Richmond Football Club
Encyclopedia
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, when a large debt
almost forced them to fold. In the last 15 years, Richmond regained a strong financial position without enjoying any sustained finals success. Nonetheless the Tigers boast a mighty history (ten premierships) and a host of star players and personalities who have contributed to the formation of the unique Richmond football identity.
Since its inception in the mid-1880s, the club has been based at the Richmond Cricket Ground (better known as the Punt Road Oval
), just a few hundred metres to the east of the Melbourne Cricket Ground
, where the Tigers have played their home games since 1965. A late bloomer
, Richmond struggled until the start of the twentieth century, so it was not offered an invitation to join the Victorian Football League (VFL) until 1908. After World War I, Richmond matured quickly, enjoyed more success than many of the more established clubs. The Tigers created great rivalries with both Carlton
and Collingwood
. At this time, the city of Richmond
was an industrial, blue-collar
area nicknamed "Struggletown". The working-class
supporters identified strongly with the club and the Tigers developed a massive following during the golden period of the 1930s.
Extraordinary high points interspersed among long periods of mediocrity has been the pattern of the club's form in the years since World War II. Regardless, Richmond's team has to only show a hint of success and a game against one of the other "big four" will pack them in at the MCG
. In 1980, the Tigers were the first sporting team in Australia to attract one million paying spectators in a season (1,065,603).
A team of footballers playing as Richmond is mentioned by the newspapers in the first years of Australian football
, circa 1860. HCA Harrison, the so-called "father of the game", captained Richmond briefly at this time before moving to Geelong
. This loosely organised group has no continuity to the present club. A number of teams formed in the Richmond
area during the game's rapid expansion of the 1870s and early 1880s. However, all played at a junior level and it was considered an anomaly that Richmond
, one of Melbourne's biggest locales, didn't boast a senior team. The wait ended when the Richmond Football Club was officially formed at the Royal Hotel in Richmond
on 20 February 1885. A successful application for immediate admission to the Victorian Football Association followed – the VFA was the premier Australian football
competition at this time. The club shared the Punt Road Oval
with the Richmond Cricket Club
, one of the strongest cricket clubs in Australia which had been playing on the ground since 1856.
At first the team wore a blue uniform. One of the most important features of a nineteenth century footballer's uniform was his headgear, and Richmond opted for yellow and black striped caps, the same as the cricket club. After a couple of years, yellow and black stripes replaced blue as the colours of the team's guernseys. The team was variously called the "Richmondites", the "Wasps" or, most commonly, the "Tigers".
During the late 1880s, the VFA was expanding rapidly. A booming economy and large numbers of immigrants made Melbourne the largest city in the Australian colonies. The city was besotted with football and many clubs clamoured for admission to the VFA. Richmond struggled to make an impression and after a promising season in 1888 (when they finished fifth with eleven wins), the club slipped backwards. In a theoretically amateur sport, the strongest teams were luring the best talent with undisclosed payments to players and were not keen to schedule matches against teams with poor followings (such as Richmond) that couldn't generate much gate money.
As the local economy slipped into severe depression
in the early 1890s and the crowds began to dwindle, a cabal of strong teams began to agitate for a reform of the competition. Richmond were not considered part of this elite group, who usually voted together as a block at VFA meetings. A lack of commitment and focused effort was holding the Tigers back. In 1896, Richmond walked off the field in a match with South Melbourne
at half time when they were a long way behind on a very wet day to protest the umpiring. Later in the season, the Tigers had their score annulled against Essendon
when it was discovered that they had too many men on the ground. In the closing three weeks of the season, Richmond's gate takings amounted to just five pounds.
Richmond finished the season last of the thirteen clubs, and picked a bad time to perform so poorly. In October 1896, the cabal of six strong clubs broke with the association to form the VFL, and invited two other clubs to join them: Carlton
and St Kilda
. Obviously, Richmond's struggles during the season had not helped when the invitations to the new competition were being considered. Richmond's performances didn't immediately improve in the emaciated VFA until the turn of the century.
at the head of the ladder. Just when a play-off between the clubs to decide the premiership looked certain, Port
faltered against Williamstown
to hand Richmond its first flag.
Having missed a potential bonanza from a premiership play-off, the VFA decided to emulate the VFL and introduce a finals series in 1903, a fateful decision for the Tigers. After recruiting the competition's leading goalkicker, Jack Hutchinson
, and finishing the season as minor premier
, Richmond lost both finals and were runner-up
. The following season, the club became embroiled in a feud with umpire Allen, accused by the Tigers of failing to curb field invasions or the illegal tactics of arch-rival North Melbourne
.
When the two clubs were scheduled to meet in the Grand Final
, Richmond announced that they wouldn't play under Allen. The VFA called the Tigers' bluff, and appointed Allen for the match, meaning that the Grand Final was scratched and North Melbourne
won the premiership on forfeit. Richmond were now openly at odds with the VFA and matters failed to improve in the next few years.
The club was campaigning against violence (both on-field and among the crowd), ungentlemanly conduct and poor sportsmanship, issues that plagued the VFA to a far greater extent than the rival VFL. Richmond cultivated links with some League clubs by playing practice matches against them. The Tigers knew that they were a major asset to the Association. They had built up a large following and played on one of the best grounds in the competition, where they remained unbeaten for five consecutive seasons. In 1905, Richmond confirmed their status with a second premiership, this time overcoming bitter rivals North Melbourne
, a club perceived as the antithesis of Richmond. 'Mallee' Johnson had moved to Carlton
, but youngster Charlie Ricketts
dominated the season and won plaudits among the pressmen, who voted him the best player in the VFA.
However, Ricketts
was also lost to the VFL and injury hit the club hard. In 1906–07, the Tigers played finals without looking likely to win the flag. The club earned a rebuke from the VFA for scheduling a practice match against Geelong
before the 1907 season, but Richmond went ahead with the commitment and earned further censure. Later in the year it became clear that the VFL wanted to expand its competition and Richmond won a place ahead of North Melbourne
, which had been strengthened by an amalgamation with the bankrupt West Melbourne as part of their bid. Richmond were granted admission along with the now defunct University.
The first few seasons in the VFL were less than spectacular. Although the club turned up some star players, it let a lot of talent leave and the administration was unstable after George Bennett's
death at the end of the 1908 season. In 1916, the side played in the finals for the first time, however, with the ravages of war
having reduced the competition to just four clubs, finals qualification was automatic.
Finally, in 1919, the Tigers made their first Grand Final
appearance, losing to Collingwood
. Richmond stoked a rivalry with the Magpies
by recruiting their former skipper Dan Minogue
as playing coach and the Tigers gained vengeance by beating Collingwood
in the 1920 Grand Final
to secure a first flag in the big league. This was followed by an even better performance the next year. The only club that continued to beat Richmond on a regular basis was Carlton
. Finishing minor premier
with only one loss for the season in 1921, the Blues
were the hottest premiership favourite, yet Richmond managed to beat them in two classic finals matches played over successive weeks to go back-to-back.
The rest of the decade saw four more Grand Final
appearances, all of which would end in frustration. From 1927 to 1929 Richmond became the first club in the VFL to lose three consecutive Grand Finals
, all of which were to neighbouring arch rivals, Collingwood
.
The next VFL flag came in 1932, with the Tigers triumph over Carlton
in a tough encounter which saw Richmond wingman
Alan Geddes
play the second half with a broken jaw. Another Tigers premiership came in 1934, this time against South Melbourne's
famed "Foreign Legion", avenging the Tigers' loss in the previous season's Grand Final
.
Prior to the commencement of the 1940 season, internal problems were brewing between the key personalities at the club. Some felt that the uneven performance of the team was due to Bentley's
coaching methods, and that he should be replaced. Dyer
walked out on the club and threatened to play in the VFA after his father, a committeeman who was involved with the anti-Bentley faction, lost his position at the board elections. Finally, the matter was resolved and Bentley
kept his job, while Dyer
returned to training on the eve of the season. The problems appeared to have been solved when the Tigers won the semi final against Melbourne
to go straight into the Grand Final
. However, the Demons
reversed this result with a crushing win to pinch the premiership. The Tigers had been out-thought by their old mentor Checker Hughes
, who had assigned a tagger to negate Dyer
. Dyer
was furious that Bentley
had done nothing to prevent his opponent taking him out of the game. The Richmond committee agreed with this assessment, so when Bentley
(after retiring as a player) attempted to negotiate a higher fee to continue his coaching tenure, he was rebuffed. Incensed, Bentley
quit Punt Road and moved to Carlton
as coach, adding further spice to an already fierce rivalry between the two clubs.
.jpg)
Despite the tribulations created by the Second World War, the Tigers were able to maintain a commendable level of consistency on the field. The club had quite a lot of players in reserved occupations who remained at home, while the administration became adept at securing star players who were temporarily in Melbourne on war service. Dyer
was a fearsome presence in his role as playing coach, but he was unable to improve the Tigers' ability to win finals matches. A loss in the 1942 Grand Final
to Essendon
(after starting as favourite) meant that over the previous 18 years, Richmond had won two flags but been runner-up
eight times. Jack Titus
set a still unbeaten record of playing in six losing Grand Final
teams. In 1943, Richmond broke through to beat Essendon
in a thrilling Grand Final
by five points, a win that the club dedicated to ex-player Bill Cosgrove, an RAF
pilot who had been killed in action a few weeks before the match. But another Grand Final
loss followed in 1944, when Dyer's
team failed against Fitzroy
on a very hot day.
continued on as coach for three years after his playing retirement at the end of 1949, but was asked to retire by the committee who felt the club needed a shake up. Under a succession of coaches, the 1950s were wasted years for Richmond. With the demands of potential players increasing with each passing year, the club refused to allocate sufficient funds to recruit and they failed to replace star players as they retired. When stalwarts such as Des Rowe
and dual-Brownlow Medal
list Roy Wright left, the team slumped dramatically and finished with a wooden spoon
in 1960.
era, one that would see the club winning four premierships under his leadership. They won the 1967 flag in a thrilling encounter with Geelong
, ending a 24 year premiership drought. In 1969, it became two in three years as Richmond, who had finished fourth on the ladder, beat the much fancied Carlton
in the Grand Final
by 25 points.
The Tigers were dominant in 1972 and were hot favourites in the Grand Final
against Carlton
. However, the Blues
stunned the Tigers in a game of ridiculous high scoring. Even Richmond equalled the then record highest score in a Grand Final
of 22.18(150), but Carlton
beat it with 28.9(177). The Tigers got their revenge in an intensely physical clash in the 1973 Grand Final
and went back-to-back in 1974 with a strong win against a resurgent North Melbourne
.
Richmond won its last premiership with a then record-breaking margin of 81 points over arch-rivals Collingwood
in 1980. After reaching and losing the 1982 Grand Final
, it has been a rocky road for the Tigers who have struggled to come to grips with the rules and regulations of a modernized AFL, including the draft
and salary cap
. The successes of the early 1980s were bought at high financial cost through expensive recruiting, and were followed by severe cut backs that saw several top players depart.
, the Tigers set themselves for war with the Magpies
in 1984 by signing three of their players: John Annear, Craig Stewart and Phil Walsh. Not only were there big contracts and transfer fees to pay, but the costs of an expensive court action as well. Richmond also signed a number of mediocre players on big contracts, and the club's financial situation took a battering. With the team failing to improve, a challenge to the committee was brewing and Richmond's traditional political stability threatened. The rebel group, organised by long-time servant Bill Durham, convinced former player and coach Barry Richardson to be leader. An election in late 1984 failed to clarify the situation. The challengers had the numbers, but Ian Wilson held on to the presidency into the new year. When the one hundredth birthday of the club arrived in February 1985, there was too much dissension to mark the moment fittingly. Eventually, Wilson handed over to Richardson, who had selected his former premiership teammate Paul Sproule
to return from Tasmania
and take over the coaching position on a guaranteed contract.
As the season progressed with Richmond still struggling, Sproule
came under pressure. Richardson guaranteed his position but at the end of the year the committee over-ruled Richardson and sacked Sproule
. Incensed, Richardson walked out of Punt Road, which was in turmoil again. Desperately, the Tigers turned back to Tony Jewell
, who was appointed coach for a second time, the only man in the club's history to get a second go at the job. Jewell
later commented on the destruction wrought on the club during his four year absence..."the supporters were gone, the members were gone, the money was gone...a real shame."
With the competition set to expand, the Tigers made a number of misguided moves in 1986. To fill the vacancy left by Richardson, Richmond wooed high-flying West Australian entrepreneur Alan Bond
to become president. Bond
came with an agenda to raise money for the club by listing on the stockmarket and relocating to Brisbane
. When the latter plan was revealed in the media, a furious reaction from supporters and high profile club personalities buried the proposal almost immediately. Early in 1987, Bond's
tenure at the club ended in farce when he resigned without presiding over a single game. The off-field confusion was reflected in the players' performance as Richmond slumped to only its second wooden spoon
in 70 years.
, had stabilised the club and scored a coup by persuading club legend Kevin Bartlett to coach, the matter of servicing the huge debt remained a chain around the Tigers' neck. The club managed to stay solvent by cutting expenses to the bone and paying only two-thirds of the allowable salary cap. But there was no money for recruiting to improve an impoverished playing list. The club struggled to come to terms with the draft
after its inception in 1986, and made a number of poor choices – notably, the number one pick in 1987 was used on a player who had only two games with the Tigers.
Finally, with the economy in serious recession
and interest rates touching seventeen per cent, Richmond's creditors began calling in the debts. At one point, an attempt was made to seize the club's 1973–74 premiership trophies as securities for unpaid debts, an embarrassing situation. For a number of years, the exact amount that the club owed was not publicly known. After Bartlett came Allan Jeans, who then passed the job to ex-Tiger premiership player John Northey
for 1993. Northey
returned the team to the simple long-kicking style of the halcyon days under the legendary Tom Hafey
. Along with some draft concessions granted by the AFL
, Northey's
efforts gradually improved the Tigers. The team fumbled an opportunity to make the 1994 finals, then opened 1995 with its best start to a season in 75 years and eventually made it to the preliminary final. With a talented playing list and a strong administration led by Leon Daphne (the Tigers' first president from the corporate world, the Alan Bond
farce aside), Richmond looked set to become regular finalists again.
During 1992 the Richmond Football Club logo was redesigned to its current 2009 form by Rob Perry (see external links), while he was working as an art director at the advertising agency George Patterson Bates in Melbourne. The illustration of the tiger was done by Lex Bell, the in-house illustrator of the agency.
demanded a contract extension (because of a rumour that some people with an association with the club were pursuing Kevin Sheedy) that the club refused, so he broke his contract and walked out on Richmond. Northey
accepted a longer-term contract to coach Brisbane
. Richmond, caught short, appointed the Bears'
ex-coach Robert Walls
for 1996. After several humiliating thrashings in 1997, Walls
became the first Tiger coach to be sacked mid-season. After two and a half seasons under Jeff Gieschen
, the club appointed ex-St Kilda captain Danny Frawley
. After a Preliminary Final
appearance in Frawley's
second season, Richmond over-estimated the strength of the list and settled for trading for established players rather than drafting youth. Over the next three seasons, the team managed just 18 wins. The administration continued to support Frawley
and ensured that he would see out his contract, a far cry from the way many of his predecessors were treated. However, midway through the 2004 season (a season in which the Tigers only managed 4 wins, and lost their last 14 H&A matches), Frawley
announced he would be relinquishing his role as the Tiger coach at seasons' end.
being touted as a future star and leader. However, the Tigers' first match of the season (against Geelong
), quickly dashed that hope, as they were thrashed by 62 points. However, this loss would spark a change in the Tigers, and in the next 8 weeks of the season, they would go on to win 7 matches (the one exception being a 68 point loss at the hands of St. Kilda in Round 5). This included wins over the then-reigning premiers, Port Adelaide
, and over then-runners up, the Brisbane Lions
. Sitting pretty at 7 wins and 2 losses, and 3rd on the ladder, the impossible prospect of finals football loomed large. However, in the Round 10 match against Melbourne
, star player Nathan Brown
suffered a horrible leg injury, that would sideline him for the rest of the season. They went on to lose the match by 57 points, and would only register 3 more wins for the season (one of those was against eventual premiers the Sydney Swans
by one point, who ironically had a one point win against Collingwood
the round before), eventually finishing 12th. Nevertheless, from where they had come from, this move up the ladder was considered by many as a sign of things to come.
2006, a year which many experts predicted continued improvement for the Tigers, saw them lose their first H&A match by 115 points, against the Western Bulldogs
, after which followed losses to St Kilda and West Coast
. By the end of Round 3, things were looking grim for the Tigers once again. However, just as they did in 2005, the Tigers would respond to their poor start by winning 8 of their next 11 matches, and by the end of Round 14, the Tigers were in the Top 8 by a game and percentage. However, their spot in the Top 8 would be short lived, as 4 straight losses between Rounds 15 and 18 would effectively end their finals chances. They finished the 2006 season in 9th place, with 11 wins and 11 losses.
After promising seasons in 2005 and 2006, it was expected that the Tigers would take the next step in 2007, and play finals football. After massive hype in the off-season, the Tigers had a terrible start to the 2007 season, losing their first 9 matches (this included suffering their biggest ever defeat, at the hands of eventual premiers Geelong
, by a whopping 157 points). Their first premiership points came in a draw against the Brisbane Lions
in Round 10, and their first win of the season didn't come until Round 12 against fellow straggler Melbourne
. After Round 18 of the season, the Tigers had registered a mere 1 win, 1 draw, and 16 losses, and were looking like recording their worst ever recorded season. However, late-season victories over old rivals Collingwood
in Round 19, and Essendon in Round 21, saved them from this fate. They would eventually finish the year as wooden spooners, with 3 wins, 1 draw, and 18 losses.
, Richmond elected to delist Patrick Bowden
, Brent Hartigan
, Andrew Krakouer and Carl Peterson
. These four joined another four players in leaving Punt Road. These four included veteran Darren Gaspar
, Kent Kingsley
, Trent Knobel
and Ray Hall
. While these players left the club Jake King
and Angus Graham
were elevated off the rookie list.
During the trade period the Tigers obtained Bulldog midfielder Jordan McMahon
along with Eagle forward Mitch Morton
.
Next up came the 2007 AFL Draft
, where the Tigers recruited highly rated midfielder Trent Cotchin
with their 1st pick (number 2 overall), backman Alex Rance
(pick number 18 overall) and ruckman Dean Putt (pick number 51 overall). Then in the Pre Season draft they elected to pick ruckman David Gourdis
with the number one pick. The Tigers also picked Clayton Collard
, Jarrod Silvester
, Tristan Cartledge
and Cameron Howat
for the rookie list. Cam Howat had previously been on the rookie list but was delisted then picked up again.
The Tigers had kept a low profile going into their Round 1 clash against Carlton
. Many people predicted Carlton
would run all over Richmond because Carlton had received Chris Judd
during the trade period. The Tigers trailed by as much as 25 points during the second quarter but they came back, led by Matthew Richardson
kicking 5 goals. The Tigers ended up winning 17.7 (109) to Carlton 11.13 (79) in front of a crowd of 72,552 at the MCG
.
