Richmond great Matthew Richardson has added another accolade to an already glittering playing career.
The 282-game Tiger star was elevated to Icon status in AFL Tasmania’s Hall of Fame, at a gala presentation in Hobart.
Along with Geoffrey Martin, Richardson joined a group of 16 Icons of Tasmanian football, including esteemed Richmond duo Royce Hart and Ian Stewart.
On the same night, current Richmond CEO Brendon Gale, a veteran of 209 AFL games, was elevated to Legend status.
“It’s a bit embarrassing to be named along with the likes of Peter Hudson and Royce Hart and Ian Stewart, but it’s also a great honour and very humbling,” Richardson said.
“I’m a proud Tasmanian, and I wouldn’t have wanted to grow up anywhere else.
“When you come back home, and you get these honours bestowed on you, it’s probably even more of a thrill.
“It’s the place you were brought, up, where you went to school and where you made all your friends for life. It means a lot.”
Richardson is set to be inducted into the Richmond Hall of Fame at this weekend’s Homecoming event at Plenary, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
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Richardson kicked 800 goals in a magnificent career with the Tigers from 1993-2009, after being recruited from Tasmanian club Devonport as a father-son selection in the 1992 National Draft.
He won Richmond’s leading goalkicker award a record 13 times, took out the Jack Dyer Medal in 2007, was a triple All-Australian representative, has kicked more goals at the MCG than any other player in league football history (464), and is second on the Tigers’ all-time goalkicking list behind Jack Titus.
‘Richo’ also is a member of the Richmond Team of the Century and, last year, was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.
