In the wake of the AFL’s announcement of a special Gather Round in South Australia during the 2023 season (Round 5), featuring matches involving all 18 clubs, Tony Greenberg reflects on the first time in the competition’s history that an entire home-and-away round was held outside of Melbourne, with Richmond and Collingwood clashing at the SCG.
Round 8 of the 1952 season was a particularly special one for the then Victorian Football League, who, in conjunction with the Australian National Football Council (the game’s governing body), had planned a ground-breaking promotion of the Australian Football code by organising games for premiership points at interstate and country venues that weekend.
Richmond took on Collingwood at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Melbourne played Fitzroy at North Hobart Oval, North Melbourne and South Melbourne met in Albury, Carlton and Hawthorn battled it out in Euroa, Footscray tackled St Kilda at Yallourn, while Geelong and Essendon clashed at Brisbane’s Exhibition Ground.
The Richmond players, captain Des Rowe, coach Jack Dyer and Club officials, departed for their historic trip to the Harbour City on the Spirit of Progress train at 6.30pm on Wednesday, June 11. They arrived in Sydney the following morning and stayed at the Continental Hotel, North Shore. Later that afternoon they had a training run at the SCG.
The day before the big game, the Tiger party took a trip to Palm Beach and Manly, and that night they went to a local picture theatre in Sydney to see a comedy starring Van Heflin, Patricia Neal and Gigi Perreau called “Weekend with Father”.
Leading football writer for ‘The Argus’ newspaper, Hugh Buggy, in the lead-up to the match, wrote: “Rugby-minded Sydney is expecting something between a gladiatorial combat and a commando raid when Collingwood meet Richmond on the Sydney Cricket Ground today.
“Dodgers and publicity placards through the city carry the message, ‘this is not an exhibition game. This is the real thing. This is fierce, red-blooded Australian football. Not a quarter given or asked.
“For the first time in Sydney’s history those who like our football can see in hotel bars, in clubs, and in shops, pictures of some of the famous marks of Dick Lee and Bob Pratt. It certainly has set Sydney talking . . .”
As for the match itself, well, unfortunately it wasn't a good result for the Tigers with Collingwood winning by 36 points in a low-scoring slog played on a rain-soaked SCG (10.12 to 5.6) in front of a good crowd of 24,174.
Although Richmond lost, half-back Col Austen was a unanimous choice as best-on-ground. According to ‘The Age’ newspaper’s match review: “His brilliant marking and accurate kicking frequently won applause.
“Steady and cool, he was a dominating figure, particularly in the second and third quarters when the rest of his side fell to pieces.”
Also in the Richmond best players list that day were Max Oppy, Kevin Hogan, Graham Cox, Kevin Dillon and Geoff Spring.
Although atrocious conditions severely hampered the contest as a spectacle, Hugh Buggy reported in ‘The Argus’ post-match that those Sydneysiders in attendance, overall, were positive about the on-field action.
“A curious rather than critical Rugby-minded crowd gave the game the kindest reception it has ever enjoyed here.
“Many of Saturday’s crowd, who had been brought up on Rugby, went to sneer, but remained, if not to praise, at least to analyse keenly.
“Hard-boiled Sydney, a little mystified, watched the Australian football code on Saturday without any of the bloodthirsty pleasantries we know so well.
“Sydney sporting journalists, who have always looked on our game as a mere rabble game, now say they have found some method in it.
“Members of the NSW Rugby League were even more flattering. They said that they were amazed at the non-stop action and high marking.
“They readily admitted that the game had its attractive features.”
Match details
Richmond 1.2 1.2 2.3 5.6 (36)
Collingwood 2.1 8.6 9.7 10.12 (72)
Goals – Richmond: Hogan 2, Ednie, Schofield, Spring.
Best – Richmond: Austen (best-on-ground), Oppy, Hogan, Cox, Dillon, Spring.
Goals – Collingwood: Davey 3, Williams 2, Dunstan, P. Twomey, M. Twomey, R. Richards, Tuck.
Best – Collingwood: W. Twomey, Davey, Hams, Lucas, Hamilton, Healey.
Crowd: 24,174.
