Around this time in 1972, Football Life magazine ran an article on talented, 20-year-old Richmond forward/ruckman Neil Balme about his transition from Western Australia to Tigerland. Half a century on, here is that article, which appeared under the heading: “Home is with the Tigers for WA star” . . .
“You are young, fit and big and you’re lining up for your first League game against a man more than twice your age.
Sounds a pretty good way to start a career in the big time – until you take a look at the “old fellow’s: name.
Like, does the name of Polly Farmer put a chill of fear down your spine?
That was the mission young Neil Balme went on a few years back when he played his first Western Australian senior match with Subiaco.
First-up in the ruck he met Farmer, described by many as the greatest follower in Australian Rules history.
Reports filtered back to Melbourne that Balme had acquitted himself quite well against the old master. But Balme says: “Not really – he certainly showed me a trick or two”.
And when news came east that Balme would be moving to Melbourne to live with his parents, he really had the VFL clubs jumping.
“I think about eight clubs were after me,” says Balme, who finally settled for Richmond.
Balme, who has a mop of brown hair and stands at 6.4 and weighs 15.0, played four senior matches with Subiaco at the age of 16.
He had won a stack of trophies in junior football. So, when the Balme family came east, Richmond made doubly sure of not missing out – they signed Neil’s brother, Ian, too.
Ian played with Richmond Thirds, but is now playing with Greensborough.
Neil started with the under-19’s, too, and it wasn’t until the 20th round of the 1970 season that he got his chance in the Tigers main side.
Richmond played North and won easily. And Balme, the full-forward, had made a sound debut by kicking four goals. For the next two games he remained in the side – but that year Richmond missed the finals.
In February of 1970, Perth-born Balme, who is unmarried, had a cartilage removed and this set him back just as he was about to blossom.
The Tigers spoke very highly of the young fellow from the West, and indeed, they still do. His potential – he is only 20 – has hardly been tapped at this stage.
He shows outstanding promise as a follower-forward and when he manages to steer clear of injuries will certainly play a major role in the Richmond side.
Last year he suffered a groin injury and that worried him for months and more recently he went to hospital to have treatment to nerve trouble in his spine.
It is these injury setbacks that have held Balme back, but fortunately for Richmond, time is on his side.
Last year Balme represented Richmond in its two finals appearances. One he describes as the greatest thrill of his football life; the other, the greatest disappointment.
Of course, the victory over Collingwood in the first semi-final was the happy moment. The loss in the preliminary final against St Kilda gave Balme and Richmond little to smile about.
Balme has always been keen on football (“I’ve been playing since I was nine”) and, for that matter, most other sports you care to mention.
When he came to Melbourne he attended University High School and while there played in a premiership team.
These days he is a clerk with the National Mutual and looking to the future says that one day he might return home to the West to live.
That is in the distant future, because Richmond considers him too valuable to lose for many years yet.”
