The recent remarkable Grand Final deeds of Richmond superstar Dustin Martin are treasured by the Tiger Army, and rightly so.
What Martin has achieved in his three Grand Final appearances with Richmond is the stuff of legend . . . three Norm Smith Medals for being a brilliant best afield in the Tigers’ 2017, 2019 and 2020 premiership wins.
Dusty’s dominance on the game’s biggest stage has earned him a glowing reputation as AFL football’s greatest-ever Grand Final player.
Yet, in the proud, successful history of Tigerland, there is another player whose Grand Final exploits rank right up there.
Kevin Bartlett is renowned for his dazzling seven-goal display as a half-forward in Richmond’s 1980 Grand Final demolition of arch-rival Collingwood.
There is, however, so much more to Bartlett’s status as a Grand Final genius than merely that performance, as outstanding as it was.
Bartlett played his first Grand Final with the Tigers in 1967 against Geelong. He was 20 years, 201 days of age on the last Saturday in September that season, playing as the team’s first rover.
KB had 18 disposals, kicked an equal team-high three goals (3.3), including a superb premiership-sealer (check it out below), and was listed as one of Richmond’s best players.
Two years later, when the Tigers toppled Carlton in the 1969 premiership-decider, Bartlett had 24 disposals, kicked a goal and was voted best-on-ground by The Sun newspaper’s football scribes.
In the amazing 1972 goal-frenzy Grand Final, which Richmond lost to Carlton despite kicking 22 goals (22.18), KB was voted best afield by The Sun after racking up a game-high 29 disposals.
Richmond gained sweet revenge over the Blues in the following year’s GF with KB again dominating.
He had a team-high 26 disposals (26 kicks, 0 handballs), booted a goal and was voted best-on-ground by The Age newspaper’s football writers.
The Tigers made it back-to-back flags the next year, decisively defeating North Melbourne in the 1974 Grand Final with Bartlett performing at his customary high level, picking up 27 disposals, which was the second-most for the match behind teammate Kevin Sheedy who had 29.
Then, as mentioned above, KB destroyed Collingwood in the 1980 Grand Final, winning just the second Norm Smith Medal presented post-match for the best player afield, in what was only his second season playing as a half-forward.
Bartlett’s seventh, and last, Grand Final appearance with Richmond was in 1982, against traditional foe Carlton.
Although the Tigers lost, KB was a valuable contributor on the day, scoring three goals (3.3) from his 12 disposals.
He was 35 years and 203 days old in the ’82 premiership-decider – 15 years and two days since he played in Richmond’s glorious, drought-breaking 1967 Grand Final win.
Bartlett averaged 22.4 disposals in his seven Grand Final appearances and 2.1 goals (15 in total).
That is a mighty impressive Grand Final record.
