Bruce Monteath is Richmond’s next Homecoming Hero for the 2023 season.

The Tigers are set to pay tribute to the captain of their 1980 premiership team in the lead-up to Sunday’s Round 20 clash with Melbourne at the MCG.

Monteath will walk to the Punt Road end of the ground to receive the plaudits of the Tiger Army.

He’ll kick a ceremonial goal, then sign the football and present it to a Richmond fan in the crowd.

Highlights of Monteath’s fine playing career at Tigerland also will be shown on the MCG’s screens.

Bruce Monteath was recruited by Richmond from WAFL club South Fremantle.

The talented forward/midfielder was an extremely good player for Richmond right from the outset of his time at the Club.

He immediately broke into the powerful Tigers’ team that had won back-to-back premierships in 1973-74 and made an impressive debut against Fitzroy at the Junction Oval in the opening round of the 1975 season, finishing with 20 disposals and six marks.

That season, Monteath played 20 games, kicked 30 goals, and he was a valuable contributor for Richmond as it fell just short of a fourth consecutive Grand Final appearance, bowing out in the preliminary final against North Melbourne at Waverley Park.

The following year, he kicked 24 goals, in 1977 he scored 27 goals and then, in 1978, he won the Club’s leading goalkicker award with 55 goals. He also gained All-Australian selection at the end of the ’78 season.

Such was the influence that Monteath exerted in his first four years at Tigerland, he was appointed the team’s vice-captain for 1979.

Then, in 1980, Monteath took over as Richmond’s captain and he played an important role in the Tigers becoming the dominant side of the competition that year despite battling injury during the latter part of the season. He kicked 43 goals, including a VFL career-high eight against Melbourne in Round 9.

Monteath’s last game for Richmond was in the 1980 Grand Final demolition of Collingwood. Holding the premiership cup aloft was a perfect way for him to bow out, even though he’d been a spectator for most of the match due to his injury issues.

All-up, he played 118 games, kicked 198 goals, averaged 18.9 disposals per match and provided the Tigers with first-rate service in his six-season career at Punt Road.

The player Monteath replaced as Richmond’s captain, Kevin Bartlett, was a big fan of the way the skilful Sandgroper Tiger went about his football.

In Bartlett’s book ‘KB: A Life In Football’, he said of Monteath . . .

“Bruce was underrated. He was an excellent goalkicker who could play as a ruck-rover or a forward. He averaged nearly two goals a game in his six seasons at Tigerland.

“His ability in front of goals was highlighted by the fact that he won a club goalkicking award despite not being a key forward . . .

“He was captain of the 1980 premiership side but went into the game with a very bad ankle injury and was fortunate to be there. He was able to get himself just fit enough to pull through. He had mental toughness and determination.

“He was a top-line, consistent player for Richmond with a touch of class.”

Richmond is proud to have welcomed back Motorola as partner of our 2023 Homecoming Heroes. Motorola was recently announced as the official smartphone partner of the Richmond Football Club.

Bruce Monteath profile

Born: September 20, 1955

Height: 188cm

Playing weight: 85kg

Recruited to Richmond from: South Fremantle (WAFL)

Guernsey number at Richmond: No. 11

Debut at Richmond: Round 1, 1975 v Fitzroy, Junction Oval

Games at Richmond (1975-1980): 118

Goals at Richmond: 198

Playing honours at Richmond: Premiership captain 1980, club leading goalkicker 1978 (55 goals)

Richmond's Homecoming Heroes since 2014...