With Richmond taking on the Swans at the SCG tonight, in a big Round 11 clash, it’s interesting to reflect on the first time these two teams played against each other in Sydney.

That happened 40 years ago, in Round 21, 1982.

The Tigers, under the coaching guidance of five-time premiership hero Francis Bourke, were on top of the ladder, while the Swans, who had relocated to Sydney that year, were coached by former club captain Ricky Quade and in sixth place (it was a final-five system at the time).

But the home team made a mockery of the respective ladder positions early in the match, bursting out of the blocks following a fiery, all-in brawl just after the opening bounce and stunning Richmond with a brilliant first term – 8.3 to 0.3.

Staring a shock loss squarely in the face at quarter-time, the Tigers responded superbly, producing a nine goal to four second term and, although still trailing by three goals, they went into the main break with all the momentum.

And they carried that through in the third quarter, piling on seven goals to one to take total control of the contest.

The Swans did mount a spirited challenge in the final term, but the powerful Richmond team was able to steady and secure a meritorious 17-point win.

Big Brian Taylor was superb at full-forward for the Tigers, booting seven goals.

He thrived on the supply of ball to him from Richmond’s star-studded, fleet-footed group of midfielders, led by Robert Wiley, who racked up 38 disposals and made every one of them count in trademark, silky-skilled style.

Here is The Age newspaper’s report of the match . . .

“Swans coach Ricky Quade felt so forlorn about his side’s 17-point loss to Richmond yesterday that he did not talk to his players after the game, and will wait until tonight before asking them to account for themselves.

But while the Swans did have at least two strong opportunities to win, and despite mistakes which allowed those chances to go begging, there would be few Swans supporters in Sydney who would see yesterday’s effort as a reason to give their team away.

The win would appear to cement Richmond’s position at the top of the ladder, and leaves the Swans struggling to retain sixth spot, as Quade conceded he was a little worried about the metting with Melbourne at the MCG next Saturday.

Richmond showed it was probably good enough, and certainly tough enough, to press any side in the finals. Yet coach Francis Bourke might perhaps be worried both about the temperament of some of his men – the dream run at the tribunal cannot last – and about the form of such players as Cloke, Roach, Pirrie and Sartori.

The SCG game began with an all-in brawl within 20 seconds of the start. All but about six players were involved in punching, kicking and gouging each other after a Swans forward was flattened.

The brawl set the tone of the game – there were three reports for striking – but that early wrestling match saw only Richmond defender Jim Jess, reported by field umpire Glenn James, for allegedly striking Wayne Carroll in the face with his forearm.

The Tigers have been lucky at the VFL Tribunal in recent weeks, and were perhaps lucky to escape the brawl yesterday with only one report. (Their other report, of Geoff Raines for allegedly striking Swans winger Colin Hounsell, happened in the third quarter).

After the game, Bourke said it had not been part of the strategy to try to throw the young Swans off balance. His message to the players was always to play the ball, he said.

In spite of, or perhaps because of the hammering which Richmond continued to mete out, the Swans trounced the Tigers in the first quarter, scoring eight goals and keeping the Tigers to a mere three points.

The Swans had taken advantage of a stiff breeze, and the solid defensive cover of Kruse, Browning, Carter and Daniher stymied the Tigers’ forward runs.

But it was the failure of that backline for the first few minutes of the second quarter which allowed Richmond to rob the Swans of the first of their winning opportunities. The Tigers’ first goal came up within 90 seconds and was followed soon by three more.

A Swans rally half-way through the term was short-lived and the 48-point lead at quarter time was cut to 17 by half time.

During the third quarter the wind dropped and so did the Swans’ resistance. At the 17 minute mark Cloke, who had been unsighted all day, goaled after Swans centre half back Max Kruse gave away an unnecessary 15 metre penalty. A minute later the Tigers were in front after interchange Dale Weightman goaled.

Lack of height and muscle was wearing South down and it could no longer run with Rioli, Wiley and Raines.

And, when Bartlett, who had been checked most of the day by Mark Browning, goaled within a minute of the last quarter to stretch the Tigers’ lead to 27 points that should have been enough for South. But from somewhere it dragged the courage to goal through Taubert and Denis Carroll to get within 12 points.

But sloppy handball in defence gave Richmond a chance to set up a goal through Cloke. It was a setback that could not be overcome.

After the loss, Quade would not blame the battering from Richmond for his side’s failure. There were too many mistakes, he thought, too much silly handball and wasteful short kicking.

“The reason that I am disappointed is that the game was there to be won.” He thought his side should have seized the opportunity it had created in the last quarter. Again he conceded that his side’s great falling is the inability to use the ball when it comes to ground, and the lack of a strong key forward.

There was no sign of disappointment from Bourke, who said that he was pleased with the way his side took up the challenge made by the Swans at various times in the game, which, he said, was “pretty hard”.

Match details

Richmond         0.3       9.7       16.11    19.13 (127)

Swans               8.3       12.6     13.9     16.14 (110)

Goals – Richmond: Taylor 7, Bartlett 3, Cloke 2, Landy, Preston, Rioli, Roach, Tempany, Weightman, Wiley.

Leading disposal-winners – Richmond: Wiley 38, Raines 32, Rioli 21, Rowlings 21, Preston 20, Dunne 19.

Goals – Swans: Taubert 5, W. Carroll 2, P. Morwood 2, Scott 2, Braddy, D. Carroll, Round, Smith, Wright.

Leading disposal-winners – Swans: Taubert 23, Round 22, S. Morwood 21, Smith 20, Kruse 18.

Best – Richmond: Wiley, Raines, Rowlings, Rioli, S. Williams, Taylor, Landy.

Best – Swans: Taubert, A. Daniher, Scott, Wright, Round, S. Morwood, P. Morwood.

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