It’s 90 years ago today (October 13, 1934) that Richmond captured its fourth league football premiership, scoring a convincing victory over South Melbourne in the 1934 Grand Final at the MCG. Here, word for word, is how the Tigers’ triumph was reported in the leading Melbourne newspaper of the day, ‘The Argus’, by football scribe Alec H. Chisholm. Following the Grand Final match report and details, there’s a story from The Argus about Richmond’s premiership celebrations.
“Two expectations were shattered in connection with the Centenary premiership match of the Victorian Football League, played at the Melbourne Cricket ground on Saturday. One was that the attendance would improve upon the 75,754 spectators and £4,070 of last year's grand final and the other was that the result of the match would be in doubt until the end. Possibly many people feared that the crowd would be too large for their comfort, and possibly counter-attractions had an effect; at any rate, although the weather was fine, the attendance fell by about 10,000 – it numbered 65,335, and receipts were £3,495. As for the result, Richmond astonished everyone by leading by 10 goals at three-quarter time and winning the Centenary premiership comfortably by 39 points.
One of the features of the match was the eclipse of South's forwards. Richmond's backs so effectually suppressed Pratt that the crack forward had the astonishing experience of hearing himself cheered ironically when he marked after a long spell. His two goals were in striking contrast with some of his earlier performances. Nash's six goals read better, but he, too, was kept well in hand, and most of his tally was gained when Richmond relaxed in the last quarter.
The central umpire (R. Scott) held the game very well generally, but in the last term tempers became frayed and some nasty incidents occurred. One Richmond man (Foster) was dropped by a heavy blow on the head from a South player in full view of the crowd. A little later further trouble occurred, and only prompt action of the various umpires prevented a brawl. It was announced subsequently that Reville (South) had been reported on three charges — unseemly conduct, unnecessarily rough play, and striking Foster – and that O'Neill and Baggott (Richmond) had been charged with having struck Reville and O'Meara respectively.
An impression that Richmond would be weak on the forward line was dissipated early in the game by the brilliant marking of Titus, who, though not tall, was judging his leaps finely. His shooting was less sure, and it was left to Zschech to get first goal with a magnificent drop kick. Richmond's captain, Bentley, was disappointed when he hit a post near the top, but he cheered up when Harris snapped a goal from the edge of a crush and Murdoch got the third with a flying shot. As the players warmed up the exchanges became very keen, with Richmond excelling in the crowded work.
South's Recovery
Perhaps the most interesting of the individual tussles at this stage were those between Nash, at centre half-forward for South, and G. Strang. Nash's plan appeared to be to slip in front of Strang and back into him, with the result that he gained several free kicks. From one of these he scored South's first goal. Richmond's fourth goal was secured when Bentley tipped the ball through from a yard in front. Then, with one of the recoveries for which the team has become noted, South scored three goals in as many minutes. Brain snapped the first from a point near the posts, O'Meara slipped in for the next when Pratt was crowded, and Nash jumped high to mark and kick fourth goal. The quarter ended with Richmond only a point ahead – 4-4 to 4-3.
In the second term the "tigers" scored 6-4 while keeping South down to 2-2, and after that it was more or less plain sailing to the premiership. To open the scoring Martin snapped up a knock-out from a follower, and passed swiftly to Titus, who ran in smartly for a goal. Clever work by Brain gave Nash a point, and when Pratt marked for an easy goal the scores were level at 5-4. That was the nearest South was to get to a lead at any stage. Time after time attacks broke down against either O'Neill, Baggott, Bolger, or McCormack. At the other end McKay, Faul, McLaughlin, and Richards were working hard, but Austin was having a bad time against Titus, whose marking continued to be the perfection of judgment. O'Halloran, too, was pulling the ball down in something like his old form, and with Strang shaping better against Nash goal after goal was added to the Richmond score. At half-time the scores were 10-8 to 6-5 in Richmond's favour.
Richmond's Ten Goals Lead
Again in the third quarter Richmond raced ahead, this time even more emphatically, its score of 6-3 was one point less than that of the second term, but meanwhile South was kept down to six points. Two of Richmond's goals were gained by the high-marking of O'Halloran in crushes near the posts; another was the result of clever work by Martin, who, taking a pass from Harris, swerved past three opponents and kicked well; and another came when Harris found a clear space, ran about 40 yards, and kicked finely. The other two were obtained through the undeniable marking of Titus and through Baxter practising the old Richmond dodge – simple but always effective – of skirting a scrimmage near the posts. Meanwhile McKay and McLaughlin were battling in traditional "Mac" fashion on South's back line, but many of their colleagues were being outplayed, and the team as a whole was being over-whelmed. Richmond's lead of 10 goals at three-quarter time – 16-11 to 6-11 – was a more or less faithful indication of the merits of the play.
