Michael Perry (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Michael "Mike" Perry is a former Australian rules football
player who played in the VFL
between 1965 and 1969 for the Richmond Football Club
.
Educated at Scotch College
, Mike played two seasons for Old Scotch Collegians in the Victorian Amateur Football Association
(1963 and 1964, 38 games). He won their Best and Fairest Trophy each season, and was selected for the VAFA Representative side in 1964 (at 20 years of age).
Recruited by Richmond in 1965 (he broke his jaw in the round 3 match against St Kilda, his second senior match, and did not play another senior match that season), he eventually became a fixture at centre-half-back, and fans got used to seeing his mop of red hair flying above the pack, as well as being delighted by his tenacious clearing dashes.
He was tall, strongly built, and had wonderful judgement; his ball sense was quite remarkable, and he always made rather hard tasks seem much simpler than they were.
By 1967 he was a fixture in the Richmond side at centre-half-back. He was selected in a Victorian State team, and played in Richmond's first premiership team since 1944
when Richmond beat Geelong 16.18 (114) to 15.15 (105).
He played the entire 1968 and 1969 seasons for Richmond's senior side, missing Richmond's 1969 Grand Final winning team because of a suspension for striking Footscray's Tad Joniec in the last home-and-away match of the season.
Although he was unable to play any more senior grade VFL due to an injury, he continued to play satisfactorily at a lower level for a number of years:
Including his time with Old Scotch Collegians, and his VAFA and VFL selection, he played altogether 281 games in his career (continuing to play until he was 40).
His most memorable piece of work being the famous slogan he devised to sell Captain Morgan Rum: "Captain Morgan is good for your organ"!
Needless to say, with the newspaper, radio and television coverage, added to a slogan-covered Moomba Procession Float that was overflowing with lustful pirates and nubile wenches, the sales of Captain Morgan Rum sky-rocketed with his campaign.
He went on to conduct a photography business, and became involved in the Richmond Former Players' and Officials' Association.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
player who played in the VFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
between 1965 and 1969 for the Richmond Football Club
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
.
Educated at Scotch College
Scotch College, Melbourne
Scotch College, Melbourne is an independent, Presbyterian, day and boarding school for boys, located in Hawthorn, an inner-eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
, Mike played two seasons for Old Scotch Collegians in the Victorian Amateur Football Association
Victorian Amateur Football Association
The Victorian Amateur Football Association is an Australian rules football league in Victoria, Australia consisting purely of amateur players. Unlike the Victorian Football League and the VFL/AFL, the VAFA has always been strictly a purely amateur league and has affiliations with both AFL Victoria...
(1963 and 1964, 38 games). He won their Best and Fairest Trophy each season, and was selected for the VAFA Representative side in 1964 (at 20 years of age).
Recruited by Richmond in 1965 (he broke his jaw in the round 3 match against St Kilda, his second senior match, and did not play another senior match that season), he eventually became a fixture at centre-half-back, and fans got used to seeing his mop of red hair flying above the pack, as well as being delighted by his tenacious clearing dashes.
He was tall, strongly built, and had wonderful judgement; his ball sense was quite remarkable, and he always made rather hard tasks seem much simpler than they were.
By 1967 he was a fixture in the Richmond side at centre-half-back. He was selected in a Victorian State team, and played in Richmond's first premiership team since 1944
1944 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1944.-Influence of World War II:The wartime travel restrictions that had forced Geelong into recess the previous two years were relaxed, and Geelong rejoined the competition....
when Richmond beat Geelong 16.18 (114) to 15.15 (105).
He played the entire 1968 and 1969 seasons for Richmond's senior side, missing Richmond's 1969 Grand Final winning team because of a suspension for striking Footscray's Tad Joniec in the last home-and-away match of the season.
Although he was unable to play any more senior grade VFL due to an injury, he continued to play satisfactorily at a lower level for a number of years:
- 1970: Richmond Reserves.
- 1971: Richmond Reserves, including the 1971 Reserves Premiership (thus, from 1965 to the end of 1971, Mike had played 1 Victorian Representative game, 53 senior games, and 45 reserve games).
- 1972: Dandenong Football Club, 11 games.
- 1976-1977: Portland, captain-coach, 36 games.
- 1978-1979: Power House VAFA Football Club, captain-coach, 336 games.
- 1980-1984: Old Geelong Grammarians VAFA Football Club, captain-coach, 360 games.
Including his time with Old Scotch Collegians, and his VAFA and VFL selection, he played altogether 281 games in his career (continuing to play until he was 40).
Advertising
Whilst at Richmond, Mike worked for an advertising agency.His most memorable piece of work being the famous slogan he devised to sell Captain Morgan Rum: "Captain Morgan is good for your organ"!
Needless to say, with the newspaper, radio and television coverage, added to a slogan-covered Moomba Procession Float that was overflowing with lustful pirates and nubile wenches, the sales of Captain Morgan Rum sky-rocketed with his campaign.
He went on to conduct a photography business, and became involved in the Richmond Former Players' and Officials' Association.