Edo Benetti, the Italian son of a coal miner, who played nine senior games as Richmond’s full-forward in the early 1960s, has died. He was 83.
Benetti died March 3, 2025, his daughter Jan advised the Richmond Former Players and Officials.
His career at Tigerland spanned 1960-1962 for nine Senior games and seven goals, and 23 Reserves matches for 43 goals. In 1962 he won the Reserves goalkicking with 22.
“I was a good seconds player, but I struggled in the Seniors most times,” he told Rhett Bartlett in an interview in December 2020.
Richmond’s interest in him can be traced back to 1958 when, on the hunt for a full-forward to replace the lanky Bob Dummett who was battling knee injuries, they came across him as 16-year-old starring with four goals for South Gippsland against Mornington Peninsula in an Interleague final.
Benetti’s four-goal performance as a 16-yr-old that caught Richmond’s attention. June 17 1958 The Age.
Being closely watched by Richmond officials the following year, Benetti won South Gippsland League’s goalkicking and Best and Fairest, and played in Wonthaggi’s premiership.
Convinced they had found a prized recruit, the club sent Jack Dyer up to see Benetti at his High School, where – despite being an Essendon supporter - he signed a three-month permit for the Tigers.
When he suffered a minor knee complaint at Wonthaggi the Tigers were quick into action, bringing him down to the city to get physio and setting up board (at 4 pounds) with Reserves coach Dick Harris and his wife.
“They all went to work (one day),” he told Rhett Bartlett, “and I thought I’d go over to Dyer’s house in Docker Street, Richmond. And young Jack Jnr was still in bed, but old Jack was there and said ‘you want a coffee mate?’ So, he gave me coffee and toast and I thought how good is this!”
Benetti played in the 1960 pre-season practice matches, and a Richmond Reserves game where he booted three goals.
Graeme Richmond drove him back to Wonthaggi after the match, but he had bad news for the powerbroker, he was going to stay up there to complete his schooling, and begin employment with the State Bank.
He saw out that season winning South Gippsland League Best and Fairest again.
May 24th 1960, The Age.
“GR was a good bloke,” Benetti recalled. “I know a lot of people knock Graeme but I was a rap for him. He was the bloke who called me and told me they were going to drop me off the list. He was very honest. I admire that.”
Benetti’s Tigerland debut came in Round 8 1961 against Carlton at Princes Park on the Queen’s Birthday holiday.
Standing 6ft, weighing 13 stone, and wearing number 9 Benetti kicked goals with his first two kicks (a right-foot torpedo, then a drop punt from 15 metres out, he remembered clearly).
He played the next five matches, returning to Wonthaggi after every game due to homesickness, (the bank later agreed to transfer him to a branch on Bridge Road in Richmond), and finished with seven goals that season in the seniors.
On one occasion he was absent from selection while he played in a tennis final for Wonthaggi.
In the practice matches of 1962 he broke a bone in his hand, could only manage three senior appearances and played the remainder of the season in the Reserves.
On March 20 1963 he was transferred to the Port Melbourne Football Club. His Richmond career was over at the age of 21.
Born December 2, 1941 in Bendigo, his father Giovanni worked in the gold mines, then the coal mines of Wonthaggi. He died of lung cancer in 1965 aged 58.
“He took me down to the coal mines one day, 1100 ft down, and it was very eerie going down there I tell you!”
Benetti recalled travelling down to Melbourne to watch Round 18 1953, Richmond v Essendon at Punt Road. It was the day that John Coleman booted 10 goals, and Benetti had found his first footy idol.
After his career at Tigerland, he played a handful of games with Port Melbourne, then Yarraville, and returned to Wonthaggi. He slipped a disc in his back while playing tennis and never played football again, instead umpiring in the Doncaster District League.
He was also a very skilled tennis player, played cricket and bowls for Vermont, volunteered for their footy club for 50+ years and received a life membership.
A mad Richmond supporter, his family once applied to be on an episode of Deal or No Deal, and Benetti showed the producers his Tigers’ Past Players medallion at the audition in the hope that would sway their selection. (It didn’t but they did get to hold one of the briefcases in an episode).
He was named at centre-half forward in the Wonthaggi Blues Team of the Century.
“Seeing the pride in his eyes that day,” his daughter said at his funeral, “is a memory I would hold close to my heart.”
He is survived by his wife Ronda, children Jan, Paul, and their extended families.
