Ben Mathews
1997-2008
198 games
45 goals
Premiership Player 2005

Bio 

Often, chasing a professional sporting dream presents some extreme personal challenges. Ben Mathews, born in Leeton, left his Corowa home at 16 when the Sydney Swans took him in the 2005 National Draft as one of the last-ever state zoning selections.

Mathews arrived in Sydney alongside his Murray Bushrangers teammate Leigh Marshall and Ben Hollands from nearby North Albury. Rodney Eade had just taken the reins at the Swans as the new senior coach. His first crop of draftees also included Jared Crouch, Clinton King and Paul Licuria.

Eade was compiling an experienced senior list, though, and Stuart Maxfield arrived from Richmond, while Kevin Dyson joined from Melbourne and Craig O’Brien from St Kilda. Tony Lockett and Paul Roos arrived a year earlier to complement established stars: Paul Kelly, Mark Bayes, Daryn Cresswell, Michael O’Loughlin, and Andrew Dunkley.

As the Swans soared into the 1996 Grand Final, Mathews and his younger teammates watched on. The young, hard-running midfielder focused on his craft, training as hard as any to get his chance. Ahead of the Round 16 match against West Coast in 1997, Eade said Mathews earned his debut because “he worked his arse off.”

In The Age, Ashley Browne reported, “The Swans have named Ben Mathews, a draft selection from the Murray Bushrangers, for his debut. The skilful onballer has been on the verge of selection for several weeks.”

Mathews recalled, “I was both extremely nervous and excited. I don’t think I contributed too much, but we won. I can distinctly remember Paul Roos walking up to me before the game giving me some good advice.”

The 18-year-old played four consecutive games before enduring a frustrating, resilience-building period that saw him out of the senior team until he returned in Round 2, 1999. This was the critical juncture at which Mathews found the confidence and consistency that emerging players all strive for, earning a Rising Star nomination and playing in the first of his 14 career finals.

At season’s end, Mathews signed a new contract and set to work on maintaining his place in the Swans midfield alongside emerging talent Adam Goodes, Brett Kirk and Jude Bolton. Following Sydney’s superb Round 2 win over West Coast in 2000, without the injured Kelly and retired Lockett, Mathews attracted praise for a standout 27-possession, 12-mark performance.

Mathews delivered a season of marked consistency, averaging 20 disposals and five marks per game. At the club’s best and fairest night, he earned the Swans’ Most Improved Player award.

Building on that foundation of consistency discovered during the 2000 season, Mathews enjoyed the most complete season of his burgeoning career in 2001, finishing third in the Swans’ best and fairest count. Reporting on another contract extension, The Age declared, “Mathews is spoken of as a future captain.”

“He matured this year, playing midfield at the start of the season, then becoming part of the Swans’ potent defence. A strong runner, he has an ability to find space and help launch attacks out of the backline.”

As Christmas approached, the football world was stunned by the announcement that Tony Lockett would be making a comeback in 2002. Mathews, who started his career in the number 36 guernsey, was approached by Lockett to relinquish his newly acquired number four — the number Lockett had worn for his entire career.

The young Swan stood resolute, though, opting to keep his jumper number. Lockett publicly expressed his disappointment, prompting Mathews to front the media. He explained, “I was a little bit surprised. I am just looking forward to playing with him next year. He is a great player. I have set myself team and personal goals that I haven’t achieved yet in the number four guernsey, so I decided to hold on to it.”

The 2002 season proved to be one of the club’s most tumultuous for some time. Partway through, Lockett retired again, and Rodney Eade departed. Mathews’ former teammate, Paul Roos, took on the interim coaching role and, after an impressive late-season surge, was eventually appointed Sydney’s senior coach for the 2003 season.

His appointment set in motion a series of events that would have a significant longstanding impact on Mathews and the club in general. Late in 2002, Roos enlisted leadership consultant Ray McLean to help the playing group establish a trademark underpinned by expected behaviours and core values.

Through their work with McLean, the players identified a loss of connection with the club’s South Melbourne heritage, and they committed to paying tribute to the Bloods of old through their actions. This formed the beginning of the famous ‘Bloods culture’.

As part of the reset, when the players voted to install an initial 10-man leadership group, Mathews sat comfortably among them. It was fitting, as Roos had described Mathews as “One of our most professional players, one of our most respected players”.

The players elected Stuart Maxfield captain, and they enjoyed an outstanding 2003 season, reaching the preliminary final. Mathews, integral to the cultural expectations, compiled another fine season, relishing his leadership position.

Ahead of the iconic qualifying final away win against minor-premier Port Adelaide, Mathews told the media, “One of Roosy’s great strengths is being able to bring us all together as one. We genuinely enjoy each other’s company, and it helps when you’re out there.”

“We have a very close-knit squad. We aren’t relying on just four or five guys. We need the whole 22 to be playing well. And the team is better, too, for everyone assuming more responsibility.”

Following another finals appearance in 2004, the Swans set themselves for a groundbreaking 2005 season. Sadly, captain Stuart Maxfield announced his injury-forced retirement partway through the year. Six players were chosen to rotate the captaincy in his absence — Brett Kirk, Leo Barry, Barry Hall, Adam Goodes, Jude Bolton and Mathews.

The group shared responsibilities, and it worked well. Mathews appreciated the unique perspective that came with being a captain, including participating in match committee discussions and interacting with the press. The main principle he adhered to was staying true to himself.

The Swans surged into the Grand Final and, famously, broke a 72-year premiership drought by winning the thrilling decider by just four points. Mathews, one of Sydney’s best, recalled, “I started off on Daniel Kerr, but he got injured early, so I moved onto Chad Fletcher. It was an amazing game, and I think I played my role.”

“When the siren went, I felt huge relief and enormous satisfaction. That was the greatest match of my career.”

Frustrated by injury in the early part of 2006, Mathews entered Roos’ office and requested to be removed from the team so he could join the reserves to improve his fitness and performance. He returned to play another crucial role in the 2006 Grand Final, with West Coast winning the rematch by a solitary point.

It was just two years later when the highly respected Swan announced his retirement in September 2008, after 13 seasons in red and white.

On reaching the decision, Mathews said, “My passion and enthusiasm to play at the highest level was starting to be compromised, and I didn’t want to reach the point where I was letting down my teammates. It has been a fantastic journey, and I take away some very special memories and lifelong friendships from my time here.”

Roos said, “Any player’s objective at the start of their career is to give everything he possibly can for his team, his club and his teammates and to gain respect from the football community.”

“Benny Mathews is a player that has ticked all those boxes, and he really has been a tremendous contributor to the Sydney Swans, culminating in his performance in the 2005 Grand Final.”

Following assistant coaching roles at Gold Coast and Melbourne, Mathews returned to the Swans in 2021 as an assistant coach under John Longmire and then Dean Cox.