Ron Branton, the Hall of Fame rover who won three consecutive Best and Fairests – all as captain – and was idolised by Tiger supporters during the tough times of the 1950s and early 60s, has died. He was 90.

Branton died May 30, 2024.

Wearing the No. 29 guernsey from 1953-62, Branton played 170 games and kicked 171 goals, winning the club’s goalkicking award in 1953 and 1954.

Courageous and inspiring, his Richmond CV was first-class.

He never played a Reserves match, won the Best First Year player award in 1953, the Most Determined trophy in 1957, and captained the club to its only Night Premiership win in 1962.

Deservedly, he was inducted into the Club’s Hall of Fame in 2006.

Before his three consecutive Best and Fairests as captain from 1960-1962, Branton also finished equal second in 1956, third in 1957, and second again in 1958.

In his last season at Tigerland he was equal runner-up in the Brownlow Medal, and would also be the Club’s highest vote getter in the 1958, 1959 (equal), and 1961 counts.

Standing 5ft 7 and weighing 71kgs, Branton captained the Club 63 times, represented Victoria twice, and proved handy late in his career in the back pocket.

In Victoria’s win over Adelaide in 1962, Ron Carter of The Age wrote that the “hero of the match was … the oldest player in the VFL team - 29-year-old back pocket player Ron Branton. Branton had so many kicks and cleared so often that he was almost twice as good as any other player on the ground.”

Born in Maryborough on June 10, 1933, the son of a carpenter, Branton learnt that trade himself too while also playing for Church of Christ, Rovers, and Primrose Football Clubs.

He received invitations to train with St Kilda and Geelong, but chose the Tigers because 1943 Premiership rover Max Oppy lived across the road.  

In an interview in 2002 with Rhett Bartlett, Branton recalled Richmond official Maurie Fleming and Jack Dyer driving up to sign him.

“Being a country boy at that time I told them if I ever made the Seniors, not holding a gun to their head, that I would stay down. If I wasn’t good enough, I’d go back to the country. I was only 17 so therefore I could have a couple more years in the bush and then go back down.”

But Branton hit the ground running and after a standout performance in the 1953 practice matches, the VFL Permit book shows the club signed him to a two-match permit the day before his debut, and then to a full permit on the day of his third senior game.

Once the full permit took affect Branton moved down to Melbourne boarded with teammate Les Flintoff at the home of Richmond supporter Ma Tomison - whose son Harold was assistant property steward to Charlie Callander.

Branton recalled he got an inkling that he might debut in the first game against Melbourne when he was put in the ruck duel training with Billy Wilson, and coach Alby Pannam ran in and knocked him down.

“He came up to me and said IF you get a game on Saturday, I want you to be aware of what’s around you, don’t go with your head down. If anyone hits you always come back strongly at them because they’re going to be hitting you the next game. They will prey on you. Make your presence felt.”

Richmond won by one goal the day Branton debuted, and he received favourable reviews in the paper – “Branton has plenty of pace, but his best asset is his ability to pass the ball accurately” (The Herald), and “is a quick thinker, has poise and kicks with either foot. His stab passing to position is accurate” (Sporting Globe).

His debut was even watched by Richmond’s 1920 and 1921 Premiership captain-coach, Dan Minogue whose critique of Branton was printed in The Sun-Pictorial.

“…well-built rover who showed much promise and should improve. Proved his kicking ability with fine passes early in the game.”

Branton's career however coincided with an unsuccessful time in the Club’s history – the Club never made the finals, and membership dipped to 3,376 in the 1961 season.

Like many players of the era, country football teams came knocking with more money, and Branton accepted an offer of 70 pound a week (60 pound more a week than Richmond) to captain-coach Myrtleford.

Off the field he was a strong critic of the Richmond Football Club who, in his view, were often ignored the achievements of players who didn’t win a premiership.

“When they write about the history of the club, they tend to ignore our time,” he said in the Champions All book. “I get insulted by that, as much for the other players. I think everybody who pulled on the jumper, the yellow and black, from superstars to thirds players, is a part of what made us what we are. They deserve to be recognised.”

In the Club’s Annual Report of 1962, they wrote of his three consecutive Best and Fairests as captain that “… Ron Branton’s name will forever be emblazoned in our history, a fitting reward for a very fine career.”

And 62 years on they are still right. For no Richmond footballer has achieved that feat since.