To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Richmond’s 1973 premiership, we have been transporting Tiger fans back in time throughout 2023 to relive that glorious Yellow and Black year. Today we take a look at the Club’s Best and Fairest result for the ’73 season.

Brilliant rover Kevin Bartlett was a runaway winner of Richmond’s 1973 Best and Fairest award.

Bartlett polled 261 votes, which was 79 ahead of runner-up Ian Stewart (182), with Francis Bourke a further seven votes away in third place (175).

It was the third Jack Dyer Medal for Bartlett to that stage of his illustrious playing career at Tigerland.

He won his inaugural one in the Tigers’ drought-breaking 1967 premiership season and made it back-to-back Best and Fairests the following year.

Bartlett played a pivotal role in Richmond capturing the 1973 premiership through his on-ball dominance across the entire season.

He averaged nearly 30 disposals per game and also hit the scoreboard in significant style, finishing with a total of 31 goals.

Here are the top 10 vote-winners in the 1973 Jack Dyer Medal count, along with their key individual statistics for the season . . .

 

1^st – Kevin Bartlett, 261 votes.

Games: 23

Disposals average: 29.2

Total goals: 31

 

2^nd – Ian Stewart, 182 votes.

Games: 23

Disposals average: 20.9

Marks average: 4.8

Total goals: 16

 

3^rd – Francis Bourke, 175 votes.

Games: 21

Disposals average: 18.8

Marks average: 4.7

 

4^th – Kevin Sheedy, 153 votes.

Games: 25

Disposals average: 19.6

Marks average: 3.6

Total goals: 20

 

5^th – Brian Roberts, 124 votes.

Games: 26

Disposals average: 12.8

Marks average: 5.8

Hit-outs average: 17.1

Total goals: 15

 

6^th – Dick Clay, 94 votes

Games: 25

Disposals average: 13.1

Marks average: 3.9

Total goals: 11

 

7^th – Rex Hunt, 81 votes

Games: 23

Disposals average: 12.5

Marks average: 5.0

 

Eq. 8^th – Royce Hart, 69 votes

Games: 12

Disposals average: 15.1

Marks average: 4.8

Total goals: 32

 

Eq. 8^th – Merv Keane

Games: 21

Disposals average: 14.4

Marks average: 2.5

 

10^th – Paul Sproule, 62 votes

Games: 25

Disposals average: 15.7

Total goals: 29