From Rounds 2 to 11 however, the Tigers would only register 2 more wins (and a controversial draw against the Western Bulldogs
), and after Round 11's completion, they sat in 12th place with 3 wins, 1 draw, and 7 losses. While many people wrote the Tigers of 2008 off at this point, they defied the odds, and went on to win 8 of their last 11 matches to finish off the 2008 season strongly, recording 11 wins, 1 draw, and 10 losses. However, this would not be enough to get them into finals football, as they finished 2 premiership points short (and percentage) of 8th placed Collingwood
, who finished with 12 wins and 10 losses.
player Ben Cousins
(who had missed the previous year through off-field dramas), and they had rising stars in Brett Deledio
, Trent Cotchin
and many more. In Round 1, those dreams all came crushing down, as they were thumped by Carlton. The Tigers did not register a win until Round 5, against the North Melbourne Football Club
.
The media was getting out of control, with a loss to last years wooden spooners, the Melbourne Demons
, starting the rabble. The coach, the players and the whole club was getting out of control, with reports some of the player asked the coach, Terry Wallace
to step down. Some of the loyal supporters even turned their backs on their beloved club. The club decided enough was enough, and so did Wallace. Terry Wallace stepped down as Richmond coach on 1 June 2009. He would coach his last game on 5 June, against the inform Western Bulldogs
. They went on to lose the game.
After the Round 11 game, Richmond announced their new caretaker coach, Jade Rawlings
. This was a shock to most, as Jade did not have the greatest AFL career. Jade instantly took most of the over-30 year olds taken out of the side, and brought in the younger players. He was nicknamed 'Jade the Blade'. The tigers went on to win 3 games and had one draw with Rawlings.
Joel Bowden
, one of Richmond's favourite sons, also announced his retirement in 2009, after being cut out of the team by Jade Rawlings. The tigers lost his farewell game by 93 points.
As the coaching search for Richmond started, there were many candidates. Many pulling out during the hard process. It was eventually cut down to four, Alan Richardson
, Jade Rawlings
, Damien Hardwick
and Ken Hinkley
. On 25 August, Richmond announced its coach for the next 3 years, Damien Hardwick
. Damien Hardwick immediately got rid of injury-prone players, Mark Coughlan
and Nathan Brown
, signalling the start of a rebuilding era. Later, Richmond delisted: Kayne Pettifer
, Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls
, Cleve Hughes
, Dean Putt, Graham Polak
(later retained in the 2009 Rookie Draft), Adam Pattison
and Jarrod Silvester
(confirmed as of 30 October). Andrew Raines
requested to be traded to another club because he thought he wasn't getting enough game time. Raines was eventually traded to Brisbane for pick 44 and Jay Schulz
was traded to Port Adelaide
for Mitchell Farmer
and another draft pick.
As Jade Rawlings and Craig McRae
and Brian Royal
left the Tigers assistant coaching panel, Brendon Lade
and Justin Leppitsch
were appointed as assistant coaches, leaving only Wayne Campbell
as a previous Richmond assistant coach. Brendon Gale
was also appointed CEO of the Tigers.
Richmond legend Matthew Richardson
later announced his retirement from AFL Football, due to injuries. This confirmed the complete clean out of the tiger's playing list, coaching panel and staff which was prompted by new coach, Damien Hardwick
.
, the Tigers picked up 7 new faces, which included 'man-child' midfielder Dustin Martin
. Martin inspired fans with his hard-at-it approach and determination to win the ball and was touted early as a future star. At the 2010 Pre-season Draft, Richmond recruited young key defender Dylan Grimes
, brother of Melbourne defender Jack Grimes
. Finally, the recruiting process was finished in the Rookie Draft, where the Tigers picked Robert Hicks
, Pat Contin, Relton Roberts
, Irishman Jamie O'Reilly
, Nick Westhoff and Graham Polak
.
Damien Hardwick
's axe was felt in the start of the 2010 season, with 4 debutants, and very few players over 25 in their round 1 clash against Carlton
and inexperience showed, losing to a revitalised Blues' forward line, and it only got worse until their round 8 clash against Hawthorn
, where they lost in a nail-biter by 3 points. Damien Hardwick publicly came out and stated that Richmond's season "begins now". Begin, it did.
After a scrappy win over Port Adelaide, Richmond's season began a dramatic turnaround. The Tigers won their next 6 out of 7 games, and showed greatly improved skill and determination. Young key forward Jack Riewoldt
showed glimpses of older cousin and AFL star Nick Riewoldt
, booting a career high 10 goals against the West Coast Eagles
. The form was highlighted by a memorable 4-game winning streak during which they toppled eventual finalists Sydney and Fremantle; the latter game saw the Tigers get up after a monumental contest, led by Jack Riewoldt with 5 goals and first-year sensation Dustin Martin
the Tigers showed glimpes of a powerhouse side in the future. A form dip in the next 3 rounds cost the team a higher placing on the ladder, but they finished the season strongly with a great performance over premiership contenders, St Kilda. The Tigers were underdogs, but didn't back down against an almost full-strength St Kilda side. They were led by Brett Deledio
, skipper Chris Newman
and Jack Riewoldt
, who booted 7 goals, a best-on-ground performance. They didn't win, but it was a sign that the Tigers were a threat in future years. They ended up finishing 15th for the 2010 AFL Home and Away season. Throughout the season, the Tigers discovered potential superstars of the game, including David Astbury
, Dustin Martin
, Ben Nason
and Ben Griffiths
.
General media opinion was that Richmond demonstrated significant onfield improvement over the second half of the season. Retirements at the end of the season included Ben Cousins
, Troy Simmonds
and Graham Polak
. As was the case in 2009, the club again delisted a considerable number of players including Relton Roberts
, Dean Polo
, Jordan McMahon
, Tom Hislop, Adam Thomson and Alroy Gilligan. Andrew Collins was traded to Carlton for Shaun Grigg. Richard Tambling
was traded to Adelaide for two draft picks; a late first-round compensation pick on-traded by Adelaide (which they received for losing Nathan Bock
to the Gold Coast) and Adelaide's third-round selection. The compensation pick can be used by Richmond in any year up to 2014. Although Will Thursfield indicated his desire to be traded, this did not eventuate during the trading period. Improvements in players such as Jack Riewoldt
(winner of the 2010 Coleman Medal
and the Jack Dyer Medal
), Shane Edwards
, Daniel Connors
and David Gourdis
indicate that 2011 will deliver further onfield success.
Initially, Richmond saw itself as a gentlemanly and sportsman-like club; it even went to the extent of sacking a player who used poor language. During the early 1900s, the club used the press as a forum to publicise a campaign against violence in the game, which earned the derision of some rival clubs. This image followed the club into the VFL in 1908 and during the First World War the club emphasised the number of men associated with the club who had enlisted and served overseas. But the club's actions in 1916, when it voted with three other clubs seen as representative of the working class (Collingwood
, Fitzroy
and Carlton
) to continue playing football, left no doubt as to which side of the class divide that the Tigers belonged. The club's self-consciously non-confrontational image can be partly attributed to two of long serving presidents – George Bennett
(1887–1908) and Frank Tudor
(1909–1918). Both were Richmond men and respected parliamentarians who took the view that how the game was played was more important than whether the game was won.
After World War I, the club's attitude hardened as they attempted to match it with the then power clubs Collingwood
and Carlton
. Eventually, the Tigers became more prosaic in their approach to recruiting and training.
The Hafey era transformed Richmond into one of the most feared combinations in the then VFL. Football Administrator Graham Richmond drove the "win at all costs" mentality across the whole club, making Richmond a formidable force that won 5 flags from 1967–1980.
Since the Tigers last Grand Final appearance in 1982, the club has been unable to rekindle this spirit, only appearing in 2 finals since (1995 and 2001).
Board and coaching instability during the 80's and 90's distracted the club, and forced its focus away from becoming an on-field force. The current board and coach have tried to restore the club's on field fortunes.
The Tigers first wore their clash jumper against Essendon in the penultimate round of the 2007 season, winning by 27 points.
at the time and approached Jack, a cabaret singer who was performing regularly at the Richmond Football Club Social Club, to write the lyrics. It is said that then coach, Des Rowe and the playing group gave the song a standing ovation when they heard it sung for the first time. The current version of the song used by the club is a 1972 recording performed by the Fable singers.
The club's home ground is the Melbourne Cricket Ground
where they play most of their home matches in the regular season.
The MCG has capacity of 100,000, and the club usually draws large attendances against Victorian
clubs, particularly against rivals such as Essendon
, Collingwood
and Carlton
.
Richmond train at their home ground, the Punt Road Oval
, which is located only a few hundred metres away from the MCG
.
The building of the fan base was a slow burn for Richmond. In the 1890s, the club never sold more than three hundred season's tickets, but the following was built up with success in the VFA and membership numbered about 2,000 at the time of admission to the VFL in 1908. Between the wars, the club captured the imagination of the residents of Richmond
. The successful Tigers were a positive motif for the oppressed working class community which suffered deprivation during the Great Depression
. At this time, the Richmond
community was almost one-half Catholic, and this demographic was reflected in the club amongst the players and officials.
As Melbourne dramatically spread out in the post-war years, so too did the Richmond supporters. Many were now concentrated in the eastern suburbs, which eventually formed the club's metropolitan recruiting zone. Indeed, at one point during the early development of the Waverley Park
ground, the Tigers considered making the stadium its home for this reason. Following the barren period of the 1950s, Richmond was able to tap into the large number of fans by moving home matches to the MCG
and almost doubled attendance figures. The Tigers maintained this advantage over the other clubs until the mid-1980s, when poor administration led to a downturn in every area of the club. As the club struggled for funds, the membership plummeted from over 10,000 to under 3,000.
The greatest display of loyalty from the fans occurred during 1990. Threatened by liquidation, the supporters rallied to pay off the multi-million dollar debt via the "Save Our Skins" campaign. During the fully professional AFL
era, the Tigers have enjoyed a level of support that allows it to determine its own destiny by regularly turning a profit. With the growth of the game outside Victoria
, Richmond has picked up a lot of support in the other states of Australia.
Season records in bold
* Includes three finals matches in both 1995 and 2001
The Official Richmond Cheer Squad are an organised group of passionate supporters that attend every Richmond game whether in Melbourne or interstate.
who are also members of AFL Team of the Century. The second most of any club.
http://www.richmondfc.com.au/TheClub/History/TeamoftheCentury/tabid/7669/Default.aspx
As players of the game:
As coaches of the game:
, the year before his death in 2003. Dyer
was followed by Kevin Bartlett, Tom Hafey
, Francis Bourke
and Royce Hart
.
http://www.richmondfc.com.au/TheClub/History/HallofFame/tabid/7638/Default.aspx
of competition in the VFL/AFL. The awards were mostly given to players but also club moments and campaigns. On Saturday, 28 June held a centenary celebration at Punt Road Oval
before the centenary game at the MCG
against arch rivials later that day.
http://www.richmondfc.com.au/100%20tiger%20treasures/tabid/11581/default.aspx
VFL/AFL Runner-Up
VFL/AFL Reserve Premierships
VFL/AFL Under 19 Premierships
McClelland Trophies
Champions of Australia
Pre-season/Night Series
Premierships
VFL/AFL Lightning Premierships
VFL/AFL Wooden Spoons
* Michael Roach was the first winner of the Coleman Medal in 1981. Retrospective awards were dated back to 1955. Prior to 1955 the Leading Goalkicker Medal was awarded.
References
Bibliography
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...
club which competes in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
, Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
and Essendon
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990, when a large debt
Debt
A debt is an obligation owed by one party to a second party, the creditor; usually this refers to assets granted by the creditor to the debtor, but the term can also be used metaphorically to cover moral obligations and other interactions not based on economic value.A debt is created when a...
almost forced them to fold. In the last 15 years, Richmond regained a strong financial position without enjoying any sustained finals success. Nonetheless the Tigers boast a mighty history (ten premierships) and a host of star players and personalities who have contributed to the formation of the unique Richmond football identity.
Since its inception in the mid-1880s, the club has been based at the Richmond Cricket Ground (better known as the Punt Road Oval
Punt Road Oval
Punt Road Oval is a sporting ground located in Yarra Park, East Melbourne, Victoria situated only a few hundred metres to the east of the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground....
), just a few hundred metres to the east of the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
, where the Tigers have played their home games since 1965. A late bloomer
Late bloomer
A late bloomer is a person whose talents or capabilities are not visible to others until later than usual. The term is used metaphorically to describe a child or adolescent who develops more slowly than others in their age group, but eventually catches up and in some cases overtakes their peers, or...
, Richmond struggled until the start of the twentieth century, so it was not offered an invitation to join the Victorian Football League (VFL) until 1908. After World War I, Richmond matured quickly, enjoyed more success than many of the more established clubs. The Tigers created great rivalries with both Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
and Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
. At this time, the city of Richmond
Richmond, Victoria
Richmond is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra...
was an industrial, blue-collar
Blue-collar worker
A blue-collar worker is a member of the working class who performs manual labor. Blue-collar work may involve skilled or unskilled, manufacturing, mining, construction, mechanical, maintenance, technical installation and many other types of physical work...
area nicknamed "Struggletown". The working-class
Working class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
supporters identified strongly with the club and the Tigers developed a massive following during the golden period of the 1930s.
Extraordinary high points interspersed among long periods of mediocrity has been the pattern of the club's form in the years since World War II. Regardless, Richmond's team has to only show a hint of success and a game against one of the other "big four" will pack them in at the MCG
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
. In 1980, the Tigers were the first sporting team in Australia to attract one million paying spectators in a season (1,065,603).
Earliest days (1860–1900)
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...
, circa 1860. HCA Harrison, the so-called "father of the game", captained Richmond briefly at this time before moving to Geelong
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
. This loosely organised group has no continuity to the present club. A number of teams formed in the Richmond
Richmond, Victoria
Richmond is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra...
area during the game's rapid expansion of the 1870s and early 1880s. However, all played at a junior level and it was considered an anomaly that Richmond
Richmond, Victoria
Richmond is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra...
, one of Melbourne's biggest locales, didn't boast a senior team. The wait ended when the Richmond Football Club was officially formed at the Royal Hotel in Richmond
Richmond, Victoria
Richmond is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra...
on 20 February 1885. A successful application for immediate admission to the Victorian Football Association followed – the VFA was the premier Australian football
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...
competition at this time. The club shared the Punt Road Oval
Punt Road Oval
Punt Road Oval is a sporting ground located in Yarra Park, East Melbourne, Victoria situated only a few hundred metres to the east of the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground....
with the Richmond Cricket Club
Richmond Cricket Club
This article concerns the Richmond club in Australia. For the English club of the same name, see Richmond Cricket Club, SurreyThe Richmond Cricket Club is an Australian cricket club based in Richmond, an inner suburb of Melbourne, Victoria....
, one of the strongest cricket clubs in Australia which had been playing on the ground since 1856.
At first the team wore a blue uniform. One of the most important features of a nineteenth century footballer's uniform was his headgear, and Richmond opted for yellow and black striped caps, the same as the cricket club. After a couple of years, yellow and black stripes replaced blue as the colours of the team's guernseys. The team was variously called the "Richmondites", the "Wasps" or, most commonly, the "Tigers".
During the late 1880s, the VFA was expanding rapidly. A booming economy and large numbers of immigrants made Melbourne the largest city in the Australian colonies. The city was besotted with football and many clubs clamoured for admission to the VFA. Richmond struggled to make an impression and after a promising season in 1888 (when they finished fifth with eleven wins), the club slipped backwards. In a theoretically amateur sport, the strongest teams were luring the best talent with undisclosed payments to players and were not keen to schedule matches against teams with poor followings (such as Richmond) that couldn't generate much gate money.
Recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction, a general slowdown in economic activity. During recessions, many macroeconomic indicators vary in a similar way...
in the early 1890s and the crowds began to dwindle, a cabal of strong teams began to agitate for a reform of the competition. Richmond were not considered part of this elite group, who usually voted together as a block at VFA meetings. A lack of commitment and focused effort was holding the Tigers back. In 1896, Richmond walked off the field in a match with South Melbourne
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
at half time when they were a long way behind on a very wet day to protest the umpiring. Later in the season, the Tigers had their score annulled against Essendon
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
when it was discovered that they had too many men on the ground. In the closing three weeks of the season, Richmond's gate takings amounted to just five pounds.
Richmond finished the season last of the thirteen clubs, and picked a bad time to perform so poorly. In October 1896, the cabal of six strong clubs broke with the association to form the VFL, and invited two other clubs to join them: Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
and St Kilda
St. Kilda Football Club
The St Kilda Football Club, nicknamed The Saints, is an Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The club plays in the Australian Football League, the sport's premier league....
. Obviously, Richmond's struggles during the season had not helped when the invitations to the new competition were being considered. Richmond's performances didn't immediately improve in the emaciated VFA until the turn of the century.
Success at last (1901–1907)
The Tigers were boosted by a significant country recruit in 1901. George 'Mallee' Johnson was an instant sensation and the first true star player at the club. Richmond leapt to third place and then in 1902, with Johnson dominating the ruck, Richmond entered the closing weeks of the season neck and neck with Port MelbournePort Melbourne Football Club
The Port Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Borough, is an Australian rules football club based in the Melbourne suburb of Port Melbourne and is currently playing in the Victorian Football League ....
at the head of the ladder. Just when a play-off between the clubs to decide the premiership looked certain, Port
Port Melbourne Football Club
The Port Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Borough, is an Australian rules football club based in the Melbourne suburb of Port Melbourne and is currently playing in the Victorian Football League ....
faltered against Williamstown
Williamstown Football Club
The Williamstown Football Club, nicknamed The Seagulls, is an Australian rules football club based in Melbourne and are currently playing in the Victorian Football League...
to hand Richmond its first flag.
Jack Hutchinson
Jack Hutchinson was an Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football Association between 1901 and 1910. He played his first two seasons for the Port Melbourne Football Club then crossed to the Richmond Football Club in 1903 and played there until they left VFA at the end of the...
, and finishing the season as minor premier
Minor premiership
A minor premiership is the name of the title given to the team which finishes a sporting competition first in the league standings after the regular season but prior to commencement of the playoffs....
, Richmond lost both finals and were runner-up
Runner-up
Runner-up is a term used to denote a participant which finishes in second place in any of a variety of competitive endeavors, most notably sporting events and beauty pageants; in the latter instance, the term is applied to more than one of the highest-ranked non-winning contestants, the...
. The following season, the club became embroiled in a feud with umpire Allen, accused by the Tigers of failing to curb field invasions or the illegal tactics of arch-rival North Melbourne
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
.
When the two clubs were scheduled to meet in the Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
, Richmond announced that they wouldn't play under Allen. The VFA called the Tigers' bluff, and appointed Allen for the match, meaning that the Grand Final was scratched and North Melbourne
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
won the premiership on forfeit. Richmond were now openly at odds with the VFA and matters failed to improve in the next few years.
The club was campaigning against violence (both on-field and among the crowd), ungentlemanly conduct and poor sportsmanship, issues that plagued the VFA to a far greater extent than the rival VFL. Richmond cultivated links with some League clubs by playing practice matches against them. The Tigers knew that they were a major asset to the Association. They had built up a large following and played on one of the best grounds in the competition, where they remained unbeaten for five consecutive seasons. In 1905, Richmond confirmed their status with a second premiership, this time overcoming bitter rivals North Melbourne
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
, a club perceived as the antithesis of Richmond. 'Mallee' Johnson had moved to Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
, but youngster Charlie Ricketts
Charlie Ricketts
Charles "Charlie" Ricketts was a former Australian rules footballer and coach in the Victorian Football League.Ricketts was a champion rover for the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football Association from 1903 to 1905...
dominated the season and won plaudits among the pressmen, who voted him the best player in the VFA.
