Livewire, young Richmond small forward/midfielder Jack Higgins will become the latest in a long line of Jacks when he makes his AFL debut with the Club against Hawthorn at the MCG on Sunday.
Higgins joins Jack teammates Riewoldt and Graham in the Tigers’ team for the big Round 3 clash with the Hawks.
The 19-year-old, who was Richmond’s first pick in the 2017 national draft, appears to have the required ability and attitude to carry on the rich tradition of successful Jacks at Tigerland.
Jack Riewoldt and Jack Graham are now Richmond premiership players, but there are several other Jacks throughout the Club’s league football history who tasted the game’s ultimate success and carved out illustrious career with the Tigers.
The most notable Yellow and Black Jack, of course, is the great ‘Captain Blood’, Jack Dyer – one of just six ‘Immortals’ at the Club (and the original one).
Dyer is regarded as Richmond’s greatest-ever player, and the embodiment of the famous ‘Eat ‘em Alive’ spirit.
He played 312 games from 1931-49, kicked 443 goals, was a key member of the Tigers’ 1934 premiership side, and captain-coach when the team captured the 1943 flag.
Probably the second most famous Tiger Jack of all time is Jack Titus, who kicked a Club record 970 goals in a magnificent career spanning 294 games from 1926-43, which included the 1932 and 1934 premierships.
Other premiership-winning Jacks at Richmond were Jack Baggott (1932 and 1934), Jack Twyford (1932), Jack Broadstock (1943) and Jack Scott (1943).
Jack Cotter and Jack Crane played in Richmond’s 1940 Grand Final loss to Melbourne, while Jack Sullivan and Jack Symons were members of the Tigers’ team beaten by Essendon in the 1942 premiership-decider.
And Jack O’Rourke was an exciting, high-flying full-forward, who won the Club’s leading goalkicker award on two occasions (in 1951 with 58 goals and in 1952 with 43 goals).
Throw in the likes of Jack Atkinson, Jack Currie, Jack Roberts, Jack Turner and Jack Watson, and you can clearly see just how significant the name Jack has been at Tigerland.
The most number of Jacks to appear in the one Richmond side was seven in Round 7, 1939 v Collingwood at Punt Road – Cotter, Crane, Currie, Dyer, Scott, Symons and Titus.
