Throughout the past six decades there has been a key common dominator in Richmond’s rise from the low rungs of the league ladder to premiership success. In the countdown to the 2024 AFL national draft, we present a special three-part series on how, historically, the Tigers have reaped the rewards of investing in youthful talent coming through the ranks at Punt Road together. Today, in part two, we focus on how a group of exciting youngsters rejuvenated Richmond, paving the way for another Yellow and Black premiership in 1980.
Despite winning back-to-back premierships in 1973-74, and being the dominant force of the VFL competition, Richmond recognised the need to regenerate its playing list for the 1975 season.
Young South Fremantle star ruck-rover Bruce Monteath became a recruiting priority.
The Tigers used their considerable powers of persuasion to lure Monteath to Victoria and he made his debut in the opening round of the ‘75 season against Fitzroy at the Junction Oval.
Monteath produced an eye-catching performance, picking up 20 disposals and taking six marks in a narrow win.
Over the course of the next few seasons, Monteath established himself as a top-class member of Richmond’s line-up.
In 1978, under the coaching guidance of Barry Richardson, who had replaced legendary four-time premiership coach Tommy Hafey, he won the Club’s leading goalkicker award with 55 goals.
Monteath was appointed the team’s vice-captain for 1979 and the following year he took over as Richmond’s captain.
He played an important role in the Tigers’ triumphant 1980 year, despite battling injury during the latter part of the season, kicking 43 goals.
Monteath’s last game for Richmond was in the 1980 Grand Final demolition of Collingwood. Holding the premiership cup aloft was a perfect way for him to bow out, even though he’d been on the bench for most of the match due to his injury issues.
All-up, he played 118 games, kicked 198 goals, and provided the Tigers with fine service in his six-season career.
In 1976, two players who debuted for Richmond would go on to be key members of Tony Jewell’s all-conquering 1980 premiership team – Geoff Raines and Jim Jess.
Raines, a classy player, was recruited by Richmond from Victorian country club Swan Hill after originally being zoned to Footscray.
He started off at Tigerland in 1975 playing under 19s football, progressed to the reserves during that season, and then made his senior league debut early the following year.
After four senior appearances all-up for the ’76 season, Raines became a permanent, key member of Richmond’s main line-up in 1977.
Initially, Raines was effectively used by the Tigers on a wing, before moving into the centre, where he utilised his great balance, poise, pace, fierce determination, magnificent kicking skills and aerial ability to full advantage.
In 1978, Raines won his inaugural Jack Medal after generating significant drive for the Richmond side throughout the season in his centreman role.
Two years later, Raines was outstanding as the Tigers dominated the competition, capturing their 10th league football premiership with a crushing victory over Collingwood in the 1980 Grand Final.
He won his second Jack Dyer Medal that year, was a strong contender for the Norm Smith Medal following a brilliant Grand Final performance (36 high-quality disposals) and was favourite going into the Brownlow Medal count (inexplicably, however, he failed to poll a vote!).
Raines finished his time at Tigerland with 134 games, 55 goals, three Jack Dyer Medals and a premiership medal. Years later, he was named in Richmond’s Team of the Century.
Jess, as a young player with Victorian country club Avoca, Jess was residentially tied to St Kilda under the VFL’s then zoning rules.
He subsequently moved to St Arnaud, which was in Richmond’s country zone, and caught the eye of the Tiger talent scouts with his impressive form.
Richmond requested a clearance for Jess from St Kilda and, given the Saints had shown minimal interest in him, they agreed to release him.
It was to prove a substantial win for the Tigers . . .
After a relatively slow start to his league career at Punt Road, Jess eventually established himself as a top-class centre half-back, utilising his mobility, strong marking, long kicking, toughness and aggression to full advantage for the Tigers’ team.
The 1980 season proved to be the best of Jess’ career with Richmond.
He was a member of the victorious Victorian team in the State-of-Origin series that year, gained All-Australian selection and, most importantly, played a leading role for the Tigers in their Grand Final demolition of Collingwood – at centre half-forward rather than his customary centre half-back position – finishing with 16 disposals, five marks and a goal.