However, Ricketts
Charlie Ricketts
Charles "Charlie" Ricketts was a former Australian rules footballer and coach in the Victorian Football League.Ricketts was a champion rover for the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football Association from 1903 to 1905...
was also lost to the VFL and injury hit the club hard. In 1906–07, the Tigers played finals without looking likely to win the flag. The club earned a rebuke from the VFA for scheduling a practice match against Geelong
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
before the 1907 season, but Richmond went ahead with the commitment and earned further censure. Later in the year it became clear that the VFL wanted to expand its competition and Richmond won a place ahead of North Melbourne
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
, which had been strengthened by an amalgamation with the bankrupt West Melbourne as part of their bid. Richmond were granted admission along with the now defunct University.
Into the big league (1908–1944)
George Henry Bennett
George Henry Bennett was a brewer and a politician.Bennett emigrated to Australia in 1855....
death at the end of the 1908 season. In 1916, the side played in the finals for the first time, however, with the ravages of war
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
having reduced the competition to just four clubs, finals qualification was automatic.
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
appearance, losing to Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
. Richmond stoked a rivalry with the Magpies
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
by recruiting their former skipper Dan Minogue
Dan Minogue
Daniel 'Dan' Minogue was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.Minogue was considered a courageous, or perhaps reckless, centre half-back as epitomised when he sustained a broken collarbone playing for Collingwood Football Club in the first minute of the 1911 Grand Final...
as playing coach and the Tigers gained vengeance by beating Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
in the 1920 Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
to secure a first flag in the big league. This was followed by an even better performance the next year. The only club that continued to beat Richmond on a regular basis was Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
. Finishing minor premier
Minor premiership
A minor premiership is the name of the title given to the team which finishes a sporting competition first in the league standings after the regular season but prior to commencement of the playoffs....
with only one loss for the season in 1921, the Blues
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
were the hottest premiership favourite, yet Richmond managed to beat them in two classic finals matches played over successive weeks to go back-to-back.
The rest of the decade saw four more Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
appearances, all of which would end in frustration. From 1927 to 1929 Richmond became the first club in the VFL to lose three consecutive Grand Finals
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
, all of which were to neighbouring arch rivals, Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
.
The next VFL flag came in 1932, with the Tigers triumph over Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
in a tough encounter which saw Richmond wingman
Centre line
The Centre line refers to a set of positions on an Australian rules football field.It consists of 3 players, two on the wings , and one in the centre....
Alan Geddes
Alan Geddes
Alan Geddes was an Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1925 and 1935 for the Richmond Football Club...
play the second half with a broken jaw. Another Tigers premiership came in 1934, this time against South Melbourne's
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
famed "Foreign Legion", avenging the Tigers' loss in the previous season's Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
.
Prior to the commencement of the 1940 season, internal problems were brewing between the key personalities at the club. Some felt that the uneven performance of the team was due to Bentley's
Percy Bentley
Percy Bentley was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.Bentley was a strong ruckman and great tactician who was a key player and coach for the Richmond Football Club during his era...
coaching methods, and that he should be replaced. Dyer
Jack Dyer
John Raymond Dyer Sr. OAM , always known as Jack Dyer, was one of the colossal figures of Australian rules football during two distinct careers, firstly as a player and coach of the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1931 and 1952, and later in the broadcast media for...
walked out on the club and threatened to play in the VFA after his father, a committeeman who was involved with the anti-Bentley faction, lost his position at the board elections. Finally, the matter was resolved and Bentley
Percy Bentley
Percy Bentley was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.Bentley was a strong ruckman and great tactician who was a key player and coach for the Richmond Football Club during his era...
kept his job, while Dyer
Jack Dyer
John Raymond Dyer Sr. OAM , always known as Jack Dyer, was one of the colossal figures of Australian rules football during two distinct careers, firstly as a player and coach of the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1931 and 1952, and later in the broadcast media for...
returned to training on the eve of the season. The problems appeared to have been solved when the Tigers won the semi final against Melbourne
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
to go straight into the Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
. However, the Demons
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
reversed this result with a crushing win to pinch the premiership. The Tigers had been out-thought by their old mentor Checker Hughes
Frank 'Checker' Hughes
Frank 'Checker' Hughes was a famous player and coach of Australian rules football in the Victorian Football League in the period 1914 to 1948....
, who had assigned a tagger to negate Dyer
Jack Dyer
John Raymond Dyer Sr. OAM , always known as Jack Dyer, was one of the colossal figures of Australian rules football during two distinct careers, firstly as a player and coach of the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1931 and 1952, and later in the broadcast media for...
. Dyer
Jack Dyer
John Raymond Dyer Sr. OAM , always known as Jack Dyer, was one of the colossal figures of Australian rules football during two distinct careers, firstly as a player and coach of the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1931 and 1952, and later in the broadcast media for...
was furious that Bentley
Percy Bentley
Percy Bentley was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.Bentley was a strong ruckman and great tactician who was a key player and coach for the Richmond Football Club during his era...
had done nothing to prevent his opponent taking him out of the game. The Richmond committee agreed with this assessment, so when Bentley
Percy Bentley
Percy Bentley was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.Bentley was a strong ruckman and great tactician who was a key player and coach for the Richmond Football Club during his era...
(after retiring as a player) attempted to negotiate a higher fee to continue his coaching tenure, he was rebuffed. Incensed, Bentley
Percy Bentley
Percy Bentley was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.Bentley was a strong ruckman and great tactician who was a key player and coach for the Richmond Football Club during his era...
quit Punt Road and moved to Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
as coach, adding further spice to an already fierce rivalry between the two clubs.
Jack Dyer
John Raymond Dyer Sr. OAM , always known as Jack Dyer, was one of the colossal figures of Australian rules football during two distinct careers, firstly as a player and coach of the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1931 and 1952, and later in the broadcast media for...
was a fearsome presence in his role as playing coach, but he was unable to improve the Tigers' ability to win finals matches. A loss in the 1942 Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
to Essendon
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
(after starting as favourite) meant that over the previous 18 years, Richmond had won two flags but been runner-up
Runner-up
Runner-up is a term used to denote a participant which finishes in second place in any of a variety of competitive endeavors, most notably sporting events and beauty pageants; in the latter instance, the term is applied to more than one of the highest-ranked non-winning contestants, the...
eight times. Jack Titus
Jack Titus
Jack "Skinny" Titus was an Australian rules football player who played in the Victorian Football League between 1926 and 1943 for the Richmond Football Club. In the golden era of the 1930s, Titus was one of the great forwards who regularly thrilled the crowds with spectacular goalkicking feats...
set a still unbeaten record of playing in six losing Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
teams. In 1943, Richmond broke through to beat Essendon
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
in a thrilling Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
by five points, a win that the club dedicated to ex-player Bill Cosgrove, an RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
pilot who had been killed in action a few weeks before the match. But another Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
loss followed in 1944, when Dyer's
Jack Dyer
John Raymond Dyer Sr. OAM , always known as Jack Dyer, was one of the colossal figures of Australian rules football during two distinct careers, firstly as a player and coach of the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1931 and 1952, and later in the broadcast media for...
team failed against Fitzroy
Fitzroy Football Club
The Fitzroy Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Lions, is an Australian rules football club formed in 1883 to represent the inner Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, Victoria and was a foundation member club of the Victorian Football League on its inception in 1897...
on a very hot day.
Tough times at Tigerland (1945–1965)
In the immediate post-war era, despite an influx of excellent new players, Richmond struggled to make the four, appearing in the finals only once, in 1947. The Tigers seemed to have lost the killer instinct. DyerJack Dyer
John Raymond Dyer Sr. OAM , always known as Jack Dyer, was one of the colossal figures of Australian rules football during two distinct careers, firstly as a player and coach of the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1931 and 1952, and later in the broadcast media for...
continued on as coach for three years after his playing retirement at the end of 1949, but was asked to retire by the committee who felt the club needed a shake up. Under a succession of coaches, the 1950s were wasted years for Richmond. With the demands of potential players increasing with each passing year, the club refused to allocate sufficient funds to recruit and they failed to replace star players as they retired. When stalwarts such as Des Rowe
Des Rowe
Des Rowe was an Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football League between 1946 and 1957 for the Richmond Football Club. He was senior coach of Richmond from 1961 to 1963.- References :...
and dual-Brownlow Medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
list Roy Wright left, the team slumped dramatically and finished with a wooden spoon
Wooden spoon (award)
A wooden spoon is a mock or real award, usually given to an individual or team which has come last in a competition, but sometimes also to runners-up. Examples range from the academic to sporting and more frivolous events...
in 1960.
Success through Hafey Era (1966–1982)
1966 heralded the start of the Tom HafeyTom Hafey
Thomas Stanley Raymond Hafey is a former Australian rules football Victorian Football League player and coach. Hafey played for Richmond between 1953 and 1958, and coached four clubs—Richmond, Collingwood, Geelong and Sydney—between 1966 and 1988, leading teams to a total of four premierships...
era, one that would see the club winning four premierships under his leadership. They won the 1967 flag in a thrilling encounter with Geelong
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
, ending a 24 year premiership drought. In 1969, it became two in three years as Richmond, who had finished fourth on the ladder, beat the much fancied Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
in the Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
by 25 points.
The Tigers were dominant in 1972 and were hot favourites in the Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
against Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
. However, the Blues
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
stunned the Tigers in a game of ridiculous high scoring. Even Richmond equalled the then record highest score in a Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
of 22.18(150), but Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
beat it with 28.9(177). The Tigers got their revenge in an intensely physical clash in the 1973 Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
and went back-to-back in 1974 with a strong win against a resurgent North Melbourne
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
.
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
in 1980. After reaching and losing the 1982 Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
, it has been a rocky road for the Tigers who have struggled to come to grips with the rules and regulations of a modernized AFL, including the draft
AFL Draft
The AFL Draft is the annual draft of new unsigned players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.-History:...
and salary cap
Salary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...
. The successes of the early 1980s were bought at high financial cost through expensive recruiting, and were followed by severe cut backs that saw several top players depart.
Recruiting war (1983–1986)
Still smarting from the loss of star players to CollingwoodCollingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
, the Tigers set themselves for war with the Magpies
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
in 1984 by signing three of their players: John Annear, Craig Stewart and Phil Walsh. Not only were there big contracts and transfer fees to pay, but the costs of an expensive court action as well. Richmond also signed a number of mediocre players on big contracts, and the club's financial situation took a battering. With the team failing to improve, a challenge to the committee was brewing and Richmond's traditional political stability threatened. The rebel group, organised by long-time servant Bill Durham, convinced former player and coach Barry Richardson to be leader. An election in late 1984 failed to clarify the situation. The challengers had the numbers, but Ian Wilson held on to the presidency into the new year. When the one hundredth birthday of the club arrived in February 1985, there was too much dissension to mark the moment fittingly. Eventually, Wilson handed over to Richardson, who had selected his former premiership teammate Paul Sproule
Paul Sproule
Paul Sproule is a former Australian rules football player who played for the Essendon Football Club in the VFL from 1968 to 1971 and then for the Richmond Football Club from 1972 to 1975. He was senior coach of Richmond in 1985....
to return from Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
and take over the coaching position on a guaranteed contract.
As the season progressed with Richmond still struggling, Sproule
Paul Sproule
Paul Sproule is a former Australian rules football player who played for the Essendon Football Club in the VFL from 1968 to 1971 and then for the Richmond Football Club from 1972 to 1975. He was senior coach of Richmond in 1985....
came under pressure. Richardson guaranteed his position but at the end of the year the committee over-ruled Richardson and sacked Sproule
Paul Sproule
Paul Sproule is a former Australian rules football player who played for the Essendon Football Club in the VFL from 1968 to 1971 and then for the Richmond Football Club from 1972 to 1975. He was senior coach of Richmond in 1985....
. Incensed, Richardson walked out of Punt Road, which was in turmoil again. Desperately, the Tigers turned back to Tony Jewell
Tony Jewell
Tony 'TJ' Jewell is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1964 and 1970 for the Richmond Football Club. He was recruited from Oakleigh in the VFA where he had led the club's goalkicking in 1962 and was placed 4th in the VFA's best & fairest award, the J. J. Liston...
, who was appointed coach for a second time, the only man in the club's history to get a second go at the job. Jewell
Tony Jewell
Tony 'TJ' Jewell is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1964 and 1970 for the Richmond Football Club. He was recruited from Oakleigh in the VFA where he had led the club's goalkicking in 1962 and was placed 4th in the VFA's best & fairest award, the J. J. Liston...
later commented on the destruction wrought on the club during his four year absence..."the supporters were gone, the members were gone, the money was gone...a real shame."
With the competition set to expand, the Tigers made a number of misguided moves in 1986. To fill the vacancy left by Richardson, Richmond wooed high-flying West Australian entrepreneur Alan Bond
Alan Bond (businessman)
Alan Bond is an Australian businessman noted for his criminal convictions and high-profile business dealings, including what was at the time the biggest corporate collapse in Australian history. Bond was born in the Hammersmith district of London, England, and emigrated to Australia with his...
to become president. Bond
Alan Bond (businessman)
Alan Bond is an Australian businessman noted for his criminal convictions and high-profile business dealings, including what was at the time the biggest corporate collapse in Australian history. Bond was born in the Hammersmith district of London, England, and emigrated to Australia with his...
came with an agenda to raise money for the club by listing on the stockmarket and relocating to Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. When the latter plan was revealed in the media, a furious reaction from supporters and high profile club personalities buried the proposal almost immediately. Early in 1987, Bond's
Alan Bond (businessman)
Alan Bond is an Australian businessman noted for his criminal convictions and high-profile business dealings, including what was at the time the biggest corporate collapse in Australian history. Bond was born in the Hammersmith district of London, England, and emigrated to Australia with his...
tenure at the club ended in farce when he resigned without presiding over a single game. The off-field confusion was reflected in the players' performance as Richmond slumped to only its second wooden spoon
Wooden spoon (award)
A wooden spoon is a mock or real award, usually given to an individual or team which has come last in a competition, but sometimes also to runners-up. Examples range from the academic to sporting and more frivolous events...
in 70 years.
Save Our Skins and a return to the Finals (1987–1995)
Although the new president, ex-captain Neville CroweNeville Crowe
Neville Crowe is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1957 and 1967 for the Richmond Football Club. He served as Richmond's President from 1987 to 1993, at the helm of the club during the 1990 Save Our Skins campaign which saved the club from financial...
, had stabilised the club and scored a coup by persuading club legend Kevin Bartlett to coach, the matter of servicing the huge debt remained a chain around the Tigers' neck. The club managed to stay solvent by cutting expenses to the bone and paying only two-thirds of the allowable salary cap. But there was no money for recruiting to improve an impoverished playing list. The club struggled to come to terms with the draft
AFL Draft
The AFL Draft is the annual draft of new unsigned players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.-History:...
after its inception in 1986, and made a number of poor choices – notably, the number one pick in 1987 was used on a player who had only two games with the Tigers.
Finally, with the economy in serious recession
Recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction, a general slowdown in economic activity. During recessions, many macroeconomic indicators vary in a similar way...
and interest rates touching seventeen per cent, Richmond's creditors began calling in the debts. At one point, an attempt was made to seize the club's 1973–74 premiership trophies as securities for unpaid debts, an embarrassing situation. For a number of years, the exact amount that the club owed was not publicly known. After Bartlett came Allan Jeans, who then passed the job to ex-Tiger premiership player John Northey
John Northey
John "Swooper" Northey is a former Australian rules football player and coach. He played from 1963 to 1970 with the Richmond Football Club....
for 1993. Northey
John Northey
John "Swooper" Northey is a former Australian rules football player and coach. He played from 1963 to 1970 with the Richmond Football Club....
returned the team to the simple long-kicking style of the halcyon days under the legendary Tom Hafey
Tom Hafey
Thomas Stanley Raymond Hafey is a former Australian rules football Victorian Football League player and coach. Hafey played for Richmond between 1953 and 1958, and coached four clubs—Richmond, Collingwood, Geelong and Sydney—between 1966 and 1988, leading teams to a total of four premierships...
. Along with some draft concessions granted by the AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
, Northey's
John Northey
John "Swooper" Northey is a former Australian rules football player and coach. He played from 1963 to 1970 with the Richmond Football Club....
efforts gradually improved the Tigers. The team fumbled an opportunity to make the 1994 finals, then opened 1995 with its best start to a season in 75 years and eventually made it to the preliminary final. With a talented playing list and a strong administration led by Leon Daphne (the Tigers' first president from the corporate world, the Alan Bond
Alan Bond (businessman)
Alan Bond is an Australian businessman noted for his criminal convictions and high-profile business dealings, including what was at the time the biggest corporate collapse in Australian history. Bond was born in the Hammersmith district of London, England, and emigrated to Australia with his...
farce aside), Richmond looked set to become regular finalists again.
During 1992 the Richmond Football Club logo was redesigned to its current 2009 form by Rob Perry (see external links), while he was working as an art director at the advertising agency George Patterson Bates in Melbourne. The illustration of the tiger was done by Lex Bell, the in-house illustrator of the agency.
Lost opportunities (1996–2004)
Somehow, the anticipated success failed to materialise, partly because Richmond allowed the coaching position to again become unstable. With over a year still to run on his contract, NortheyJohn Northey
John "Swooper" Northey is a former Australian rules football player and coach. He played from 1963 to 1970 with the Richmond Football Club....
demanded a contract extension (because of a rumour that some people with an association with the club were pursuing Kevin Sheedy) that the club refused, so he broke his contract and walked out on Richmond. Northey
John Northey
John "Swooper" Northey is a former Australian rules football player and coach. He played from 1963 to 1970 with the Richmond Football Club....
accepted a longer-term contract to coach Brisbane
Brisbane Bears
The Brisbane Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Bears was an Australian rules football club and the first Queensland-based club in the Victorian Football League . The club played its first match in 1987, but struggled on and off the field until it made the finals for the first time in 1995...
. Richmond, caught short, appointed the Bears'
Brisbane Bears
The Brisbane Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Bears was an Australian rules football club and the first Queensland-based club in the Victorian Football League . The club played its first match in 1987, but struggled on and off the field until it made the finals for the first time in 1995...
ex-coach Robert Walls
Robert Walls
Robert Walls is a former Australian rules footballer and coach who now works primarily as a television commentator and newspaper columnist on the sport. On 22 June 2006 he was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.- Carlton :...
for 1996. After several humiliating thrashings in 1997, Walls
Robert Walls
Robert Walls is a former Australian rules footballer and coach who now works primarily as a television commentator and newspaper columnist on the sport. On 22 June 2006 he was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.- Carlton :...
became the first Tiger coach to be sacked mid-season. After two and a half seasons under Jeff Gieschen
Jeff Gieschen
Jeff Gieschen is a former Australian rules football player who played in the Victorian Football League between 1974 and 1978 for the Footscray Football Club. He was senior coach of the Richmond Football Club from late in the 1997 season until the end of 1999...
