To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Tigers’ 1969 premiership, richmondfc.com.au has been transporting Yellow and Black barrackers back in time throughout 2019 to follow the Punt Road path to that fabulous flag triumph. Today, we conclude with a look at Footy Week’s review of the Tigers’ glorious ’69 Grand Final victory over arch-rival Carlton. The premiership-decider took place at the MCG on Saturday, September 27, 1969, before a massive crowd of 119,165. Here’s how leading Footy Week scribe, Tom Lahiff, reported on Richmond’s mighty 25-point victory, to claim its seventh league premiership, under the heading: “TIGERS WIN THE FLAG” . . .
“Superior fitness and a winning half-back line were the chief factors in Richmond’s win in Saturday’s VFL Grand Final. Another important point was that their star players were able to produce just that little bit extra when the chips were down.
The Tigers’ three half-backs, Graham Burgin, Ian Owen and Geoff Strang, played the game of their lives and held the side together.
Richmond stood the test of a good side because they were clearly beaten in the places where they were expected to be superior. They had to lower their colors across the centre line.
Carlton fell apart. There’s no doubt about that. They made a brave comeback from the brink of disaster in the third quarter and were right in the game at three quarter end. But Richmond finished too strongly.
All in all, the MCG provided a grand spectacle. Truly it was the greatest show on earth.
The long kicking and teamwork of the Richmond players were in evidence in the closing stages and so was the pace of their smaller players as they ran the Carlton side into the ground.
Carlton were well beaten early, but showed plenty of determination to get back into the game.
This was because they gained control of the ruck for only the one quarter. Their forward line received many chances from a winning centre line, but the Richmond defence proved far too strong and talented. Carlton’s attack was completely subdued. It took them 30 minutes to score their first two goals.
Hard knocks were given by both sides. There was no place for the weak. Both sides gave everything they had and it was a tribute to the coaches, Tom Hafey and Ron Barassi.
On the wings Bryan Quirk and Gary Crane gave Francis Bourke and Dick Clay a taste of the medicine they have been handing out to their opponents all season.
Quirk gave a wonderful display and so did Crane. Both Clay and Bourke never stopped trying, but at no stage did they look like getting on top.
The only time Ian Robertson and Bill Barrot were within reach of each other was at the centre bounces. It is impossible to say who won in the centre. Barrot won all his kicks wide out on the half-forward line. His ability to kick goals from a long way out lifted the Tigers when they were battling.
Kevin Sheedy fought back to get on top of the Carlton rovers Adrian Gallagher and Ian Nicoll after a slow start. The ball was kept well away from Alex Jesaulenko, who could not get into the game at all.
Colin Beard proved his WA form was good and held the resting Carlton followers well.
Richmond’s half-forward line of John Northey, Royce Hart and Roger Dean had to battle hard for kicks against Kevin Hall, John Goold and Phil Pinnell.
Northey flashed into the game at times. Goold played a terrific game in keeping Hart from being a star. He punched the ball away from him and used handball to advantage.
Dean gave young Pinnell the run-around.
Mike Green continued in great form. His marking ability and courage was well to the fore.
Green was hurt at one stage and Richmond appeared to be in trouble. But he came back like a true champion and put the Tigers back in business. Mike Bowden and John Ronaldson gave solid support to Mike.
Wes Lofts was too strong for Eric Moore and his full-blooded dashes were good to see.”
Footy Week’s 1969 Grand Final highlights
• The first touch of the ball went to Mike Green, and in a flash Richmond had the ball up forward and Eric Moore kicked the first goal within 20 seconds of the bounce. It was a devastating opening.
• One hotly disputed decision resulted in Carlton’s first goal of the match. From a boundary throw-in next to the Carlton goal, big John Nicholls positioned himself too close to the boundary line. Mike Green came in with the run, leapt high onto the backing Nicholls, and beautifully palmed the ball to his rover. Umpire Jeff Crouch ruled a free to big Nick, and a certain goal. Green’s only intention was the ball, and it was not his fault the Carlton captain had misjudged the throw-in.
• Players and umpires were nervous in the first quarter. It was negative football with many kicks falling short. There was no semblance of normal forward play and players congested the centre line. Poor kicking to position was the biggest fault.
• Nicholls decided to take on Colin Beard, the ex-West Australian player. Twice early in the game big Nick went crunching into Beard, but the former Sandgroper came charging back. It was like two tanks meeting. The crowd loved it.
• Ron Barassi’s tactics were paying off. Richmond’s anticipated stars were not firing. Bourke and Clay were well beaten by Quirk and Crane. Ian Robertson followed Barrot’s every step and Jones and Goold kept a tight rein on Hart.
• We expected coaches to have a great tactical battle off the field. Perhaps the tense build-up by them both had set the pattern for the tight play. First move was made by Barassi five minutes into the second quarter. Alex Jesaulenko went to a half-forward flank and Brent Crosswell to full-forward. Sixteen minutes into the quarter Hafey shifted Barrot to full-forward and up came an immediate goal. Barrot took Lofts well upfield. Jesaulenko was moved to centre half-forward near time-on and Robert Walls to a half-forward flank.
