To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Tigers’ 1973 premiership, Richmond Media is transporting Yellow and Black barrackers back in time throughout 2023 to follow the Punt Road path to that fabulous flag triumph. Today we delve back into The Age newspaper’s archives for a review of Richmond’s Round 20 match of the ’73 season against Collingwood at Victoria Park by leading football writer Peter McFarline.
Champion Collingwood rover George Bisset was a late withdrawal from the game against Richmond on Saturday with headaches and dizzy spells from a badly cut forehead . . .
By 4.45p.m. his condition had worsened considerably.
He had just spent an agonising two and a half hours watching his favourite ruckman Len Thompson, dominate the game – and the Richmond little men led by Kevin Bartlett feed on Thompson’s skill with relish.
Bartlett finished the day with 34 kicks and was outstanding in the greatest humiliation the Magpies have had at home for many a long year.
Bisset, of course, has fed ravenously on Thompson’s ruck work all year – but on Saturday Collingwood starved without him.
No one is saying Collingwood could have won with him. But his absence pin-pointed many Magpie weaknesses and the enthusiastic Tigers were only too happy to take advantage of them.
Richmond began the game with such well-placed vigour and system that before quarter-time even the fanatical Collingwood members stand was fearing the worst.
The re-appearance of bulky Neil Balme in the forward line was a shot of adrenalin to the Tigers.
In the first quarter Balme crashed through packs taking mark after spectacular mark and kicking three goals.
Although he wasn’t quite as devastating later, he finished the game with 5.5 and had a hand in other goals as well as several 15-metre penalties for such misdemeanours as throwing mud in opponents’ eyes and indiscriminate use of the arms.
Collingwood had no one to control him and coach Neil Mann was forced to upset team balance trying to find someone.
Inexperienced Michael Browne started on him; centre half-forward Ross Dunne was shifted there late in the first quarter; Len Thompson spent time marking him and eventually Dunne finished the game there.
But if Balme had a field day, he had about 14 mates.
Bartlett and Paul Sproule roved virtually unopposed; full-back Dick Clay put a disappointing Peter McKenna out of business; half-back flankers Francis Jackson and Mervyn Keane were great; centre half-forward Rex Hunt was too strong for his many opponents and half-forward Stephen Rae played like he’d never heard he had a bad knee.
Ruck-rover Kevin Morris, a quiet player until the last quarter, kicked 4.2 in the last 25 minutes and finished a hero.
Ruckmen Craig McKellar and Brian Roberts were good players when they weren’t near Thompson.
Bisset’s replacement, pint-sized Greg Beck played gallantly but he had neither the experience – or the skill to direct play or lift the side.
Collingwood, of course, was able to say afterwards “wait until we get Barry Price, Bisset and Denis O’Callaghan back.
But Richmond, smiling sweetly over its 41-point victory, could answer: “Wait until we get Royce Hart, Wayne Walsh and Robert McGhie back – and play the finals on our home ground.”
It will be the Magpie supporters who spend the sleepless nights.
Match details
Richmond 4.2 6.6 9.9 14.16 (100)
Collingwood 1.2 2.6 6.9 8.11 (59)
Goals – Richmond: Balme 5, Morris 5, Sproule 2, Hunt, Bartlett.
Leading disposal-winners – Richmond: Bartlett 36, Jackson 21, Rae 20, Stewart 19, Morris 18. Bourke 17.
Best – Richmond: Bartlett, Jackson, Hunt, Balme, Clay, Rae.
Goals – Collingwood: McKenna 3, Beck 2, Thompson, Wearmouth, Heard, Browne.
Leading disposal-winners – Collingwood: Thompson 23, Beck 19, Cranage 19, M. Richardson 18, Holmes 17, W. Richardson 17.
Best – Collingwood: Thompson, Beck, Atkinson, Cranage, Wearmouth, M. Richardson.
Attendance: 28,286.