, the club appointed ex-St Kilda captain Danny Frawley
Danny Frawley
Danny Frawley is a former Australian rules footballer and coach and a current football commentator with Fox Sports.He is the nephew of Collingwood player Des Tuddenham and the uncle of current Melbourne Football Club player James Frawley.- Football career :Recruited from Ballarat, after attending...
. After a Preliminary Final
Preliminary finals
Preliminary final is an Australian term referring to a game in a knockout tournament or bracket whose winner progresses to the final or championship game...
appearance in Frawley's
Danny Frawley
Danny Frawley is a former Australian rules footballer and coach and a current football commentator with Fox Sports.He is the nephew of Collingwood player Des Tuddenham and the uncle of current Melbourne Football Club player James Frawley.- Football career :Recruited from Ballarat, after attending...
second season, Richmond over-estimated the strength of the list and settled for trading for established players rather than drafting youth. Over the next three seasons, the team managed just 18 wins. The administration continued to support Frawley
Danny Frawley
Danny Frawley is a former Australian rules footballer and coach and a current football commentator with Fox Sports.He is the nephew of Collingwood player Des Tuddenham and the uncle of current Melbourne Football Club player James Frawley.- Football career :Recruited from Ballarat, after attending...
and ensured that he would see out his contract, a far cry from the way many of his predecessors were treated. However, midway through the 2004 season (a season in which the Tigers only managed 4 wins, and lost their last 14 H&A matches), Frawley
Danny Frawley
Danny Frawley is a former Australian rules footballer and coach and a current football commentator with Fox Sports.He is the nephew of Collingwood player Des Tuddenham and the uncle of current Melbourne Football Club player James Frawley.- Football career :Recruited from Ballarat, after attending...
announced he would be relinquishing his role as the Tiger coach at seasons' end.
Beginning to rebuild and another wooden spoon (2005–2007)
The 2005 pre-season began with renewed optimism at the club, with No. 1 draft pick Brett DeledioBrett Deledio
Brett Deledio is an Australian rules football player currently playing for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League.-Early life/career:...
being touted as a future star and leader. However, the Tigers' first match of the season (against Geelong
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
), quickly dashed that hope, as they were thrashed by 62 points. However, this loss would spark a change in the Tigers, and in the next 8 weeks of the season, they would go on to win 7 matches (the one exception being a 68 point loss at the hands of St. Kilda in Round 5). This included wins over the then-reigning premiers, Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide Football Club
The Port Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, which plays in the Australian Football League and the South Australian National Football League...
, and over then-runners up, the Brisbane Lions
Brisbane Lions
The Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996...
. Sitting pretty at 7 wins and 2 losses, and 3rd on the ladder, the impossible prospect of finals football loomed large. However, in the Round 10 match against Melbourne
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
, star player Nathan Brown
Nathan G. Brown
Nathan Gordon Brown is a former Australian rules footballer for the Richmond and the Western Bulldogs in the AFL...
suffered a horrible leg injury, that would sideline him for the rest of the season. They went on to lose the match by 57 points, and would only register 3 more wins for the season (one of those was against eventual premiers the Sydney Swans
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
by one point, who ironically had a one point win against Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
the round before), eventually finishing 12th. Nevertheless, from where they had come from, this move up the ladder was considered by many as a sign of things to come.
2006, a year which many experts predicted continued improvement for the Tigers, saw them lose their first H&A match by 115 points, against the Western Bulldogs
Western Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
, after which followed losses to St Kilda and West Coast
West Coast Eagles
The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
. By the end of Round 3, things were looking grim for the Tigers once again. However, just as they did in 2005, the Tigers would respond to their poor start by winning 8 of their next 11 matches, and by the end of Round 14, the Tigers were in the Top 8 by a game and percentage. However, their spot in the Top 8 would be short lived, as 4 straight losses between Rounds 15 and 18 would effectively end their finals chances. They finished the 2006 season in 9th place, with 11 wins and 11 losses.
After promising seasons in 2005 and 2006, it was expected that the Tigers would take the next step in 2007, and play finals football. After massive hype in the off-season, the Tigers had a terrible start to the 2007 season, losing their first 9 matches (this included suffering their biggest ever defeat, at the hands of eventual premiers Geelong
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
, by a whopping 157 points). Their first premiership points came in a draw against the Brisbane Lions
Brisbane Lions
The Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996...
in Round 10, and their first win of the season didn't come until Round 12 against fellow straggler Melbourne
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
. After Round 18 of the season, the Tigers had registered a mere 1 win, 1 draw, and 16 losses, and were looking like recording their worst ever recorded season. However, late-season victories over old rivals Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
in Round 19, and Essendon in Round 21, saved them from this fate. They would eventually finish the year as wooden spooners, with 3 wins, 1 draw, and 18 losses.
Tiger Centenary (2008)
After the end of the 2007 season2007 AFL season
The 2007 AFL Season was the 111th season of the Australian Football League, the highest-level professional Australian rules football league in Australia...
, Richmond elected to delist Patrick Bowden
Patrick Bowden
Patrick Bowden is an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.-Western Bulldogs:In the 1999 National AFL Draft Bowden was a fourth round selection to the Western Bulldogs...
, Brent Hartigan
Brent Hartigan
Brent Hartigan is an Australian rules football player, formerly of the Richmond Football Club in the AFL.He is the son of Darryl Hartigan who played for Coburg in the VFA and was a member of their 1979 premiership team...
, Andrew Krakouer and Carl Peterson
Carl Peterson
Carl D. Peterson grew up in Long Beach, California, and is an alumnus of UCLA. He is best known as the former president, general manager, and chief executive officer of the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League...
. These four joined another four players in leaving Punt Road. These four included veteran Darren Gaspar
Darren Gaspar
Darren Gaspar is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League .-Sydney Swans career :...
, Kent Kingsley
Kent Kingsley
Kent Kingsley is a former Australian rules footballer for the North Melbourne Football Club, the Geelong Football Club and the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League ....
, Trent Knobel
Trent Knobel
Trent Knobel is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.Knobel, a ruckman originally from the Gold Coast, was recruited to the AFL in his home state with the Brisbane Lions onto their rookie list. He made his debut in 2000 after a rookie elevation...
and Ray Hall
Ray Hall (footballer)
Ray Hall is a former Australian rules football player who played for the Richmond Football Club.Hall grew up in New South Wales, playing for the Balmain Australian Football Club before moving to Woy Woy where he was recruited by the Tigers having played in the Under 18s state squad.Hall announced...
. While these players left the club Jake King
Jake King
Jacob 'Jake' King is an Australian rules football player for the Richmond Football Club.-Career:King previously played for North Heidelberg in the Diamond Valley Football League before moving to the Coburg Tigers in the VFL...
and Angus Graham
Angus Graham (footballer)
Angus Graham is an Australian rules football player for the Richmond Football Club. He made his debut in late 2007 and played two games that season. He did not play in the 2008 season but he returned to the side in 2009 and enjoyed a solid run of form in the early rounds of the season...
were elevated off the rookie list.
During the trade period the Tigers obtained Bulldog midfielder Jordan McMahon
Jordan McMahon
Jordan McMahon is an Australian rules football player. McMahon, a native South Australian, was drafted from the Glenelg Football Club in the 2000 AFL Draft as a first round selection by the Western Bulldogs. Playing as a running defender, McMahon had seven seasons at the Western Bulldogs,...
along with Eagle forward Mitch Morton
Mitch Morton
Mitch Morton is an Australian rules football player for the Sydney Swans in the AFL.-Career:Morton was initially drafted by the West Coast Eagles under the father-son rule as he is the son of Noel Morton, who played 171 WAFL games for Claremont.At the end of the 2007 season, West Coast traded...
.
Next up came the 2007 AFL Draft
2007 AFL Draft
The 2007 AFL Draft consisted of four opportunities for player acquisitions during the 2007/08 Australian Football League off-season. These were trade week, the National Draft, the Pre-Season Draft and the Rookie Draft.- Trades :...
, where the Tigers recruited highly rated midfielder Trent Cotchin
Trent Cotchin
Trent William Cotchin is an Australian rules football player who was recruited at pick 2 in the 2007 AFL Draft by the Richmond Football Club. He was recruited from the Northern Knights under 18 football club, which made the preliminary finals of the 2007 TAC Cup competition...
with their 1st pick (number 2 overall), backman Alex Rance
Alex Rance
Alex Rance is an Australian rules football player, recruited at pick 18 in the 2007 AFL Draft by the Richmond Football Club....
(pick number 18 overall) and ruckman Dean Putt (pick number 51 overall). Then in the Pre Season draft they elected to pick ruckman David Gourdis
David Gourdis
David Gourdis is an Australian rules football player for the Richmond Football Club. He was overlooked at the 2007 AFL Draft, despite ranking no.1 in the 20m sprint , and ranked no.1 in the running vertical jump , at the AFL Draft Camp in Canberra.The same year in December 2007, the Richmond...
with the number one pick. The Tigers also picked Clayton Collard
Clayton Collard
Clayton Collard is an Australian rules footballer. He plays as a midfielder or small forward and was selected by the Fremantle Football Club with selection 31 in the 2006 AFL National Draft. He was rookie listed by the Richmond Football Club in the 2007 Rookie Draft at pick 1...
, Jarrod Silvester
Jarrod Silvester
Jarrod Silvester was an Australian Rules Football player for AFL club Richmond. He previously played for the Calder Cannons before being signed by VFL side the Coburg Football Club after failing to be drafted....
, Tristan Cartledge
Tristan Cartledge
Tristan Cartledge is an Australian Rules Football player, who plays for the Richmond Football Club. He began his career at Essendon in 2002 after being drafted in the 2002 National Draft at selection 28....
and Cameron Howat
Cameron Howat
Cameron Howat was an Australian rules footballer who was selected in the 2005 AFL Rookie Draft by the Richmond Football Club and delisted after the 2008 season....
for the rookie list. Cam Howat had previously been on the rookie list but was delisted then picked up again.
The Tigers had kept a low profile going into their Round 1 clash against Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
. Many people predicted Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
would run all over Richmond because Carlton had received Chris Judd
Chris Judd
Christopher Dylan "Chris" Judd is a professional Australian rules footballer and current captain of the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League ....
during the trade period. The Tigers trailed by as much as 25 points during the second quarter but they came back, led by Matthew Richardson
Matthew Richardson (Australian rules footballer)
Matthew "Richo" Richardson , is a retired professional Australian rules footballer who played for Richmond in the Australian Football League...
kicking 5 goals. The Tigers ended up winning 17.7 (109) to Carlton 11.13 (79) in front of a crowd of 72,552 at the MCG
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
.
From Rounds 2 to 11 however, the Tigers would only register 2 more wins (and a controversial draw against the Western Bulldogs
Western Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
), and after Round 11's completion, they sat in 12th place with 3 wins, 1 draw, and 7 losses. While many people wrote the Tigers of 2008 off at this point, they defied the odds, and went on to win 8 of their last 11 matches to finish off the 2008 season strongly, recording 11 wins, 1 draw, and 10 losses. However, this would not be enough to get them into finals football, as they finished 2 premiership points short (and percentage) of 8th placed Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
, who finished with 12 wins and 10 losses.
Wallace Era ends
At the start of 2009, Richmond were said to be rising as a team, and they would be in the eight . They had recruited former West Coast EaglesWest Coast Eagles
The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
player Ben Cousins
Ben Cousins
Benjamin Luke "Ben" Cousins is a former Australian rules footballer, best known for his 270-game career with and in the Australian Football League ....
(who had missed the previous year through off-field dramas), and they had rising stars in Brett Deledio
Brett Deledio
Brett Deledio is an Australian rules football player currently playing for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League.-Early life/career:...
, Trent Cotchin
Trent Cotchin
Trent William Cotchin is an Australian rules football player who was recruited at pick 2 in the 2007 AFL Draft by the Richmond Football Club. He was recruited from the Northern Knights under 18 football club, which made the preliminary finals of the 2007 TAC Cup competition...
and many more. In Round 1, those dreams all came crushing down, as they were thumped by Carlton. The Tigers did not register a win until Round 5, against the North Melbourne Football Club
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
.
The media was getting out of control, with a loss to last years wooden spooners, the Melbourne Demons
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
, starting the rabble. The coach, the players and the whole club was getting out of control, with reports some of the player asked the coach, Terry Wallace
Terry Wallace
Terry Wallace is a former professional Australian rules football player and coach.As a player, his career spanned three VFL/AFL clubs; most notably Hawthorn where he played in three premierships as well as achieving All-Australian selection, and two Best and Fairests with the Footscray Football Club...
to step down. Some of the loyal supporters even turned their backs on their beloved club. The club decided enough was enough, and so did Wallace. Terry Wallace stepped down as Richmond coach on 1 June 2009. He would coach his last game on 5 June, against the inform Western Bulldogs
Western Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
. They went on to lose the game.
After the Round 11 game, Richmond announced their new caretaker coach, Jade Rawlings
Jade Rawlings
Jade Rawlings was the caretaker coach of the Richmond Tigers Football Club, and is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the AFL with the Hawthorn, Western Bulldogs and the North Melbourne Football Clubs....
. This was a shock to most, as Jade did not have the greatest AFL career. Jade instantly took most of the over-30 year olds taken out of the side, and brought in the younger players. He was nicknamed 'Jade the Blade'. The tigers went on to win 3 games and had one draw with Rawlings.
Joel Bowden
Joel Bowden
Joel Bowden was an Australian rules footballer with the Richmond Football Club in the AFL. In 2007, he was declared the new president of the AFL Players Association....
, one of Richmond's favourite sons, also announced his retirement in 2009, after being cut out of the team by Jade Rawlings. The tigers lost his farewell game by 93 points.
As the coaching search for Richmond started, there were many candidates. Many pulling out during the hard process. It was eventually cut down to four, Alan Richardson
Alan R. Richardson
Alan R. Richardson is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood in the Victorian/Australian Football League ....
, Jade Rawlings
Jade Rawlings
Jade Rawlings was the caretaker coach of the Richmond Tigers Football Club, and is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the AFL with the Hawthorn, Western Bulldogs and the North Melbourne Football Clubs....
, Damien Hardwick
Damien Hardwick
Damien Patrick Hardwick is a former Australian rules footballer and the coach of the Richmond Football Club.-Early life:He attended St Joseph's College in Ferntree Gully.-AFL playing career:...
and Ken Hinkley
Ken Hinkley
Ken Hinkley is a former Australian rules footballer with the Geelong Football Club and Fitzroy Football Club, a former assistant coach of the St Kilda Football Club and the Geelong Football Club, and now an assistant coach at the Gold Coast Suns.Hinkley, recruited from Camperdown, started his...
. On 25 August, Richmond announced its coach for the next 3 years, Damien Hardwick
Damien Hardwick
Damien Patrick Hardwick is a former Australian rules footballer and the coach of the Richmond Football Club.-Early life:He attended St Joseph's College in Ferntree Gully.-AFL playing career:...
. Damien Hardwick immediately got rid of injury-prone players, Mark Coughlan
Mark Coughlan
Mark Coughlan is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League from 2001 to 2009.-Early career:...
and Nathan Brown
Nathan G. Brown
Nathan Gordon Brown is a former Australian rules footballer for the Richmond and the Western Bulldogs in the AFL...
, signalling the start of a rebuilding era. Later, Richmond delisted: Kayne Pettifer
Kayne Pettifer
Kayne Pettifer was an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.Pettifer first attracted the talent scouts when he was awarded the Larke Medal for his outstanding performance during the Australian Vic Country's Under 18 team at the 2000 AFL National Under 18 Championships...
, Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls
Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls
Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls is an Australian rules footballer currently playing with the East Perth Football Club in the West Australian Football League . He previously played for in the Australian Football League , and was also rookie-listed at .He was pick 8 overall in the 2005 Draft, from East...
, Cleve Hughes
Cleve Hughes
Cleve Hughes is an Australian rules football player who played for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League from 2007-2009....
, Dean Putt, Graham Polak
Graham Polak
Graham Polak is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Fremantle Football Club and the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League .-Fremantle career:...
(later retained in the 2009 Rookie Draft), Adam Pattison
Adam Pattison
Adam Pattison is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League . He began his career with Richmond, before moving to St Kilda for the 2010 season.- AFL career :...
and Jarrod Silvester
Jarrod Silvester
Jarrod Silvester was an Australian Rules Football player for AFL club Richmond. He previously played for the Calder Cannons before being signed by VFL side the Coburg Football Club after failing to be drafted....
(confirmed as of 30 October). Andrew Raines
Andrew Raines
Andrew Raines is an Australian rules footballer, with the Brisbane Lions Football Club. He is the son of Geoff Raines, a premiership centreman who played for Richmond, Collingwood, Essendon and Brisbane....
requested to be traded to another club because he thought he wasn't getting enough game time. Raines was eventually traded to Brisbane for pick 44 and Jay Schulz
Jay Schulz
Jay Schulz is an Australian rules footballer with the Port Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League . A forward, tall and weighing ....
was traded to Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide Football Club
The Port Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, which plays in the Australian Football League and the South Australian National Football League...
for Mitchell Farmer
Mitchell Farmer
Mitchell "Mitch" Farmer is an Australian rules footballer currently listed with the Richmond Tigers in the Australian Football League .The back pocket player is quick, durable and aggressive...
and another draft pick.
As Jade Rawlings and Craig McRae
Craig McRae
Craig McRae is a former Australian rules footballer.Originally from South Australian National Football League club Glenelg, McRae was drafted by AFL club Brisbane as the 22nd pick in the 1994 draft and had an immediate impact, kicking two goals in his first game in 1995, and played every game of...
and Brian Royal
Brian Royal
Brian Royal is a former Australian rules footballer, who played for the Western Bulldogs and is currently an assistant coach for the Melbourne Football Club....
left the Tigers assistant coaching panel, Brendon Lade
Brendon Lade
Brendon Lade is a former Australian rules footballer who spent his entire AFL career with the Port Adelaide Football Club.- Early Career :...
and Justin Leppitsch
Justin Leppitsch
Justin "Leppa" Leppitsch is a former Australian rules footballer who was a key defender for the Brisbane Lions.Leppitsch played with the Hawthorn Under 19s as a 16-year old in 1991, however did not make the Hawks' senior list...
were appointed as assistant coaches, leaving only Wayne Campbell
Wayne Campbell
Wayne Campbell is a retired Australian rules football player for the Richmond Football Club of the AFL.-Richmond career :...
as a previous Richmond assistant coach. Brendon Gale
Brendon Gale
Brendon 'Benny' Gale is an influential Australian rules football sports administrator and former player from the Australian Football League....
was also appointed CEO of the Tigers.
Richmond legend Matthew Richardson
Matthew Richardson (Australian rules footballer)
Matthew "Richo" Richardson , is a retired professional Australian rules footballer who played for Richmond in the Australian Football League...
later announced his retirement from AFL Football, due to injuries. This confirmed the complete clean out of the tiger's playing list, coaching panel and staff which was prompted by new coach, Damien Hardwick
Damien Hardwick
Damien Patrick Hardwick is a former Australian rules footballer and the coach of the Richmond Football Club.-Early life:He attended St Joseph's College in Ferntree Gully.-AFL playing career:...
.