• Mike Green was marking well and was the best big man afield.
• A sensation happened just on half-time. The mighty Mike (Green), Richmond’s hero, limped to the forward pocket. When the siren sounded, he was assisted off by two Richmond trainers, plus the doctor. It was discovered that the big Richmond ruckman was suffering from slight concussion and a twisted ankle. The Richmond doctor pumped pain-killing injections into his ankle and Tom Hafey took the risk by sending him out for the second half. Green did not let them down.
• The Blues came to life early in the third quarter. Big John crashed into Moore, playing near the centre. Moore gradually got to his feet and within a few seconds, Roger Dean was down. The incidents sparked Carlton off to give their best and most devastating passage of play for the game. The ball was flashed down the outer wing from Quirk to Gallagher, who hand-passed to Jackson, to kick Carlton’s third. Then it rained goals for the Blues. Gallagher, Jackson and Nicholls, within a minute of each other, with left-foot snaps, plus another one from Crosswell. Carlton had hit the front by a point.
• Tom Hafey changed his wingers, Bourke and Clay, 10 minutes into the third quarter. Both were being well beaten by Quirk and Crane. It made little difference, as the Carlton pair continued to outpace their Richmond opponents. Things looked desperate for Richmond. Mike Green, limping again, retreated to the forward pocket and flattened Vin Waite on his way. Both players crashed to the ground. Kevin Hall, with a bear hug, restrained Waite as he was pulled along by his Carlton teammate.
• Four points the difference and only the last quarter to play. Carlton had performed a miraculous fight back. Ninety percent of the crowd could sense that Barassi and his boys would steamroll their way to a second flag (in-a-row). It had been a hard, torrid game, and Carlton had the benefit of a week’s rest.
• The Tigers’ fitness plan won out in the last quarter. Bartlett, with pace to burn, tore away from packs and gave his forwards plenty of opportunities.
• Bill Barrot provided the highlight of the game. Racing toward the gate where the Test cricketers come on to the ground, Barrot took a great mark. The flamboyant Barrot threw the ball in the air like a keeper’s victory catch. Fifty yards out on a bad angle, Barrot speared it through. The Tigers were on their way to their second flag within two years. Northey snapped a left-foot goal and it was left to Bond and Bartlett to drive home the last two nails in Carlton’s coffin.
• A tremendous roar greeted the final siren. Richmond’s long-standing time-keeper Bill Stanborough, played a merry tune on the siren.
• The Governor, Sir Rohan Delacombe, waited patiently to present the premiership cup to Richmond skipper Roger Dean. The VFL assistant director, Jack Hamilton, had to go across to the big group of players and appeal to Roger and John Nicholls to come to the dais. Tom Hafey was being chaired by supporters; so, too, was Dean, and the Richmond boys had set off on a victory lap before the cup presentation. Eventually the deed was done, the cup filled with champagne, and the Tigers set off to celebrate.”
Match details
Richmond 2.2 6.5 8.6 12.13 (85)
Carlton 1.4 2.7 8.10 8.12 (60)
Goals – Richmond: Barrot 3, Moore 2, Northey 2, Bartlett, Bond, Dean, Hart, Ronaldson.
Best – Richmond: Green, Bartlett, Barrot, Dean, Burgin, Strang, Sheedy, Owen, Bowden, Richardson.
Richmond player statistics
Kevin Sheedy: 17 kicks, 0 handballs, 8 marks
Barry Richardson: 13 kicks, 0 handballs, 5 marks
Colin Beard: 7 kicks, 2 handballs, 3 marks
Geoff Strang: 14 kicks, 0 handballs, 6 marks
Graham Burgin: 15 kicks, 1 handball, 2 marks
Ian Owen: 8 kicks, 2 handballs, 3 marks
Francis Bourke: 11 kicks, 5 handballs, 4 marks
Bill Barrot: 18 kicks, 2 handballs, 9 marks
Dick Clay: 19 kicks, 1 handball, 7 marks
Roger Dean: 13 kicks, 2 handballs, 3 marks
Royce Hart: 14 kicks, 2 handballs, 5 marks
John Northey: 16 kicks, 2 handballs, 2 marks
John Ronaldson: 8 kicks, 4 handballs, 4 marks
Eric Moore (off, 4th quarter): 6 kicks, 0 handballs, 2 marks
Billy Brown: 13 kicks, 0 handballs, 5 marks
Mike Green: 16 kicks, 2 handballs, 10 marks
Mike Bowden (off, 4th quarter): 10 kicks, 9 handballs, 5 marks
Kevin Bartlett: 24 kicks, 0 handballs, 4 marks
Rex Hunt (19th man): 0 kicks, 0 handballs, 0 marks
Graeme Bond (20th man): 1 kick, 0 handballs, 1 mark
