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. After the ’73 season, there was still plenty of news coming out of Punt Road. Here is an article in The Age newspaper by Mike Sheahan about two Richmond stars undergoing critical knee surgery.

The premiership has been won, the celebrations are over, and today the price will be paid.

Richmond captain Royce Hart, and champion defender Francis Bourke will have knee operations this afternoon involving surgery vital to their futures.

Centre half-forward Hart and centre half-back Bourke, two of the keys in the Tigers’ flag win 23 days ago, will have damaged cartilages removed.

Hart may have to have both the lateral and medial cartilages taken from his left knee.

X-rays and tests this morning will reveal the extent of the knee damage to both players.

Yesterday, the pair rested in adjoining private wards in Bethesda Hospital, virtually in the shadow of the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Hart was nervous.

“I’m certainly not looking forward to it. It could ruin my career,” he said.

Both players carried their injuries through the torrid grand final, and Hart said yesterday he feared he would have to leave the ground when he hurt his knee again during the first quarter.

He and Bourke are expected to be in hospital for a week.

Hart said physiotherapy would start on Thursday with team-mate Barry Richardson, who will have the last of his four knee cartilages removed at the Preston and Northcote Community Hospital on Friday.