2010—New coach, new list and a new beginning
The 2010 season started with a barrage of negative comments from critics and the media. Many thought that Richmond would be lucky to win more than 4 games. From the 2009 AFL Draft2009 AFL Draft
The 2009 AFL Draft consists of four opportunities for player acquisitions during the 2009/10 Australian Football League off-season. These were the Trade Week , the National Draft , the Pre-Season Draft and the Rookie Draft .- Trades :In the lead up to the trade week many high profile players such as...
, the Tigers picked up 7 new faces, which included 'man-child' midfielder Dustin Martin
Dustin Martin
Dustin Martin is a professional Australian rules football player currently signed with Richmond in the Australian Football League . In 2009 he played with the Bendigo Pioneers and the Victoria Country side in the under-18 national championships...
. Martin inspired fans with his hard-at-it approach and determination to win the ball and was touted early as a future star. At the 2010 Pre-season Draft, Richmond recruited young key defender Dylan Grimes
Dylan Grimes
Dylan Grimes is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League ....
, brother of Melbourne defender Jack Grimes
Jack Grimes (Australian rules footballer)
Jack Grimes is a professional Australian rules footballer, playing for the Melbourne Football Club. He was named as an All-Australian at the 2007 NAB AFL U18 Championships. He was drafted by Melbourne in the 2007 National Draft at pick 14, but was placed on the long term injury list due to...
. Finally, the recruiting process was finished in the Rookie Draft, where the Tigers picked Robert Hicks
Robert Hicks (Australian footballer)
Robert Hicks is a rookie listed Australian rules footballer who plays for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League ....
, Pat Contin, Relton Roberts
Relton Roberts
Relton Roberts is an Australian rules footballer who was drafted by Richmond in the third round of the 2010 Rookie Draft. He made his debut against Carlton in round 1 of 2010 season.-External links:...
, Irishman Jamie O'Reilly
Jamie O'Reilly
Jamie O'Reilly is an Irish Gaelic footballer he was a part of the down minor team in 2005 when they won the all Ireland and the down under 21 team who won ulster championships in 2008 an 2009...
, Nick Westhoff and Graham Polak
Graham Polak
Graham Polak is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Fremantle Football Club and the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League .-Fremantle career:...
.
Damien Hardwick
Damien Hardwick
Damien Patrick Hardwick is a former Australian rules footballer and the coach of the Richmond Football Club.-Early life:He attended St Joseph's College in Ferntree Gully.-AFL playing career:...
's axe was felt in the start of the 2010 season, with 4 debutants, and very few players over 25 in their round 1 clash against Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
and inexperience showed, losing to a revitalised Blues' forward line, and it only got worse until their round 8 clash against Hawthorn
Hawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
, where they lost in a nail-biter by 3 points. Damien Hardwick publicly came out and stated that Richmond's season "begins now". Begin, it did.
After a scrappy win over Port Adelaide, Richmond's season began a dramatic turnaround. The Tigers won their next 6 out of 7 games, and showed greatly improved skill and determination. Young key forward Jack Riewoldt
Jack Riewoldt
Jack Riewoldt is a professional Australian rules footballer currently playing for Richmond in the Australian Football League.-Early life:Riewoldt was born in Hobart, Tasmania to parents Chris and Lesley Riewoldt. He has two younger brothers, Harry and Charlie Riewoldt. He is the cousin of Nick...
showed glimpses of older cousin and AFL star Nick Riewoldt
Nick Riewoldt
Nick Riewoldt is an Australian rules footballer who is the current captain of the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League . He was the first draft selection in the 2000 AFL Draft.-Early life:...
, booting a career high 10 goals against the West Coast Eagles
West Coast Eagles
The West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
. The form was highlighted by a memorable 4-game winning streak during which they toppled eventual finalists Sydney and Fremantle; the latter game saw the Tigers get up after a monumental contest, led by Jack Riewoldt with 5 goals and first-year sensation Dustin Martin
Dustin Martin
Dustin Martin is a professional Australian rules football player currently signed with Richmond in the Australian Football League . In 2009 he played with the Bendigo Pioneers and the Victoria Country side in the under-18 national championships...
the Tigers showed glimpes of a powerhouse side in the future. A form dip in the next 3 rounds cost the team a higher placing on the ladder, but they finished the season strongly with a great performance over premiership contenders, St Kilda. The Tigers were underdogs, but didn't back down against an almost full-strength St Kilda side. They were led by Brett Deledio
Brett Deledio
Brett Deledio is an Australian rules football player currently playing for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League.-Early life/career:...
, skipper Chris Newman
Chris Newman (Australian rules footballer)
Chris Newman is an Australian rules footballer, and currently the captain of the Richmond Football Club. He was drafted at Pick 55 in the 2000 AFL Draft from the Dandenong Stingrays in the TAC Cup....
and Jack Riewoldt
Jack Riewoldt
Jack Riewoldt is a professional Australian rules footballer currently playing for Richmond in the Australian Football League.-Early life:Riewoldt was born in Hobart, Tasmania to parents Chris and Lesley Riewoldt. He has two younger brothers, Harry and Charlie Riewoldt. He is the cousin of Nick...
, who booted 7 goals, a best-on-ground performance. They didn't win, but it was a sign that the Tigers were a threat in future years. They ended up finishing 15th for the 2010 AFL Home and Away season. Throughout the season, the Tigers discovered potential superstars of the game, including David Astbury
David Astbury
David Astbury is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League...
, Dustin Martin
Dustin Martin
Dustin Martin is a professional Australian rules football player currently signed with Richmond in the Australian Football League . In 2009 he played with the Bendigo Pioneers and the Victoria Country side in the under-18 national championships...
, Ben Nason
Ben Nason
Ben Nason is an Australian rules football player for the Richmond Football Club, in the Australian Football League .- Early life :...
and Ben Griffiths
Ben Griffiths
Ben Griffiths is an Australian rules footballer who was drafted by Richmond in the second round of the 2009 AFL Draft. He made his debut in Richmond's first win of the season, against Port Adelaide in round 10 of 2010 season.-External links:...
.
General media opinion was that Richmond demonstrated significant onfield improvement over the second half of the season. Retirements at the end of the season included Ben Cousins
Ben Cousins
Benjamin Luke "Ben" Cousins is a former Australian rules footballer, best known for his 270-game career with and in the Australian Football League ....
, Troy Simmonds
Troy Simmonds
Troy Simmonds is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Melbourne, Fremantle and Richmond in the Australian Football League.-Melbourne: 1999 – 2001:Simmonds was first drafted by Melbourne in the 1999 Preseason Draft...
and Graham Polak
Graham Polak
Graham Polak is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Fremantle Football Club and the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League .-Fremantle career:...
. As was the case in 2009, the club again delisted a considerable number of players including Relton Roberts
Relton Roberts
Relton Roberts is an Australian rules footballer who was drafted by Richmond in the third round of the 2010 Rookie Draft. He made his debut against Carlton in round 1 of 2010 season.-External links:...
, Dean Polo
Dean Polo
Dean Polo is an Australian rules footballer who plays for St Kilda in the Australian Football League .Polo was drafted by the Richmond Football Club with the 20th selection in the 2004 AFL Draft....
, Jordan McMahon
Jordan McMahon
Jordan McMahon is an Australian rules football player. McMahon, a native South Australian, was drafted from the Glenelg Football Club in the 2000 AFL Draft as a first round selection by the Western Bulldogs. Playing as a running defender, McMahon had seven seasons at the Western Bulldogs,...
, Tom Hislop, Adam Thomson and Alroy Gilligan. Andrew Collins was traded to Carlton for Shaun Grigg. Richard Tambling
Richard Tambling
Richard Tambling is an Australian rules footballer who plays in the Australian Football League. He was drafted to the Richmond Football Club with the fourth selection in the 2004 AFL Draft and played 108 games for them before being traded to Adelaide during the 2010 AFL Trade Week.-Early...
was traded to Adelaide for two draft picks; a late first-round compensation pick on-traded by Adelaide (which they received for losing Nathan Bock
Nathan Bock
Nathan Bock is an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League . He played for the Adelaide Football Club between 2002 and 2010, and announced in August 2010 that he would join the new Gold Coast Football Club in 2011.-Adelaide career:He was elevated off the Adelaide Football...
to the Gold Coast) and Adelaide's third-round selection. The compensation pick can be used by Richmond in any year up to 2014. Although Will Thursfield indicated his desire to be traded, this did not eventuate during the trading period. Improvements in players such as Jack Riewoldt
Jack Riewoldt
Jack Riewoldt is a professional Australian rules footballer currently playing for Richmond in the Australian Football League.-Early life:Riewoldt was born in Hobart, Tasmania to parents Chris and Lesley Riewoldt. He has two younger brothers, Harry and Charlie Riewoldt. He is the cousin of Nick...
(winner of the 2010 Coleman Medal
Coleman Medal
The Coleman Medal is awarded yearly to the Australian Football League player who kicks the most goals in regular-season matches in that year...
and the Jack Dyer Medal
Jack Dyer Medal
The Jack Dyer Medal is an Australian rules football award given each season to the player or players adjudged Best and Fairest for the Richmond Football Club....
), Shane Edwards
Shane Edwards
Shane Edwards is an Australian rules football player for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League .A wingman from the North Adelaide Football Club, he was taken at pick 26 in the 2006 AFL Draft...
, Daniel Connors
Daniel Connors
Daniel Connors is an Australian rules footballer who was selected at number 58 overall in the 2006 AFL national draft by the Richmond Football Club...
and David Gourdis
David Gourdis
David Gourdis is an Australian rules football player for the Richmond Football Club. He was overlooked at the 2007 AFL Draft, despite ranking no.1 in the 20m sprint , and ranked no.1 in the running vertical jump , at the AFL Draft Camp in Canberra.The same year in December 2007, the Richmond...
indicate that 2011 will deliver further onfield success.
Club identity and culture
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
, Fitzroy
Fitzroy Football Club
The Fitzroy Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Lions, is an Australian rules football club formed in 1883 to represent the inner Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, Victoria and was a foundation member club of the Victorian Football League on its inception in 1897...
and Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
) to continue playing football, left no doubt as to which side of the class divide that the Tigers belonged. The club's self-consciously non-confrontational image can be partly attributed to two of long serving presidents – George Bennett
George Henry Bennett
George Henry Bennett was a brewer and a politician.Bennett emigrated to Australia in 1855....
(1887–1908) and Frank Tudor
Frank Tudor
Francis Gwynne "Frank" Tudor was an Australian-born felt hatter and politician. He was the leader of the Australian Labor Party from 1916 till his death.-Early life:...
(1909–1918). Both were Richmond men and respected parliamentarians who took the view that how the game was played was more important than whether the game was won.
After World War I, the club's attitude hardened as they attempted to match it with the then power clubs Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
and Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
. Eventually, the Tigers became more prosaic in their approach to recruiting and training.
Since the Tigers last Grand Final appearance in 1982, the club has been unable to rekindle this spirit, only appearing in 2 finals since (1995 and 2001).
Board and coaching instability during the 80's and 90's distracted the club, and forced its focus away from becoming an on-field force. The current board and coach have tried to restore the club's on field fortunes.
Club guernseys
- The home jumper is black with a yellow sash which goes from top left to bottom right. The Clash jumper is the same as the home jumper with the addition of yellow side panels and inverse numbers on the back. The guernseysGuernsey (clothing)A guernsey, or gansey, is a seaman's knitted woollen sweater, similar to a jersey, which originated in the Channel Island of the same name.-Origins:...
are made by sportswear company KooGaKooGaKooGa is an Australia-based rugby apparel company. It was established in December 1999. The company is headquartered in Labrador on the Gold Coast of Queensland, with other Australian offices as well as a UK office in Rochdale, Greater Manchester....
.
The Tigers first wore their clash jumper against Essendon in the penultimate round of the 2007 season, winning by 27 points.
Club song (Oh, we're from Tigerland)
Jack Malcolmson is credited with writing the words to the song in 1962, adapting them to the tune of "Row, Row, Row", a 1930's show tune. Richmond were using words sung to the tune of Waltzing MatildaWaltzing Matilda
"Waltzing Matilda" is Australia's most widely known bush ballad. A country folk song, the song has been referred to as "the unofficial national anthem of Australia"....
at the time and approached Jack, a cabaret singer who was performing regularly at the Richmond Football Club Social Club, to write the lyrics. It is said that then coach, Des Rowe and the playing group gave the song a standing ovation when they heard it sung for the first time. The current version of the song used by the club is a 1972 recording performed by the Fable singers.
Mascot
Richmond's club mascot is called Tiger Stripes Dyer named after AFL legend Jack "Captain Blood" Dyer.Stadium
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
where they play most of their home matches in the regular season.
The MCG has capacity of 100,000, and the club usually draws large attendances against Victorian
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
clubs, particularly against rivals such as Essendon
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
, Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
and Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
.
Richmond train at their home ground, the Punt Road Oval
Punt Road Oval
Punt Road Oval is a sporting ground located in Yarra Park, East Melbourne, Victoria situated only a few hundred metres to the east of the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground....
, which is located only a few hundred metres away from the MCG
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
.
Club administration since league admission
President
|
Secretary
|
General Manager
|
Supporter base
Richmond has an enormous support that can lie dormant during times of poor performance but is vociferous and very noticeable during periods of success. In the golden era of the 1960s and 1970s, the Tiger supporters were sometimes labelled rabid and arrogant, a description that matched how the club's rivals felt about the Tigers in general.The building of the fan base was a slow burn for Richmond. In the 1890s, the club never sold more than three hundred season's tickets, but the following was built up with success in the VFA and membership numbered about 2,000 at the time of admission to the VFL in 1908. Between the wars, the club captured the imagination of the residents of Richmond
Richmond, Victoria
Richmond is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra...
. The successful Tigers were a positive motif for the oppressed working class community which suffered deprivation during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. At this time, the Richmond
Richmond, Victoria
Richmond is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra...
community was almost one-half Catholic, and this demographic was reflected in the club amongst the players and officials.
As Melbourne dramatically spread out in the post-war years, so too did the Richmond supporters. Many were now concentrated in the eastern suburbs, which eventually formed the club's metropolitan recruiting zone. Indeed, at one point during the early development of the Waverley Park
Waverley Park
Waverley Park was an Australian rules football stadium in Mulgrave, Victoria, Australia. For most of its history, its purpose was as a neutral venue and used by all Victorian based Victorian Football League/Australian Football League clubs. However, during the 1990s it became the home ground of...
ground, the Tigers considered making the stadium its home for this reason. Following the barren period of the 1950s, Richmond was able to tap into the large number of fans by moving home matches to the MCG
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
and almost doubled attendance figures. The Tigers maintained this advantage over the other clubs until the mid-1980s, when poor administration led to a downturn in every area of the club. As the club struggled for funds, the membership plummeted from over 10,000 to under 3,000.
The greatest display of loyalty from the fans occurred during 1990. Threatened by liquidation, the supporters rallied to pay off the multi-million dollar debt via the "Save Our Skins" campaign. During the fully professional AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
era, the Tigers have enjoyed a level of support that allows it to determine its own destiny by regularly turning a profit. With the growth of the game outside Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, Richmond has picked up a lot of support in the other states of Australia.
| Season | Ticketed Members | Finishing Position | Total Attendance | Average Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 8,158 | 13th | 474,575 | 21,571 |
| 1993 | 9,918 | 14th | 484,041 | 24,202 |
| 1994 | 8,229 | 9th | 646,301 | 29,377 |
| 1995 | 14,647 | 3rd | 1,104,607* | 44,184* |
| 1996 | 20,308 | 9th | 850,966 | 38,680 |
| 1997 | 24,975 | 13th | 783,517 | 35,614 |
| 1998 | 27,092 | 9th | 1,023,821 | 46,537 |
| 1999 | 29,047 | 12th | 885,159 | 40,234 |
| 2000 | 26,869 | 9th | 853,916 | 38,814 |
| 2001 | 26,501 | 3rd | 1,173,875* | 46,955* |
| 2002 | 27,251 | 14th | 776,113 | 35,277 |
| 2003 | 25,101 | 13th | 830,841 | 37,765 |
| 2004 | 27,133 | 16th | 751,982 | 34,181 |
| 2005 | 28,029 | 12th | 802,885 | 36,494 |
| 2006 | 29,406 | 9th | 855,556 | 38,888 |
| 2007 | 30,044 | 16th | 909,203 | 41,327 |
| 2008 | 30,820 | 9th | 935,002 | 42,500 |
| 2009 | 36,985 | 15th | 868,855 | 39,493 |
| 2010 | 35,960 | 15th | 834,590 | 37,936 |
| 2011 | 40,184 | 12th | 895,290 | 40,695 |
Season records in bold
* Includes three finals matches in both 1995 and 2001
The Official Richmond Cheer Squad are an organised group of passionate supporters that attend every Richmond game whether in Melbourne or interstate.
Richmond Team of the Century
In 1998, Richmond announced its team of the twentieth century. The selection of the twenty two players shows an even spread of champions from all the eras of the club: Thorp from the club's first premiership wins of 1920–21; McCormack, Strang, Titus and Dyer from the inter-war years; Rowe, Morris and Wright from the battling era after the war; Richardson and Knights from recent times. But the great days from the late 1960s to the early 1980s provide the bulk of the side: Sheedy, Green, Keane, Bourke, Barrot, Clay, Hart, Dean and Bartlett who made up the core of Tom Hafey's teams, and later success stories Weightman and Raines. Ian Stewart, named on the bench, created a record as the only man to win selection in a team of the century at two clubs – he was named in the centre of St Kilda's team as well. Richmond has four players denoted below with an asteriskAsterisk
An asterisk is a typographical symbol or glyph. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a star. Computer scientists and mathematicians often pronounce it as star...
who are also members of AFL Team of the Century. The second most of any club.
http://www.richmondfc.com.au/TheClub/History/TeamoftheCentury/tabid/7669/Default.aspx
Australian Football Hall of Fame Members
As legends of the game:- Jack DyerJack DyerJohn Raymond Dyer Sr. OAM , always known as Jack Dyer, was one of the colossal figures of Australian rules football during two distinct careers, firstly as a player and coach of the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1931 and 1952, and later in the broadcast media for...
- Kevin Bartlett
- Ian StewartIan Stewart (Australian rules footballer)Ian Harlow Stewart , son of Aldo Liberale Cervi and Anita Cervi who separated three years after his birth, is a former Australian rules footballer with Hobart in the Tasmanian Football League , and in the Victorian Football League with St Kilda and Richmond...
As players of the game:
- Percy BentleyPercy BentleyPercy Bentley was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.Bentley was a strong ruckman and great tactician who was a key player and coach for the Richmond Football Club during his era...
- Francis BourkeFrancis BourkeFrancis William Bourke is a former Australian rules football player who played in the Victorian Football League between 1967 and 1981 for the Richmond Football Club and coached the club between 1982 and 1983. One of the most respected Australian footballers of any era, Bourke was nicknamed "St...
- Royce HartRoyce HartRoyce Desmond Hart is a former Australian rules football player and coach who played for the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1967 and 1977, and coached Footscray between 1980 and 1982.Hart was a supremely gifted, determined player who was acknowledged by all in his...
