Richmond great Matthew Richardson says he is “extremely humbled” by his inclusion in the Australian Football Hall of Fame.

Richardson was one of six new players inducted into the Hall of Fame at Crown’s Palladium last night (Wednesday, June 4).

“I’m honoured that the AFL and the selection committee selected me to be in the AFL Hall of Fame,” he said.

“I would never have expected it when I started my career.  Absolutely no way.  I’m extremely humbled.

“I love the support I received from all the Richmond fans, and all the football fans in general.”

While accepting the accolade on stage, Richardson described his memories of his father Alan, a Richmond premiership player in 1967, and his first recollections of Tigerland.

“I never saw dad play, but I was always a Richmond supporter from the moment I was born,” he said.

“I guess I got my knowledge of his playing career out of scrapbooks.  They were really comprehensive, and I just read them from back to front.  I would’ve read them a thousand times.

“My first memories of the Richmond footy club was the 1980 grand final.  I was five years of age, and I put it together at the time that dad had played for the Club.

“From that day on, I always wanted to play for Richmond.”

In a glittering 17-year career, Richardson played 282 games and booted 800 goals, and notched an impressive honour roll, which included a club Best and Fairest, three All-Australian selections and 13 club leading goalkicker awards.

But perhaps his passion and visibly emotional state when he played, will be what some football fans remember most.

"Footy's an emotional game.  You ride that rollercoaster every week when you play AFL footy,” he said.

“I wasn't real good at disguising it through my career. I felt I played my best footy when I was on the edge.”

“That’s what I fed off as a player – I fed off the crowd, and the emotion of the game. 

“I think in my last five years I harnessed it.  I was a slow learner, but I think I eventually worked it out by the end.

In his speech, Richardson also recalled what turned out to be his final game in the AFL, against Sydney at the SCG in Round 6, 2009.

Stranded on 799 career goals, he defied the runner’s orders to leave the field after tearing his hamstring.  Instead, he remained on the ground long enough to notch goal number 800, before retiring to the bench for the final time.