed a game for the Melbourne Storm from the club's first ever match in round 1, 1998 up until his final game for the club in round 26, 2002.<ref>{{cite web|last=Mascord|first=Steve|title=Storm sack best-and-fairest Swain|date=24 July 2002 |url=http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/07/23/1027332379085.html|publisher=Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=1 May 2012}}</ref> Swain declared his eligibility for New Zealand in 1999 and was selected for the [[New Zealand national rugby league team]] for that year's [[ANZAC Test]].<ref>[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-21459763.html Swain says he wants to play for New Zealand]{{dead link|date=February 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} ''AAP Sports News'', 23 March 1999</ref><ref>[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-21477161.html Swain says he wants to play for New Zealand Changing face of New Zealand rugby league]{{dead link|date=February 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} ''AAP Sports News'', 22 April 1999</ref>

Swain played at hooker in [[1999 NRL Grand Final]] victory over St. George Illawarra. Swain was selected for the [[New Zealand national rugby league team|New Zealand team]] to compete in the end of season [[1999 Rugby League Tri-Nations]] tournament. In the final against [[Australia national rugby league team|Australia]] he played at {{rlp|hk}} in the Kiwis' 22-20 loss. Having won the 1999 Premiership, the [[Melbourne Storm]] traveled to England to contest the [[2000 World Club Challenge]] against [[Super League]] Champions [[St Helens R.F.C.]], with Kimmorley playing at {{rlp|hk}} in the victory.

Swain went on to play in nineteen tests for [[New Zealand national rugby league team|New Zealand]], including at the [[2000 Rugby League World Cup|2000 World Cup]].

Swain was named the Storm's player of the year in 2001.<ref>{{cite web|last=melbournestorm.com.au|title=NRL Honour Board|url=http://www.melbournestorm.com.au/default.aspx?s=nrl-honour-board|work=Club|publisher=[[Melbourne Storm]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928161940/http://www.melbournestorm.com.au/default.aspx?s=nrl-honour-board|archive-date=28 September 2013}}</ref> Swain also the first player in the [[National Rugby League]] to top 1,000 Tackles in a season and was also [[Super League]]'s "Top Tackler" in 2004 with 907 tackles for Hull.{{citation needed|date=December 2010}} He went on the [[2002 New Zealand rugby league tour of Great Britain and France]] and was the goal-kicker and leading point-scorer of the tour. Swain spent 2003 with the [[Brisbane Broncos]] before joining [[Hull F.C.]] for four years in the [[Super League]].

===England===
Swain played at {{rlp|hk}} and was a major part in Hull F.C. winning the [[2005 Challenge Cup]], as it was his last gasp charge-down of [[Kevin Sinfield]]'s drop-goal attempt that ended the Leeds Rhinos' last chance of taking the game to extra-time. Kevin Sinfield was named [[Lance Todd Trophy]] winner 5-minutes from time, when at the time Leeds Rhinos were winning. Hull F.C. reached the [[2006 Super League Grand final]] to be contested against [[St Helens R.F.C.|St. Helens]] and Swain played at {{rlp|hk}} in his side's 4-26 loss.<ref>{{cite news|title=St Helens 26-4 Hull FC|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/super_league/6035553.stm|access-date=18 August 2013|newspaper=[[BBC News]]|date=14 October 2006}}</ref>
Swain retired halfway through the 2007 season due to a back injury.<ref>[http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Rugby+League%3A+Swain+is+forced+to+quit+Hull.-a0166267612 Swain is forced to quit Hull] ''Liverpool Echo'', 11 July 2007</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.nzrl.co.nz/page/richard_swain.html New Zealand profile]
*[http://www.slstats.org/p483/Richard%20Swain.html SL stats profile]

{{Melbourne Storm squad 1999 NRL premiership}}
{{Melbourne Storm - 2000 World Club Challenge winners}}
{{Hull F.C. - 2005 Challenge Cup Final winners}}
{{New Zealand squad 2000 Rugby League World Cup}}
{{Hull FC Hall of Fame}}
{{1997 Hunter}}
{{1998 Melbourne}}
{{Cameron Smith Player of the Year Award}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swain, Richard}}
[[Category:1975 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Australian expatriate rugby league players in England]]
[[Category:Australian rugby league players]]
[[Category:Brisbane Broncos players]]
[[Category:Hull F.C. captains]]
[[Category:Hull F.C. players]]
[[Category:Hunter Mariners players]]
[[Category:Melbourne Storm players]]
[[Category:New Zealand national rugby league team players]]
[[Category:New Zealand expatriate rugby league players in England]]
[[Category:Rugby league hookers]]
[[Category:Rugby league players from Tamworth, New South Wales]]