With the result beyond reasonable doubt Richmond relaxed to some extent in the last quarter, with the result that South scored twice as well – 6-6 to 3-3.Nash got four of his six goals at this stage, chiefly through straying from his position to points near the posts. At the same stage Pratt managed at last to get a second goal and to bring his total goals for the season to 150. For the rest, there were some bright patches, notably belated brilliance on the part of the South wingmen, Matthews and Clarke. There were also the unseemly incidents referred to earlier, and, for another element of unruliness, the ball was stolen by individuals in the crowd on three occasions. Alas, therefore, the match ended in an atmosphere of fisticuffs and petty thieving.
Best Players and Goalkickers
Brilliant marking, clever manoeuvring, and the kicking of six goals made Titus the best man on the Richmond side. It was his finest for the season. In the early part of the match O'Neill and Baggott produced their dashing top form, and from time to time all the other back men – Bolger, McCormack, Sheahan, and Strang – gave excellent service. Martin roved smartly, Geddes played his usual clever game on the centre wing, O'Halloran marked brilliantly and Dyer, Harris, and Bentley were very sound. Indeed, every man in the team pulled his weight.
South Melbourne was a more uneven side, probably, than at any time during the season.
Some stalwarts of the team, notably Pratt, Reville, and Austin, had a bad day. It was regrettable that the vice-captain (Reville), whose retirement has been announced, should have ended his career by playing poorly and being reported on three charges. Perhaps the most consistently useful man on the side was McLaughlin at half-back. McKenzie was rarely under notice this time, but McKay, Paul, and Richards worked very hard. Brain roved with his usual cleverness, and at one stage seemed to be the only South man at his top. Matthews marked and dashed finely, Diggins played a solid game, and Thomas, Clarke, and Nash were the best of the others.”
Match details
Richmond 4.4 10.8 16.11 19.14 (128)
South Melbourne 4.3 6.5 6.11 12.17 (89)
Goals – Richmond: Titus 6, O'Halloran 3, Harris 3, Bentley 2, Martin 2, Baxter, Zschech, Murdoch.
Goals – South Melbourne: Nash 6, Pratt 2, Brain, Diggins, O'Meara, Bertram
The 1934 Richmond premiership team
B: M. Bolger, M. Sheahan, K. O’Neill
HB: J. Baggott, G. Strang, B. McCormack
C: S. Judkins, E. Zschech, A. Geddes
HF: T. O’Halloran, D. Baxter, J. Murdoch
F: D. Harris, J. Titus, B. Foster
R: P. Bentley, J. Dyer, R. Martin
Reserve: H. Edmonds
RICHMOND HAPPY
Many Entertainments
“There was great enthusiasm at Richmond’s victory celebrations after the match. About 80 players, officials, leading supporters, and representatives of other clubs attended a dinner held at Carlyon's Hotel. Among the visitors was the mayor of Richmond (Councillor Williams), Mr. A. Chirnside, and Mr. J. Charles, the founder of the club and its first secretary. A Centenary premiership and club jubilee cake was cut by Mr. Charles, who is aged 83 years.
The president (Mr. B. Herbert) said that Mr. Charles had been associated with the club for the whole 50 years of its existence. Even in recent years he had scarcely missed a match, and he had sent to the club several promising players.
Mr. L. Roberts said that in his opinion the fewer the number of League clubs the better the standard of play. The Victorian Football League would never comprise more clubs than the present number. Probably, he added, it would be better if there were fewer clubs.
After the dinner the team was entertained by the mayor at the Richmond Town Hall, and later the members went to various theatres in Richmond, where they were enthusiastically received. A crowd of several hundred people waited outside the pavilion at the Richmond ground to welcome the players who attended a dance there. Later a party of 250 attended a dance and entertainment at Park Orchards, Mitcham.
In honour of the club's success a special recital was given by the Richmond City Band yesterday afternoon.
Gift of £100
Mr. Herbert announced that Mr. Andrew Chirnside, of Streatham, had given the club £100, to be spent as the committee thought best, in recognition of the victory.”