Jess continued to provide Richmond with excellent service for another eight seasons, before announcing his retirement from league football in 1988 following a stellar 223-game, 175-goal career.
Right to the end, Jimmy Jess, with his Viking-like looks, and fiercely determined approach to the game, remained a cult hero of the Tiger Army.
In Round 8 of the 1977 season against Footscray at the MCG, a lanky, tall teenager from Tasmania made his senior debut with the Tigers.
Michael Roach was recruited to Richmond from Tasmanian club Longford by legendary Tassie Tiger talent scout Harry Jenkins.
Legend has it that Jenkins, who discovered the Tigers’ champion centre half-forward Royce Hart, told the Club: “I got another one for you.”
It’s hard to believe, but Roach started his league career at Tigerland as a wingman.
Roach played nine senior games all-up in 1977 and was awarded the Club’s Best First Year Player award.
The following season Roach managed only three appearances at senior level for Richmond, but in 1979 his league career skyrocketed.
He went from a skinny wingman to a potent, high-flying full-forward, kicking 90 goals, earning All-Australian selection, and taking an astonishing mark against Hawthorn at the MCG in Round 5 that was subsequently adjudged the Tigers’ Mark of the Century, when the Club celebrated its 2008 league football centenary.
In 1980, Roach took his game to an even higher level, becoming just the second Richmond player ever (along with Jack Titus) to kick 100 goals in a season.
Roach finished the season with 112 goals, the inaugural John Coleman Medal as the competition’s leading goalkicker, and a premiership medal after Richmond destroyed Collingwood in the 1980 Grand Final.
The man affectionately known as ‘Disco’ made it back-to-back Coleman Medals in 1981 with 86 goals.
By the time Roach’s career was over at the end of the 1980s, he had kicked 607 goals in 200 games and won the Club’s leading goalkicker award seven times.
The next talented youngster to develop into a star for the Tigers, and a major factor in the 1980 premiership, was Mark Lee, a ruckman from the Club’s country recruiting zone heartland of Mildura.
Lee made his debut with Richmond’s senior side late in the 1977 season, aged 18, and the following year he became a valuable, regular member of the line-up.
He went on to be Richmond’s No. 1 ruckman for more than a decade, and during that time he lived up to his nickname, ‘The General’, in marshalling the Tiger troops into on-field battle and protecting his smaller teammates.
In the 1980 Grand Final against Collingwood, Lee decisively defeated his top-class ruck opponent, Magpie Brownlow Medallist Peter Moore, which was a critical factor in the Tigers’ thumping win.
Lee possessed an impressive leap, was extremely agile for a big man and had a good turn of speed.
Another feature of his game was the ability to punch the ball long distances from centre bounces.
He played a total of 233 games with the Tigers, kicked 94 goals, won a Jack Dyer Medal and captained the Club.
And, finally, in the opening round of the 1978 season, another Mildura product made a promising senior debut for Richmond.
Dale Weightman, an 18-year-old, small, lightly-built rover, selected in the forward pocket as roving back-up to the great Kevin Bartlett, kicked three goals in the Tigers’ huge win against Carlton.
Two years later, when Richmond swept all before it to capture the 1980 premiership in stunning style, Weightman was starring as the team’s first rover, while Bartlett was kicking goals (and plenty of them) as a half-forward.
Despite Weightman’s small stature, he possessed enormous courage and plenty of aggression, which ensured he never took a backward step on the field of battle.
The man affectionately known as ‘The Flea’, was a truly gifted player and, at the forefront of his impeccable skills set, was his exceptional handball ability.
He consistently delivered the ball with perfect precision to teammates, via either hand, setting up numerous goals for the Tigers through his slick, quick, handball.
Weightman had excellent vision and evasive skills, which enabled him to extricate himself out of the tightest of situations on-field and find the space to create opportunities for teammates.
After winning back-to-back Best and Fairests in 1986-87, he captained Richmond for five seasons from 1988-92 and set a wonderful example for a young, inexperienced group through his strong leadership.
Weightman retired at the end of the 1993 season, having played 274 games and kicked 344 goals in a magnificent career at Tigerland.
He subsequently was selected as second rover/forward pocket in Richmond’s Team of the Century.
