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Richard Keane joined the Swans in 2007 as the club’s first coach. Keane coached and played in the Swans debut season and earned the 2008 Most Consistent Player award. In 2009, Keane handed the coaching reins over to his assistant Corey Bowen, giving Keane more time to concentrate on playing. With the pressure of coaching off, Keane’s play produced enough votes for him to join Darren Roffey as the 2009 runner-up as Best and Fairest player.
 Keane led the voting heading into the final two rounds of the season. Had he not played his last game for the Swans in Round 12, missing the final 2 games of the season, he may well have taken the top award. Keane’s ability to find the ball in the middle was an asset to the Swans all season. At the ripe old age of 34, he had not lost the ability to consistently win the hard ball and find space around the ground.
After the 2009 season, Keane returned to Australia. However, he leaves behind an on-field legacy as a hard worker, a ball-winner, the 2008 Most Consistent Player, and the 2009 Spurrell Medal runner-up. Off the field, Keane also left his mark as a tireless and aggressive promoter of the Ottawa Swans throughout the community. He will be greatly missed around the club.
A statement from Rich Keane:
“I am very humbled to win this runner-up award. Congratulations to the old man, Luke Walsh, for another consistent season and for winning the Best and Fairest award. The entire 2009 season was a standout year for the Ottawa Swans Australian Football Club, primarily due to the hard work put in behind the scenes and on game day by the coaching and administrative staff such as Corey, Chris, Joel, PK, Tammy and Lisa.
“I really enjoyed my three year stint in Ottawa at the Australian High Commission and the chance to get involved in the local community. It was a pleasure to work with some people with strong skill sets like Ray Kaduck, Joel Dawes, Alp Oran and Steve Spurrell in setting up the club and to coach and play footy with a great bunch of lads. I am sure the constant abuse/shouting the players received from an old, slow bloke like me, may have been a little too much to handle at times but I always did it with the best of intentions. It was good to see that all of the players improve in every facet of the game with some lads such as Chris Lockhart, Graeme Millen and Ryan Gregory going on as Canadian national team selections!”
2009 Award Winners Series
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