Peter Riccardi

Infobox afl player


firstname = Peter
lastname = Riccardi


| birthdate = Birth date and age|1972|12|17|df=y
birthplace =
originalteam = West St. Peters/Geelong U19
heightweight = 183cm / 92kg
dead = alive
deathdate =
deathplace =
debutdate = Round 4, 12 April 1992
debutteam = Geelong
debutopponent = West Coast Eagles
debutstadium = Subiaco Oval
playingteams = Geelong (1992-2006)

288 games, 285 goals
coach = notcoach
coachingteams =
statsend = 2006
careerhighlights =

*Geelong Best and Fairest 1998
* VFL-AFL Italian Team of the Century 2007

Peter Riccardi (born 17 December 1972) is a former Australian rules footballer who spent his entire professional career in the Australian Football League's Geelong Football Club.

Early career

The veteran made his debut for Geelong in Round 4, 1992 against West Coast, a real foe of Riccardi's, who he faced in the losing Grand Finals of 1992 and 1994.

Riccardi's raking left foot helped him win the 1998 Carji Greeves Medal.

Later career

In recent years, Riccardi had re-invented himself as an impact player, a player who comes off the bench in bursts. Riccardi had played 282 games at the end of the 2005 season and after struggling to return to the side in 2006, he played just 3 games in the first part of the year before returning in Round 17. Round 18 against Brisbane saw him produce a solid performance with 3 goals, but in Round 19 against St Kilda, Riccardi's career was effectively ended when he suffered a hamstring injury. His career finished with three great disappointments: he fell tantalisingly close to the coveted 300 game mark; despite playing in a strong team he never won a premiership; and a testimonial dinner organised in his honour by the Geelong Football Club was cancelled due to low ticket sales.

In 2007, he was named on a half forward flank in the VFL-AFL Italian Team of the Century.

External links

*Geelplayer|ref=14100

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