- Dan MinogueDan MinogueDaniel 'Dan' Minogue was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.Minogue was considered a courageous, or perhaps reckless, centre half-back as epitomised when he sustained a broken collarbone playing for Collingwood Football Club in the first minute of the 1911 Grand Final...
- Bill Morris
- Charlie PannamCharlie H. PannamCharles 'Charlie' Pannam was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Collingwood Football Club in the Victorian Football Association between 1894 and 1896 then in the Victorian Football League between 1897 and 1906. He then played for the Richmond Football Club in the VFA in 1907 then...
- Vic ThorpVic ThorpVictor Charles Thorp was an Australian rules footballer for the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1910 and 1925....
- Jack TitusJack TitusJack "Skinny" Titus was an Australian rules football player who played in the Victorian Football League between 1926 and 1943 for the Richmond Football Club. In the golden era of the 1930s, Titus was one of the great forwards who regularly thrilled the crowds with spectacular goalkicking feats...
- Dale WeightmanDale WeightmanDale "Flea" Weightman is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Richmond in the Australian Football League between 1978 and 1993....
- Roy Wright
As coaches of the game:
- Tom HafeyTom HafeyThomas Stanley Raymond Hafey is a former Australian rules football Victorian Football League player and coach. Hafey played for Richmond between 1953 and 1958, and coached four clubs—Richmond, Collingwood, Geelong and Sydney—between 1966 and 1988, leading teams to a total of four premierships...
- Frank 'Checker' HughesFrank 'Checker' HughesFrank 'Checker' Hughes was a famous player and coach of Australian rules football in the Victorian Football League in the period 1914 to 1948....
Richmond Hall of Fame
The club's hall of fame was created in 2002 with 23 inductees. Below is a list, separated into categories, of members and the year they were inducted. So far, five Richmond "Immortals" have been named, the first of whom was Jack DyerJack Dyer
John Raymond Dyer Sr. OAM , always known as Jack Dyer, was one of the colossal figures of Australian rules football during two distinct careers, firstly as a player and coach of the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1931 and 1952, and later in the broadcast media for...
, the year before his death in 2003. Dyer
Jack Dyer
John Raymond Dyer Sr. OAM , always known as Jack Dyer, was one of the colossal figures of Australian rules football during two distinct careers, firstly as a player and coach of the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1931 and 1952, and later in the broadcast media for...
was followed by Kevin Bartlett, Tom Hafey
Tom Hafey
Thomas Stanley Raymond Hafey is a former Australian rules football Victorian Football League player and coach. Hafey played for Richmond between 1953 and 1958, and coached four clubs—Richmond, Collingwood, Geelong and Sydney—between 1966 and 1988, leading teams to a total of four premierships...
, Francis Bourke
Francis Bourke
Francis William Bourke is a former Australian rules football player who played in the Victorian Football League between 1967 and 1981 for the Richmond Football Club and coached the club between 1982 and 1983. One of the most respected Australian footballers of any era, Bourke was nicknamed "St...
and Royce Hart
Royce Hart
Royce Desmond Hart is a former Australian rules football player and coach who played for the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1967 and 1977, and coached Footscray between 1980 and 1982.Hart was a supremely gifted, determined player who was acknowledged by all in his...
.
| Players | Players | Players | Coaches | Servants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Bill Barrot Bill Barrot Bill Barrot is a former Australian rules football player who played in the Victorian Football League between 1961 and 1970 for the Richmond Football Club and in 1971 for the St Kilda Football Club and the Carlton Football Club.... 2007 Kevin Bartlett 2002 Percy Bentley Percy Bentley Percy Bentley was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.Bentley was a strong ruckman and great tactician who was a key player and coach for the Richmond Football Club during his era... 2002 Neil Balme Neil Balme Neil Allen Balme is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1969 and 1979 for the Richmond Football Club.-Playing career:... 2010 Martin Bolger Martin Bolger Martin Joseph Bolger was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL between 1930 and 1939 for the Richmond Football Club.... 2005 Francis Bourke Francis Bourke Francis William Bourke is a former Australian rules football player who played in the Victorian Football League between 1967 and 1981 for the Richmond Football Club and coached the club between 1982 and 1983. One of the most respected Australian footballers of any era, Bourke was nicknamed "St... 2002 Ron Branton Ron Branton Ronald 'Ron' Branton is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1953 and 1962 for the Richmond Football Club.-References:* Hogan P: The Tigers Of Old, Richmond FC, Melbourne 1996*... 2006 Dick Clay Dick Clay Richard Harold 'Dick' Clay is a former Australian rules footballer. As one of Richmond's greatest players in the post-war ear, Clay was renowned for his versatility, aerial strength and prodigious field kicking, and was duly named in the Tigers' Team of the Century.Clay began playing football for ... 2002 David Cloke David Cloke David Cloke is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL/AFL.Cloke was a powerful ruckman and occasional forward who enjoyed a marvellous career at two VFL/AFL clubs. He began with Oakleigh where he played alongside his brother Peter, and in 1974 he went to Richmond... 2007 Roger Dean Roger Dean (Australian rules footballer) Roger Edward Dean was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL between 1957 and 1973 for the Richmond Football Club. Dean was one of the last elite Australian footballers born and bred in the local suburb for which he played... 2002 Jack Dyer Jack Dyer John Raymond Dyer Sr. OAM , always known as Jack Dyer, was one of the colossal figures of Australian rules football during two distinct careers, firstly as a player and coach of the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1931 and 1952, and later in the broadcast media for... 2002 Alec Edmond 2007 |
Alan Geddes Alan Geddes Alan Geddes was an Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1925 and 1935 for the Richmond Football Club... 2007 Michael Green Michael Green (Australian rules footballer) Michael Green is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1966 and 1971 and then again between 1973 and 1975 for the Richmond Football Club.Green is now well known in the Melbourne legal community... 2004 Clarrie Hall Clarrie Hall Clarrie Hall was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL between 1912 and 1922 and then one game in 1924 for the Richmond Football Club.-External links:**... 2006 Dick Harris Dick Harris (Australian rules footballer) Richard 'Dick' Harris was an Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football League between 1934 and 1944 for the Richmond Football Club... 2004 Royce Hart Royce Hart Royce Desmond Hart is a former Australian rules football player and coach who played for the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1967 and 1977, and coached Footscray between 1980 and 1982.Hart was a supremely gifted, determined player who was acknowledged by all in his... 2002 Frank Hughes Frank 'Checker' Hughes Frank 'Checker' Hughes was a famous player and coach of Australian rules football in the Victorian Football League in the period 1914 to 1948.... 2004 Hugh James Hugh James Hugh James was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL between 1909 and 1916 and, upon returning from military service, from 1919 to 1923 for the Richmond Football Club.He served in the AIF between 1916 and 1919... 2005 Jim Jess Jim Jess Jim Jess is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1976 and 1988 for the Richmond Football Club.- References :* Hogan P: The Tigers Of Old , Richmond FC, Melbourne 1996... 2008 Mervyn Keane Mervyn Keane Mervyn Keane is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1972 and 1984 for the Richmond Football Club.Senior coach of the Sturt Football Club from 1985-1988 and Caulfield Grammarians.-References:... 2005 Mark Lee Mark Lee (Australian rules footballer) Mark Lee, known affectionately as "The General" is a former Australian rules football player for the Richmond Football Club. Recruited from Richmond’s country zone in Mildura, Lee played a couple of games in 1977 but took off the following year as the team’s regular ruckman, allowing David Cloke to... 2010 Ray Martin Ray Martin (footballer) John 'Ray' Martin was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL in 1930 and then from 1932 to 1940 for the Richmond Football Club.- References :* Hogan P: The Tigers Of Old, Richmond FC, Melbourne 1996... 2010 Basil McCormack Basil McCormack Basil McCormack was a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1925 and 1936 for the Richmond Football Club.- References :* Hogan P: The Tigers Of Old , Richmond FC, Melbourne 1996*... 2004 |
Bill Morris 2002 Kevin O'Neill Kevin O'Neill (Australian rules footballer) Kevin O'Neill was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL between 1930 and 1941 for the Richmond Football Club.The son of a former Richmond player from its days in the VFA, O'Neill was a member of the Tigers' legendary "Three Musketeers" backline of Bolger, Sheahan and O'Neill... 2008 Max Oppy Max Oppy William "Max" Oppy was an Australian rules football player who played in the Victorian Football League between 1942 and 1954 for the Richmond Football Club. He was senior coach of Richmond in 1956.... 2004 Geoff Raines Geoff Raines Geoff Raines was a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1976 and 1982 for the Richmond Football Club, between 1983 and 1985 for the Collingwood Football Club, in 1986 for the Essendon Football Club and between 1987 and 1989 for the Brisbane Bears Football Club.-... 2008 Michael Roach Michael Roach (footballer) Michael Terrence Roach is a former Australian rules football player who represented Richmond in the Victorian Football League from 1977 to 1989.... 2002 Des Rowe Des Rowe Des Rowe was an Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football League between 1946 and 1957 for the Richmond Football Club. He was senior coach of Richmond from 1961 to 1963.- References :... 2004 Kevin Sheedy 2002 Vic Thorp Vic Thorp Victor Charles Thorp was an Australian rules footballer for the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1910 and 1925.... 2002 Jack Titus Jack Titus Jack "Skinny" Titus was an Australian rules football player who played in the Victorian Football League between 1926 and 1943 for the Richmond Football Club. In the golden era of the 1930s, Titus was one of the great forwards who regularly thrilled the crowds with spectacular goalkicking feats... 2002 Dale Weightman Dale Weightman Dale "Flea" Weightman is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Richmond in the Australian Football League between 1978 and 1993.... 2002 Bryan Wood Bryan Wood Bryan Wood is a former Australian rules football player who played in the Victorian Football League between 1972 and 1982 for the Richmond Football Club and between 1983 and 1986 for the Essendon Football Club.-References:... 2006 Roy Wright 2002 |
Tom Hafey Tom Hafey Thomas Stanley Raymond Hafey is a former Australian rules football Victorian Football League player and coach. Hafey played for Richmond between 1953 and 1958, and coached four clubs—Richmond, Collingwood, Geelong and Sydney—between 1966 and 1988, leading teams to a total of four premierships... 2002 Dan Minogue Dan Minogue Daniel 'Dan' Minogue was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.Minogue was considered a courageous, or perhaps reckless, centre half-back as epitomised when he sustained a broken collarbone playing for Collingwood Football Club in the first minute of the 1911 Grand Final... 2002 |
Charlie Backhouse Charlie Backhouse Charlie Backhouse was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFA between 1891 and 1905 for the Richmond Football Club.He was Captain of the Club in 1893 and played in the Club's inaugural VFA Premiership side in 1902. In all he played 210 games for Richmond and kicked 42 goals... 2002 Charlie Callander Charlie Callander Charlie Callander was a long time Property Steward and Committee member of the Richmond Football Club.He served as Richmond's Property Steward/Consultant for sixty-three seasons, from 1924 until 1986. During this time he also acted as the VFL Property Steward from 1946 to 1964 and served on the... 2002 James Charles James Charles James Charles was one of the founding members of the Richmond Football Club.He was Richmond's inaugural Club Secretary, serving in 1885 and 1886, at the same time as being the Club's delegate to the Victorian Football Association... 2002 Allan Cooke Allan Cooke Allan Cooke is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1949 and 1958 for the Richmond Football Club. He was also a long time Committee member of the Club.... 2006 Neville Crowe Neville Crowe Neville Crowe is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1957 and 1967 for the Richmond Football Club. He served as Richmond's President from 1987 to 1993, at the helm of the club during the 1990 Save Our Skins campaign which saved the club from financial... 2002 Ray Dunn Ray Dunn Raymond Hudson Dunn was a noted lawyer and football administrator with VFL club Richmond. Ray Dunn was one of the towering figures at Richmond who laid the foundations for the club's greatest era of success... 2002 Barney Herbert Barney Herbert Barney Herbert was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL between 1909 and 1921 for the Richmond Football Club... 2004 Tony Jewell Tony Jewell Tony 'TJ' Jewell is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1964 and 1970 for the Richmond Football Club. He was recruited from Oakleigh in the VFA where he had led the club's goalkicking in 1962 and was placed 4th in the VFA's best & fairest award, the J. J. Liston... 2002 Barry Richardson 2004 Graeme Richmond Graeme Richmond Graeme Richmond was a long time administrator of the Richmond Football Club.Recruited from Geelong College, he played mainly as a defender in Richmond's Thirds from 1951 to 1953. He captained this side and won its Best & Fairest in 1952. He also played 13 games for the Richmond Seconds side in... 2002 Alice Wills Alice Wills Alice Wills was the first female inductee to the Hall of Fame of the Richmond Football Club, an Australian rules football club.Inducted in to the Hall of Fame in its inaugural year, 2002, she was a founding member of the Richmond Ladies Committee , the Richmond Cheer Squad and the Richmond... 2002 Ian Wilson 2010 |
http://www.richmondfc.com.au/TheClub/History/HallofFame/tabid/7638/Default.aspx
"100 Tiger Treasures"
During the centenary season the tigers announced their 100 Tiger Treasures consisting of 10 awards, each with 10 nominees given by the Richmond Football Club in 2008 to celebrate their centenary year2008 AFL season
-Round 1 :-Round 2:-Round 3 :-Round 4:-Round 5:-Round 6 :-Round 7:-AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match:-Round 8:...
of competition in the VFL/AFL. The awards were mostly given to players but also club moments and campaigns. On Saturday, 28 June held a centenary celebration at Punt Road Oval
Punt Road Oval
Punt Road Oval is a sporting ground located in Yarra Park, East Melbourne, Victoria situated only a few hundred metres to the east of the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground....
before the centenary game at the MCG
McG
Joseph McGinty Nichol , better known as McG, is an American director and producer of film and television, as well as a former record producer....
against arch rivials later that day.
| Award | Winner | Nominees |
|---|---|---|
| Best Individual Performance of the Century | Kevin Bartlett "Put his unique stamp on the 1980 finals series, kicking 21 goals as a half-forward in Richmond’s three appearances, including a Grand Final-equalling bag of seven in the Grand Final 1980 VFL Grand Final The 1980 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Richmond Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 27 September 1980. It was the 84th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to... massacre of the Magpies Collingwood Football Club The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League... , which earned him the Norm Smith Medal Norm Smith Medal The Norm Smith Medal is the award given in the AFL Grand Final to the player adjudged by an independent panel of experts to have been the best player in the match.-History:The Norm Smith Medal is named after former Melbourne player and coach, Norm Smith... for being best afield." |
|
| Class of the Century | Royce Hart Royce Hart Royce Desmond Hart is a former Australian rules football player and coach who played for the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1967 and 1977, and coached Footscray between 1980 and 1982.Hart was a supremely gifted, determined player who was acknowledged by all in his... "Thrilled Tiger fans for a decade with his match-winning exploits at centre half-forward. His dominance up forward was a major factor in the Club’s run of four premierships from 1967–74. He was an extraordinary mark, a deadeye shot for goal, very courageous and, when the ball hit the ground, he swooped on it like a rover." |
|
| The Strong & the Bold | Jack Dyer Jack Dyer John Raymond Dyer Sr. OAM , always known as Jack Dyer, was one of the colossal figures of Australian rules football during two distinct careers, firstly as a player and coach of the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1931 and 1952, and later in the broadcast media for... "No player in the history of the game epitomises his club more than the man known as “Captain Blood”. He struck fear into the hearts and minds of all opposition players during the 1930s and 40s. Was renowned for his bone-jarring shirtfronts, which left many an opponent bloodied, battered and bruised. He bled for the Tigers and expected his teammates to do likewise." |
|
| Defining Moment | Save Our Skins "On 15 August 1990, Richmond announced that it needed to raise $1 million by 31 October that year, or it would cease to exist. The Save Our Skins campaign was immediately established to keep the Tigers alive. With Club president Neville Crowe Neville Crowe Neville Crowe is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1957 and 1967 for the Richmond Football Club. He served as Richmond's President from 1987 to 1993, at the helm of the club during the 1990 Save Our Skins campaign which saved the club from financial... as the figurehead, the SOS campaign did exactly what it set out to achieve, raising the necessary funds to stave off the threat of extinction." |
|
| Servant of the Century | Graeme Richmond Graeme Richmond Graeme Richmond was a long time administrator of the Richmond Football Club.Recruited from Geelong College, he played mainly as a defender in Richmond's Thirds from 1951 to 1953. He captained this side and won its Best & Fairest in 1952. He also played 13 games for the Richmond Seconds side in... "Graeme Richmond filled a variety of important roles at Tigerland over more than 30 years of devoted service. He was a shrewd, ruthless administrator, who never wasted an opportunity that could benefit his beloved Tigers. His strength lay in his relentless persuasiveness – he was a masterly recruiter and negotiator. And, as a speaker, arguably there have been none finer in league football history." |
|
| Brave Act of the Century | Francis Bourke Francis Bourke Francis William Bourke is a former Australian rules football player who played in the Victorian Football League between 1967 and 1981 for the Richmond Football Club and coached the club between 1982 and 1983. One of the most respected Australian footballers of any era, Bourke was nicknamed "St... "Bourke collided with teammate Stephen Mount Stephen Mount Stephen Mount is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Richmond in the Victorian Football League.Mount played four seasons with Richmond, his nine games in 1980 including the club's 81 point Grand Final win over Collingwood. He left Richmond after managing just one game in 1982,... in a tense Round 21, 1980 clash with at Arden Street Arden Street Oval Arden Street Oval is a sports oval based in Arden Street, North Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is currently the training base of Australian rules team North Melbourne Football Club and up to the end of the 1985 season it was used for elite-level VFL/AFL matches.-History:The North Melbourne... and had trouble seeing because of the blood streaming down his face. He was subsequently moved from full-back to the opposite end of the ground, where he immediately made his presence felt, taking a diving chest mark and slotting through a crucial goal." |
|
| Premiership of the Century | 1967 1967 VFL season Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1967.-Premiership season:In 1967, the VFL competition consisted of twelve teams of 18 on-the-field players each, plus two substitute players, known as the 19th man and the 20th man... "Richmond, under coach Tommy Hafey, finished the 1967 home-and-away season 1967 VFL season Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1967.-Premiership season:In 1967, the VFL competition consisted of twelve teams of 18 on-the-field players each, plus two substitute players, known as the 19th man and the 20th man... on top. The Tigers disposed of Carlton Carlton Football Club The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897... by 40 points in the second-semi, then faced up to a star-studded Geelong Geelong Football Club The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also... combination in the Grand Final 1967 VFL Grand Final The 1967 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Geelong Football Club and Richmond Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 23 September 1967. It was the 71st annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to determine... . At the end of a spectacular contest, Richmond had broken a 24-year premiership drought. Barrot Bill Barrot Bill Barrot is a former Australian rules football player who played in the Victorian Football League between 1961 and 1970 for the Richmond Football Club and in 1971 for the St Kilda Football Club and the Carlton Football Club.... , Brown Bill Brown (Australian rules footballer) William 'Billy' Brown is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1963 and 1971 for the Richmond Football Club.- References :* Hogan P: The Tigers Of Old , Richmond FC, Melbourne 1996... , Hart Royce Hart Royce Desmond Hart is a former Australian rules football player and coach who played for the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1967 and 1977, and coached Footscray between 1980 and 1982.Hart was a supremely gifted, determined player who was acknowledged by all in his... , Dean Roger Dean (Australian rules footballer) Roger Edward Dean was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL between 1957 and 1973 for the Richmond Football Club. Dean was one of the last elite Australian footballers born and bred in the local suburb for which he played... and Bartlett starred, while unsung hero Ronaldson John Ronaldson John Ronaldson is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1965 and 1970 for the Richmond Football Club.Ronaldson is the father of Australian basketballer Tony Ronaldson.- References :... kicked three vital goals." |
|
| Mark of the Century | Michael Roach Michael Roach (footballer) Michael Terrence Roach is a former Australian rules football player who represented Richmond in the Victorian Football League from 1977 to 1989.... "The superstar full-forward was a noted high-flyer during his 200-game career at Tigerland, but the mark he took against at the MCG McG Joseph McGinty Nichol , better known as McG, is an American director and producer of film and television, as well as a former record producer.... in 1979 was, almost literally, out of this world. ‘Roachy’ actually rose so high over a huge nest of Hawk players, he ended up making it a chest mark!" |
|
| Goal of the Century | Michael Mitchell "The little Tiger excitement machine decided to take off on a bit of a trot during the team’s final home-and-away match of the 1990 season 1990 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 1990.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-Ladder:All teams played 22 games during the home and away season, for a total of 154... , against Sydney Sydney Swans The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney... at the SCG Sydney Cricket Ground The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian... . After gathering the ball deep in defence, ‘Mitch’ took one bounce, then another, and then five more (seven in total), before calmly drilling home an incredibly inspirational goal." |
|
| Controversy of the Century | Windy Hill Brawl "On 18 May 1974, all hell broke loose at half-time of Richmond’s clash with at Windy Hill Windy Hill, Essendon Windy Hill is an Australian rules football ground located in Essendon, a northwestern suburb of the Melbourne metropolitan area.... as the players were leaving the field... A massive brawl erupted, involving players and officials of both clubs. Following a league investigation, several players and officials received suspensions, the heaviest being for Graeme Richmond Graeme Richmond Graeme Richmond was a long time administrator of the Richmond Football Club.Recruited from Geelong College, he played mainly as a defender in Richmond's Thirds from 1951 to 1953. He captained this side and won its Best & Fairest in 1952. He also played 13 games for the Richmond Seconds side in... , who was rubbed out until 31 December and also fined $2000." |
|
http://www.richmondfc.com.au/100%20tiger%20treasures/tabid/11581/default.aspx
Captains
- Charlie PannamCharlie H. PannamCharles 'Charlie' Pannam was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Collingwood Football Club in the Victorian Football Association between 1894 and 1896 then in the Victorian Football League between 1897 and 1906. He then played for the Richmond Football Club in the VFA in 1907 then...
Snr 1908 - Max FactorMax FactorMax Factor & Company is a cosmetics company, founded during 1909 by Maksymilian Faktorowicz , Max Factor, a Polish-Jewish cosmetician. Max Factor & Company was a related, two-family, multi-generational international cosmetics company before its sale in 1973 for $500 million dollars...
1909 - John LawsonJohn Lawson (footballer)John Richard Lawson was an English former footballer.-Career: John Richard Lawson joined York City from Dringhouses in August 1944. He then joined Scarborough.-Notes:...
1909 - Billy SchmidtBilly SchmidtLouis William "Billy" Schmidt was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Richmond Football Club in the VFA in 1907 then in the VFL from 1908 to 1911 and again in 1921...
1910 - Len IncigneriLen IncigneriLeonard "Len" Incigneri was an Australian rules football player and coach. He played for South Melbourne Football Club and Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League and Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football Association.-Football career:He played one game for the South...
1911 - Ted OhlsenTed OhlsenF. H. 'Ted' Ohlsen was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Richmond Football Club in the VFL from 1908 to 1915.-References:* Hogan P: The Tigers Of Old , Richmond FC, Melbourne 1996*...
1912 - Hugh JamesHugh JamesHugh James was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL between 1909 and 1916 and, upon returning from military service, from 1919 to 1923 for the Richmond Football Club.He served in the AIF between 1916 and 1919...
1913 - Bill ThomasWilliam Thomas (footballer)William 'Bill' Thomas was a former Australian rules footballer who played for the South Melbourne Football Club in the VFL between 1906 and 1913 and then for the Richmond Football Club from 1914 to 1916 and again in 1919...
1914–16 - Percy MayburyPercy MayburyPercy Maybury was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL between 1910 and 1919 for the Richmond Football Club. He was Captain/Coach of Richmond for the 1917 season.-References:*Hogan P: The Tigers Of Old, Richmond FC, Melbourne 1996...
1917 - Clarrie HallClarrie HallClarrie Hall was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL between 1912 and 1922 and then one game in 1924 for the Richmond Football Club.-External links:**...
1918 - Bill ThomasWilliam Thomas (footballer)William 'Bill' Thomas was a former Australian rules footballer who played for the South Melbourne Football Club in the VFL between 1906 and 1913 and then for the Richmond Football Club from 1914 to 1916 and again in 1919...
1919 - Dan MinogueDan MinogueDaniel 'Dan' Minogue was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.Minogue was considered a courageous, or perhaps reckless, centre half-back as epitomised when he sustained a broken collarbone playing for Collingwood Football Club in the first minute of the 1911 Grand Final...
1920–25 - Mel MorrisMel MorrisMel Morris was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL between 1921 and 1926 for the Richmond Football Club. He was Captain/Coach of Richmond for the 1926 season.-References:...
1926 - Alan GeddesAlan GeddesAlan Geddes was an Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1925 and 1935 for the Richmond Football Club...
1927–28 - Cyril LilburneCyril LilburneCyril 'Dooley' Lilburne was an Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1926 and 1929 for the Richmond Football Club.- References :* Hogan P: The Tigers Of Old , Richmond FC, Melbourne 1996...
1929 - Alan GeddesAlan GeddesAlan Geddes was an Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1925 and 1935 for the Richmond Football Club...
1930 - Maurie HunterMaurie HunterMaurie Hunter was an Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1929 and 1933 for the Richmond Football Club.Prior to joining Richmond he played in four premiership teams with St Patrick's of Albury between 1923 and 1928 and later coached the Richmond YCW Under 16 team to six...
1931 - Percy BentleyPercy BentleyPercy Bentley was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.Bentley was a strong ruckman and great tactician who was a key player and coach for the Richmond Football Club during his era...
1932–40 - Jack DyerJack DyerJohn Raymond Dyer Sr. OAM , always known as Jack Dyer, was one of the colossal figures of Australian rules football during two distinct careers, firstly as a player and coach of the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1931 and 1952, and later in the broadcast media for...
1941–49 - Bill Morris 1950–51
- Des RoweDes RoweDes Rowe was an Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football League between 1946 and 1957 for the Richmond Football Club. He was senior coach of Richmond from 1961 to 1963.- References :...
1952–57
- Roy Wright 1958–59
- Ron BrantonRon BrantonRonald 'Ron' Branton is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1953 and 1962 for the Richmond Football Club.-References:* Hogan P: The Tigers Of Old, Richmond FC, Melbourne 1996*...
1960–62 - Neville CroweNeville CroweNeville Crowe is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1957 and 1967 for the Richmond Football Club. He served as Richmond's President from 1987 to 1993, at the helm of the club during the 1990 Save Our Skins campaign which saved the club from financial...
1963–66 - Fred SwiftFred SwiftFrederick Norman "Fred" Swift was an Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football League for the Richmond Football Club between 1958 and 1967, and captained the club to a premiership in 1967...
1967 - Roger DeanRoger Dean (Australian rules footballer)Roger Edward Dean was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL between 1957 and 1973 for the Richmond Football Club. Dean was one of the last elite Australian footballers born and bred in the local suburb for which he played...
1968–71 - Royce HartRoyce HartRoyce Desmond Hart is a former Australian rules football player and coach who played for the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1967 and 1977, and coached Footscray between 1980 and 1982.Hart was a supremely gifted, determined player who was acknowledged by all in his...
1972–1975 - Francis BourkeFrancis BourkeFrancis William Bourke is a former Australian rules football player who played in the Victorian Football League between 1967 and 1981 for the Richmond Football Club and coached the club between 1982 and 1983. One of the most respected Australian footballers of any era, Bourke was nicknamed "St...
1976–77 - Kevin Sheedy 1978
- Kevin Bartlett 1979
- Bruce MonteathBruce MonteathBruce Monteath is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1975 and 1980 for the Richmond Football Club. He also played in the WAFL for the South Fremantle Football Club between 1972 and 1974 and then again from 1981 to 1983...
1980 - Bryan WoodBryan WoodBryan Wood is a former Australian rules football player who played in the Victorian Football League between 1972 and 1982 for the Richmond Football Club and between 1983 and 1986 for the Essendon Football Club.-References:...
1981 - David ClokeDavid ClokeDavid Cloke is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL/AFL.Cloke was a powerful ruckman and occasional forward who enjoyed a marvellous career at two VFL/AFL clubs. He began with Oakleigh where he played alongside his brother Peter, and in 1974 he went to Richmond...
1982 - Barry RowlingsBarry RowlingsBarry Rowlings is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1975 and 1978 for the Hawthorn Football Club and between 1979 and 1986 for the Richmond Football Club. In 1979, Rowlings won the Jack Dyer Medal, which is awarded to Richmond's best and fairest player for the...
1983–84 - Mark LeeMark Lee (Australian rules footballer)Mark Lee, known affectionately as "The General" is a former Australian rules football player for the Richmond Football Club. Recruited from Richmond’s country zone in Mildura, Lee played a couple of games in 1977 but took off the following year as the team’s regular ruckman, allowing David Cloke to...
1985–87 - Dale WeightmanDale WeightmanDale "Flea" Weightman is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Richmond in the Australian Football League between 1978 and 1993....
1988–92 - Jeff HoggJeff HoggJeff Hogg is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1986 and 1993 for the Richmond Football Club, and between 1994 and 1996 for the Fitzroy Football Club..- References :...
1993 - Tony FreeTony FreeTony Free is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL/AFL between 1987 and 1996 for the Richmond Football Club.- References :* Hogan P: The Tigers Of Old , Richmond FC, Melbourne 1996...
1994–96 - Matthew KnightsMatthew KnightsMatthew Knights is a former Australian rules football player, having played in the midfield for the Richmond Football Club from 1988 to 2002. He went on to a coaching career, most notably as head coach of the Essendon Football Club from 2008 to 2010...
1997–2000 - Wayne CampbellWayne CampbellWayne Campbell is a retired Australian rules football player for the Richmond Football Club of the AFL.-Richmond career :...
2001–04 - Kane JohnsonKane JohnsonKane "Johno" Johnson is a former Australian rules footballer and former captain of the Richmond Football Club and dual premiership winner with the Adelaide Crows in the Australian Football League .-Career:...
2005–08 - Chris NewmanChris Newman (Australian rules footballer)Chris Newman is an Australian rules footballer, and currently the captain of the Richmond Football Club. He was drafted at Pick 55 in the 2000 AFL Draft from the Dandenong Stingrays in the TAC Cup....
2009–
Coaches
- Dick CondonDick CondonRichard 'Dick' Condon was a highly controversial, exceptionally brilliant champion Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football Association and the Victorian Football League from 1894 to 1909....
1908–09 - Alex 'Joker' Hall 1910
- Len IncigneriLen IncigneriLeonard "Len" Incigneri was an Australian rules football player and coach. He played for South Melbourne Football Club and Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League and Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football Association.-Football career:He played one game for the South...
1911 - Charlie PannamCharlie H. PannamCharles 'Charlie' Pannam was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Collingwood Football Club in the Victorian Football Association between 1894 and 1896 then in the Victorian Football League between 1897 and 1906. He then played for the Richmond Football Club in the VFA in 1907 then...
Snr 1912 - Ern JenkinsErn JenkinsErnest 'Ern' Jenkins was an Australian rules football player, coach and umpire. Jenkins was uncle of Fitzroy player Horrie Dawson.-Playing career:...
1913 - Charlie RickettsCharlie RickettsCharles "Charlie" Ricketts was a former Australian rules footballer and coach in the Victorian Football League.Ricketts was a champion rover for the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football Association from 1903 to 1905...
1914–16 - Percy MayburyPercy MayburyPercy Maybury was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL between 1910 and 1919 for the Richmond Football Club. He was Captain/Coach of Richmond for the 1917 season.-References:*Hogan P: The Tigers Of Old, Richmond FC, Melbourne 1996...
1917 - Bernie NolanBernie Nolan (footballer)Bernard 'Bernie' Nolan was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1904 and 1911. He was senior coach of the Richmond Football Club in 1918....
1918 - Norm ClarkNorm ClarkNorman "Hackenschmidt" Clark was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Carlton Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1905 and 1912....
1919 - Dan MinogueDan MinogueDaniel 'Dan' Minogue was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.Minogue was considered a courageous, or perhaps reckless, centre half-back as epitomised when he sustained a broken collarbone playing for Collingwood Football Club in the first minute of the 1911 Grand Final...
1920–25 - Mel MorrisMel MorrisMel Morris was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL between 1921 and 1926 for the Richmond Football Club. He was Captain/Coach of Richmond for the 1926 season.-References:...
1926 - Frank 'Checker' HughesFrank 'Checker' HughesFrank 'Checker' Hughes was a famous player and coach of Australian rules football in the Victorian Football League in the period 1914 to 1948....
1927–32 - Billy SchmidtBilly SchmidtLouis William "Billy" Schmidt was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Richmond Football Club in the VFA in 1907 then in the VFL from 1908 to 1911 and again in 1921...
1933 - Percy BentleyPercy BentleyPercy Bentley was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.Bentley was a strong ruckman and great tactician who was a key player and coach for the Richmond Football Club during his era...
1934–40 - Jack DyerJack DyerJohn Raymond Dyer Sr. OAM , always known as Jack Dyer, was one of the colossal figures of Australian rules football during two distinct careers, firstly as a player and coach of the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1931 and 1952, and later in the broadcast media for...
1941–52 - Alby PannamAlby PannamAlbert 'Alby' Pannam was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL between 1933 and 1943 and then again in 1945 for the Collingwood Football Club. He then was captain/coach for the Richmond Football Club Seconds side from 1946 to 1952, leading them to the premiership in 1946...
1953–55 - Max OppyMax OppyWilliam "Max" Oppy was an Australian rules football player who played in the Victorian Football League between 1942 and 1954 for the Richmond Football Club. He was senior coach of Richmond in 1956....
1956 - Alan McDonaldAlan McDonald (Australian rules footballer)Alan McDonald is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1939 and 1941 and then again in 1943 for the Richmond Football Club. He was senior coach of Richmond from 1957 to 1960.- References :...
1957–60 - Des RoweDes RoweDes Rowe was an Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football League between 1946 and 1957 for the Richmond Football Club. He was senior coach of Richmond from 1961 to 1963.- References :...
1961–63
- Len SmithLen Smith (footballer)Like his younger brother, the legendary Norm Smith, it is as a coach that Len is best remembered. During his first stint as a coach, of the Fitzroy Under 19s , he guided the side to the 1955 Premiership. His first senior coaching role was with Fitzroy, taking them to the finals in 1958 and 1960...
1964–65 - Jack TitusJack TitusJack "Skinny" Titus was an Australian rules football player who played in the Victorian Football League between 1926 and 1943 for the Richmond Football Club. In the golden era of the 1930s, Titus was one of the great forwards who regularly thrilled the crowds with spectacular goalkicking feats...
1965 - Tom HafeyTom HafeyThomas Stanley Raymond Hafey is a former Australian rules football Victorian Football League player and coach. Hafey played for Richmond between 1953 and 1958, and coached four clubs—Richmond, Collingwood, Geelong and Sydney—between 1966 and 1988, leading teams to a total of four premierships...
1966–76 - Barry Richardson 1977–78
- Tony JewellTony JewellTony 'TJ' Jewell is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1964 and 1970 for the Richmond Football Club. He was recruited from Oakleigh in the VFA where he had led the club's goalkicking in 1962 and was placed 4th in the VFA's best & fairest award, the J. J. Liston...
1979–81 - Francis BourkeFrancis BourkeFrancis William Bourke is a former Australian rules football player who played in the Victorian Football League between 1967 and 1981 for the Richmond Football Club and coached the club between 1982 and 1983. One of the most respected Australian footballers of any era, Bourke was nicknamed "St...
1982–83 - Mike PattersonMike Patterson (footballer)Michael 'Mike' Patterson was an Australian rules footballer and coach. Affectionately known as the "Swamp Fox", Patterson was a premiership ruckman with the Richmond Football Club in 1967, and also captain/coach of the 1972 Australian Champions, the North Adelaide Football club.-Richmond:Patterson...
1984 - Paul SproulePaul SproulePaul Sproule is a former Australian rules football player who played for the Essendon Football Club in the VFL from 1968 to 1971 and then for the Richmond Football Club from 1972 to 1975. He was senior coach of Richmond in 1985....
1985 - Tony JewellTony JewellTony 'TJ' Jewell is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1964 and 1970 for the Richmond Football Club. He was recruited from Oakleigh in the VFA where he had led the club's goalkicking in 1962 and was placed 4th in the VFA's best & fairest award, the J. J. Liston...
1986–87 - Kevin Bartlett 1988–91
- Allan JeansAllan JeansAllan Jeans was an Australian rules footballer and coach. He was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame at its inception in 1996...
1992 - John NortheyJohn NortheyJohn "Swooper" Northey is a former Australian rules football player and coach. He played from 1963 to 1970 with the Richmond Football Club....
1993–95 - Robert WallsRobert WallsRobert Walls is a former Australian rules footballer and coach who now works primarily as a television commentator and newspaper columnist on the sport. On 22 June 2006 he was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.- Carlton :...
1996–97 - Jeff GieschenJeff GieschenJeff Gieschen is a former Australian rules football player who played in the Victorian Football League between 1974 and 1978 for the Footscray Football Club. He was senior coach of the Richmond Football Club from late in the 1997 season until the end of 1999...
1997–99 - Danny FrawleyDanny FrawleyDanny Frawley is a former Australian rules footballer and coach and a current football commentator with Fox Sports.He is the nephew of Collingwood player Des Tuddenham and the uncle of current Melbourne Football Club player James Frawley.- Football career :Recruited from Ballarat, after attending...
2000–04 - Terry WallaceTerry WallaceTerry Wallace is a former professional Australian rules football player and coach.As a player, his career spanned three VFL/AFL clubs; most notably Hawthorn where he played in three premierships as well as achieving All-Australian selection, and two Best and Fairests with the Footscray Football Club...
2005–09 (Round 11) - Jade RawlingsJade RawlingsJade Rawlings was the caretaker coach of the Richmond Tigers Football Club, and is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the AFL with the Hawthorn, Western Bulldogs and the North Melbourne Football Clubs....
2009 (interim) - Damien HardwickDamien HardwickDamien Patrick Hardwick is a former Australian rules footballer and the coach of the Richmond Football Club.-Early life:He attended St Joseph's College in Ferntree Gully.-AFL playing career:...
2010–
Current coaching staff
- Senior Coach: Damien HardwickDamien HardwickDamien Patrick Hardwick is a former Australian rules footballer and the coach of the Richmond Football Club.-Early life:He attended St Joseph's College in Ferntree Gully.-AFL playing career:...
- Assistant Coaches:
- Wayne CampbellWayne CampbellWayne Campbell is a retired Australian rules football player for the Richmond Football Club of the AFL.-Richmond career :...
- Justin LeppitschJustin LeppitschJustin "Leppa" Leppitsch is a former Australian rules footballer who was a key defender for the Brisbane Lions.Leppitsch played with the Hawthorn Under 19s as a 16-year old in 1991, however did not make the Hawks' senior list...
- Brendon LadeBrendon LadeBrendon Lade is a former Australian rules footballer who spent his entire AFL career with the Port Adelaide Football Club.- Early Career :...
- Danny Daly
- Ross SmithRoss SmithRoss Smith may refer to:*Ross G. Smith , Australian rules footballer for St Kilda*Ross W. Smith , Australian rules footballer for North Melbourne*Ross Macpherson Smith , Australian aviator...
- Mark Williams
Club records
VFL/AFL Premierships- 10 (1920, 1921, 1932, 1934, 1943, 1967, 1969, 1973, 1974, 1980)
VFL/AFL Runner-Up
- 12 (1919, 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1933, 1940, 1942, 1944, 1972, 1982)
VFL/AFL Reserve Premierships
- 9 (1929, 1946, 1954, 1955, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1977, 1997)
VFL/AFL Under 19 Premierships
- 11 (1958, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1980, 1985, 1989)
McClelland Trophies
McClelland Trophy
The McClelland Trophy is an Australian rules football trophy, currently awarded to the minor premiers in the Australian Football League each year...
- 7 (1967, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1982)
Champions of Australia
Championship of Australia
The Championship of Australia was the name given to an Australian rules football tournament which was contested between football clubs from the Victorian, South Australian and West Australian football leagues. The Championship took place three times in the 19th century and then from 1907 to 1914...
- 3 (1969, 1973, 1974)
Pre-season/Night Series
Australian Football League pre-season competition
The Australian Football League pre-season competition, which is known at present as the NAB Cup, is a competition held before the beginning of the Australian Football League premiership season...
Premierships
- 1 (1962)
VFL/AFL Lightning Premierships
- 1 (1953)
VFL/AFL Wooden Spoons
Wooden spoon (award)
A wooden spoon is a mock or real award, usually given to an individual or team which has come last in a competition, but sometimes also to runners-up. Examples range from the academic to sporting and more frivolous events...
- 6 (1917, 1960, 1987, 1989, 2004, 2007)
| Win-Loss Record: | Played: 2027 | | Won: 1029, Lost: 979, Drawn: 19 (to end of 2008 Season) |
| Highest Score: | 34.18 (222) | | vs. St. Kilda Football Club St. Kilda Football Club The St Kilda Football Club, nicknamed The Saints, is an Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The club plays in the Australian Football League, the sport's premier league.... , Round 16, 1980 at SCG Sydney Cricket Ground The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian... |
| Lowest Score: | 0.8 (8) | | vs. St. Kilda Football Club St. Kilda Football Club The St Kilda Football Club, nicknamed The Saints, is an Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The club plays in the Australian Football League, the sport's premier league.... , Round 16, 1961 at Junction Oval Junction Oval The Junction Oval is an historic sports ground in the suburb of St Kilda in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its location near the St Kilda Junction gave rise to its nickname... |
| Greatest Winning Margin: | 168 points | | vs. North Melbourne Football Club North Melbourne Football Club The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world... , Round 2, 1931 at Punt Road Oval Punt Road Oval Punt Road Oval is a sporting ground located in Yarra Park, East Melbourne, Victoria situated only a few hundred metres to the east of the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground.... |
| Greatest Losing Margin: | 157 points | | vs. Geelong Football Club Geelong Football Club The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also... , Round 6, 2007 at Telstra Dome Telstra Dome Docklands Stadium is a multi-purpose sports and entertainment stadium in the Docklands precinct of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia... |
| Biggest Match Attendance: | 119,165 | | vs. Carlton Football Club Carlton Football Club The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897... , Grand Final, 1969 at MCG Melbourne Cricket Ground The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light... |
| Biggest Home & Away Match Attendance: | 92,436 | | vs. Collingwood Football Club Collingwood Football Club The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League... , Round 4, 1977 at MCG Melbourne Cricket Ground The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light... |
Individual records
| Brownlow Medal Brownlow Medal The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game... Winners: |
4 | | Stan Judkins Stan Judkins Stan Judkins was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1928 and 1936. He became the first Richmond player to win the game's most prestigious award, the Brownlow Medal.Judkins played his junior football as a rover for... (1930), Bill Morris (1948), Roy Wright (1952 & 1954), Ian Stewart Ian Stewart (Australian rules footballer) Ian Harlow Stewart , son of Aldo Liberale Cervi and Anita Cervi who separated three years after his birth, is a former Australian rules footballer with Hobart in the Tasmanian Football League , and in the Victorian Football League with St Kilda and Richmond... (1971) |
| Coleman Medal Coleman Medal The Coleman Medal is awarded yearly to the Australian Football League player who kicks the most goals in regular-season matches in that year... Winners: |
3 | | Michael Roach Michael Roach Michael Roach is an American teacher of Tibetan Buddhism of the Gelugpa school, and was the first Westerner to qualify for the Geshe degree at Sera Monastery in India. He received the degree after twenty-two years of training in both India and abroad... (1980, 1981), Jack Riewoldt Jack Riewoldt Jack Riewoldt is a professional Australian rules footballer currently playing for Richmond in the Australian Football League.-Early life:Riewoldt was born in Hobart, Tasmania to parents Chris and Lesley Riewoldt. He has two younger brothers, Harry and Charlie Riewoldt. He is the cousin of Nick... (2010) |
| Most Games: | 403 | | Kevin Bartlett (1965–1983) |
| Most Games as Captain: | 168 | | Percy Bentley Percy Bentley Percy Bentley was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.Bentley was a strong ruckman and great tactician who was a key player and coach for the Richmond Football Club during his era... (1932–1940) |
| Most Games as Coach: | 248 | | Tom Hafey Tom Hafey Thomas Stanley Raymond Hafey is a former Australian rules football Victorian Football League player and coach. Hafey played for Richmond between 1953 and 1958, and coached four clubs—Richmond, Collingwood, Geelong and Sydney—between 1966 and 1988, leading teams to a total of four premierships... (1966–1976) |
| Most Club Best & Fairest Awards Jack Dyer Medal The Jack Dyer Medal is an Australian rules football award given each season to the player or players adjudged Best and Fairest for the Richmond Football Club.... : |
6 | | Jack Dyer Jack Dyer John Raymond Dyer Sr. OAM , always known as Jack Dyer, was one of the colossal figures of Australian rules football during two distinct careers, firstly as a player and coach of the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1931 and 1952, and later in the broadcast media for... (1932, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1946) |
| Most Seasons as Club Leading Goalkicker Michael Roach Medal The Michael Roach Medal is an Australian rules football award given each season to the leading goalkicker for the Richmond Football Club.The award is now named in honour of Michael Roach, Richmond's "best post-war full forward"... : |
13 | | Matthew Richardson Matthew Richardson (Australian rules footballer) Matthew "Richo" Richardson , is a retired professional Australian rules footballer who played for Richmond in the Australian Football League... (1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008) |
| Most Goals in a Career: | 970 | | Jack Titus Jack Titus Jack "Skinny" Titus was an Australian rules football player who played in the Victorian Football League between 1926 and 1943 for the Richmond Football Club. In the golden era of the 1930s, Titus was one of the great forwards who regularly thrilled the crowds with spectacular goalkicking feats... (1926–1943) |
| Most Goals in a Season: | 112 | | Michael Roach Michael Roach (footballer) Michael Terrence Roach is a former Australian rules football player who represented Richmond in the Victorian Football League from 1977 to 1989.... (1980) |
| Most Goals in a Match: | 14 | | Doug Strang Doug Strang Doug Strang was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL between 1931 and 1935 for the Richmond Football Club.Whilst several injuries restricted his VFL career to just 64 games... (vs. , Round 2, 1931 at Punt Road Oval Punt Road Oval Punt Road Oval is a sporting ground located in Yarra Park, East Melbourne, Victoria situated only a few hundred metres to the east of the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground.... ) |
| Youngest Player: | 15 years 328 days | | Mick Maguire Michael Maguire (footballer) Michael 'Mick' Maguire was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Richmond Football Club in the VFL from 1910 to Round 8 of the 1912 season, then played for the Melbourne Football Club for the rest of 1912 to 1914... (Round 1, 1910) |
| Oldest Player: | 36 years 215 days | | David Cloke David Cloke David Cloke is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL/AFL.Cloke was a powerful ruckman and occasional forward who enjoyed a marvellous career at two VFL/AFL clubs. He began with Oakleigh where he played alongside his brother Peter, and in 1974 he went to Richmond... (Round 24, 1991) |
Best and Fairest
- See Jack Dyer MedalJack Dyer MedalThe Jack Dyer Medal is an Australian rules football award given each season to the player or players adjudged Best and Fairest for the Richmond Football Club....
Brownlow Medallists
First Awarded 1924- Stan JudkinsStan JudkinsStan Judkins was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1928 and 1936. He became the first Richmond player to win the game's most prestigious award, the Brownlow Medal.Judkins played his junior football as a rover for...
(1930) (co-winner) - Bill Morris (1948)
- Roy Wright (1952, 1954)
- Ian StewartIan Stewart (Australian rules footballer)Ian Harlow Stewart , son of Aldo Liberale Cervi and Anita Cervi who separated three years after his birth, is a former Australian rules footballer with Hobart in the Tasmanian Football League , and in the Victorian Football League with St Kilda and Richmond...
(1971)
Coleman Medallists
First Awarded 1897- George BaylissGeorge BaylissGeorge Bayliss was an Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football League in 1914 and then again between 1916 and 1923 for the Richmond Football Club. He then played for the Footscray Football Club in the Victorian Football Association in 1924 then in the VFL in...
(1920) - Jack TitusJack TitusJack "Skinny" Titus was an Australian rules football player who played in the Victorian Football League between 1926 and 1943 for the Richmond Football Club. In the golden era of the 1930s, Titus was one of the great forwards who regularly thrilled the crowds with spectacular goalkicking feats...
(1940) - Dick HarrisDick Harris (Australian rules footballer)Richard 'Dick' Harris was an Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football League between 1934 and 1944 for the Richmond Football Club...
(1943) - Michael RoachMichael Roach (footballer)Michael Terrence Roach is a former Australian rules football player who represented Richmond in the Victorian Football League from 1977 to 1989....
(1980, 1981*) - Jack RiewoldtJack RiewoldtJack Riewoldt is a professional Australian rules footballer currently playing for Richmond in the Australian Football League.-Early life:Riewoldt was born in Hobart, Tasmania to parents Chris and Lesley Riewoldt. He has two younger brothers, Harry and Charlie Riewoldt. He is the cousin of Nick...
(2010)
Norm Smith Medal winners
First Awarded 1979- Kevin Bartlett (1980)
- Maurice RioliMaurice RioliMaurice Rioli was an Australian rules football player best known for his time spent with the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League...
(1982)
Mark of the Year winners
- Michael RoachMichael Roach (footballer)Michael Terrence Roach is a former Australian rules football player who represented Richmond in the Victorian Football League from 1977 to 1989....
(1979) - Michael Mitchell (1990)
Goal of the Year winners
- Michael Mitchell (1990)
All Australian selections
Commenced 1953- Joel BowdenJoel BowdenJoel Bowden was an Australian rules footballer with the Richmond Football Club in the AFL. In 2007, he was declared the new president of the AFL Players Association....
(2005, 2006) - Wayne CampbellWayne CampbellWayne Campbell is a retired Australian rules football player for the Richmond Football Club of the AFL.-Richmond career :...
(1995, 1999) - David ClokeDavid ClokeDavid Cloke is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL/AFL.Cloke was a powerful ruckman and occasional forward who enjoyed a marvellous career at two VFL/AFL clubs. He began with Oakleigh where he played alongside his brother Peter, and in 1974 he went to Richmond...
(1979) - Neville CroweNeville CroweNeville Crowe is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1957 and 1967 for the Richmond Football Club. He served as Richmond's President from 1987 to 1993, at the helm of the club during the 1990 Save Our Skins campaign which saved the club from financial...
(1966) - Nathan FoleyNathan Foley (footballer)Nathan Foley is an Australian rules football player. He plays as a midfielder for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League ....
(2007) - Darren GasparDarren GasparDarren Gaspar is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League .-Sydney Swans career :...
(2000, 2001) - Royce HartRoyce HartRoyce Desmond Hart is a former Australian rules football player and coach who played for the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1967 and 1977, and coached Footscray between 1980 and 1982.Hart was a supremely gifted, determined player who was acknowledged by all in his...
(1969) - Jim JessJim JessJim Jess is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1976 and 1988 for the Richmond Football Club.- References :* Hogan P: The Tigers Of Old , Richmond FC, Melbourne 1996...
(1980) - Andrew KellawayAndrew KellawayAndrew Kellaway is a former Australian rules football player who played for the Richmond Football Club in the AFL.Educated at Caulfield Grammar School, Kellaway joined his brother Duncan at Richmond in 1997...
(2000) - Matthew KnightsMatthew KnightsMatthew Knights is a former Australian rules football player, having played in the midfield for the Richmond Football Club from 1988 to 2002. He went on to a coaching career, most notably as head coach of the Essendon Football Club from 2008 to 2010...
(1998) - Mark LeeMark Lee (Australian rules footballer)Mark Lee, known affectionately as "The General" is a former Australian rules football player for the Richmond Football Club. Recruited from Richmond’s country zone in Mildura, Lee played a couple of games in 1977 but took off the following year as the team’s regular ruckman, allowing David Cloke to...
(1980, 1983, 1985) - Bruce MonteathBruce MonteathBruce Monteath is a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1975 and 1980 for the Richmond Football Club. He also played in the WAFL for the South Fremantle Football Club between 1972 and 1974 and then again from 1981 to 1983...
(1979) - Brad OttensBrad OttensBrad "Otto" Ottens is a former Australian rules footballer for the Geelong Football Club and Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League .-Richmond: 1998–2004:...
(2001) - Geoff RainesGeoff RainesGeoff Raines was a former Australian rules football player who played in the VFL between 1976 and 1982 for the Richmond Football Club, between 1983 and 1985 for the Collingwood Football Club, in 1986 for the Essendon Football Club and between 1987 and 1989 for the Brisbane Bears Football Club.-...
(1980) - Matthew RichardsonMatthew Richardson (Australian rules footballer)Matthew "Richo" Richardson , is a retired professional Australian rules footballer who played for Richmond in the Australian Football League...
(1996, 1999, 2008) - Jack RiewoldtJack RiewoldtJack Riewoldt is a professional Australian rules footballer currently playing for Richmond in the Australian Football League.-Early life:Riewoldt was born in Hobart, Tasmania to parents Chris and Lesley Riewoldt. He has two younger brothers, Harry and Charlie Riewoldt. He is the cousin of Nick...
(2010) - Maurice RioliMaurice RioliMaurice Rioli was an Australian rules football player best known for his time spent with the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League...
(1983, 1986) - Michael RoachMichael Roach (footballer)Michael Terrence Roach is a former Australian rules football player who represented Richmond in the Victorian Football League from 1977 to 1989....
(1979) - Des RoweDes RoweDes Rowe was an Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football League between 1946 and 1957 for the Richmond Football Club. He was senior coach of Richmond from 1961 to 1963.- References :...
(1956) - Dale WeightmanDale WeightmanDale "Flea" Weightman is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Richmond in the Australian Football League between 1978 and 1993....
(1985, 1986, 1988) - Roy Wright (1956)
National team representatives
Commenced 1998- Joel BowdenJoel BowdenJoel Bowden was an Australian rules footballer with the Richmond Football Club in the AFL. In 2007, he was declared the new president of the AFL Players Association....
(2001, 2004) - Nathan BrownNathan G. BrownNathan Gordon Brown is a former Australian rules footballer for the Richmond and the Western Bulldogs in the AFL...
(2003, 2004) - Wayne CampbellWayne CampbellWayne Campbell is a retired Australian rules football player for the Richmond Football Club of the AFL.-Richmond career :...
(1998, 1999, 2000) - Brett DeledioBrett DeledioBrett Deledio is an Australian rules football player currently playing for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League.-Early life/career:...
(2005) - Darren GasparDarren GasparDarren Gaspar is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League .-Sydney Swans career :...
(2001) - Andrew KellawayAndrew KellawayAndrew Kellaway is a former Australian rules football player who played for the Richmond Football Club in the AFL.Educated at Caulfield Grammar School, Kellaway joined his brother Duncan at Richmond in 1997...
(2000, 2002) - Chris NewmanChris Newman (Australian rules footballer)Chris Newman is an Australian rules footballer, and currently the captain of the Richmond Football Club. He was drafted at Pick 55 in the 2000 AFL Draft from the Dandenong Stingrays in the TAC Cup....
(2005) - Brad OttensBrad OttensBrad "Otto" Ottens is a former Australian rules footballer for the Geelong Football Club and Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League .-Richmond: 1998–2004:...
(2001) - Andrew RainesAndrew RainesAndrew Raines is an Australian rules footballer, with the Brisbane Lions Football Club. He is the son of Geoff Raines, a premiership centreman who played for Richmond, Collingwood, Essendon and Brisbane....
(2006) - Matthew RichardsonMatthew Richardson (Australian rules footballer)Matthew "Richo" Richardson , is a retired professional Australian rules footballer who played for Richmond in the Australian Football League...
(1996, 1999, 2008) - Jack RiewoldtJack RiewoldtJack Riewoldt is a professional Australian rules footballer currently playing for Richmond in the Australian Football League.-Early life:Riewoldt was born in Hobart, Tasmania to parents Chris and Lesley Riewoldt. He has two younger brothers, Harry and Charlie Riewoldt. He is the cousin of Nick...
(2010)
See also
- Dreamtime at the 'GDreamtime at the 'GDreamtime at the 'G is an annual Australian rules football match between Australian Football League clubs and .The name of the match comes from Australian Aboriginal mythology The Dreaming or Dreamtime and the Australian, but more specifically Victorian, colloquial reference to the Melbourne...
- List of Richmond Football Club coaches
- Sport in AustraliaSport in AustraliaAustralia has a long sporting history dating back to the mid 1800s. By the 1920s, a number of sports were being played by both men and women, including cricket, badminton, judo, swimming, tennis, netball, lacrosse, golf, hockey and various codes of football....
- Sport in VictoriaSport in VictoriaThe state of Victoria, Australia, is known for its sporting culture. The Victorian capital, Melbourne is often referred to as the sporting capital of the world....
- Wikipedia listing of Richmond players
Footnotes
Notes- 1.Including standing room.
References
Bibliography
- Hansen B: Tigerland, Richmond Past Players and Officials Assoc, Melbourne 1992
- Hogan P: The Tigers Of Old, Richmond FC, Melbourne 1996
- Richmond Football Club – Hall of Fame
External links
- Official Website of the Richmond Football Club
- "Around the Grounds" – Web Documentary – Punt Road
- Designer of the 2009– current logo
| Richmond Football Club VFL/AFL Premiership Teams |
|---|