After nearly three years, Mabior Chol made a promising return to Richmond’s senior side in last Thursday night’s clash with Adelaide at Adelaide Oval.
Chol, who made his AFL debut in the final round of the 2016 season against Sydney at the SCG, was a late inclusion for the Tigers after Ivan Soldo withdrew because of a virus.
The talented tall, filling in as the team’s main ruckman, had 13 hit-outs, eight disposals, took two marks, kicked a goal, and showed clear signs that he’s capable of playing a lot more football at the game’s highest level.
While that length of time for Chol between senior games for Richmond may seem large, it well and truly pales in comparison to that of Billy Schmidt, who was a pioneer member of the Tigers’ 1908 VFL playing group.
Schmidt, a star centreman, spent four seasons with Richmond from 1908-11, captaining the side in 1910.
He left the Tigers at the end of the 1911 season to join St Kilda, but briefly returned to Punt Road a decade later, in 1921.
Here, courtesy of Richmond history guru Rhett Bartlett’s website ‘Tigerland Archive’, is the comprehensive list of players with the longest time between senior appearances in the Yellow and Black . . .
3570 days: Billy Schmidt – from his 71st game on September 2, 1911 to his 72nd on June 11, 1921.
2765 days: Charlie Ricketts – from October 7, 1905 (Club’s VFA era) to May 3, 1913 (VFL era).
2744 days: David Cloke – from his 176th game on September 25, 1982 to his 177th on March 31, 1990.
2506 days: Alf Hill – from September, 28, 1889 (VFA) to August 8, 1986 (VFA).
2149 days: Pat Davey – from his 7th game on July 11, 1936 to his 8th on May 30, 1942.
2065 da ys: Trent Nichols – from his 56th game on August 4, 1991 to his 57th on March 30, 1997.
1883 days: Frank Howard – from his 1st game on May 8, 1943 to his 2nd on July 3, 1948.
1848 days: Bill Mahoney – from his 145th game on July 17, 1915 to his 146th on August 7, 1920.
1687 days: Phil Nagle – from his 7th game on September 6, 1941 to his 8th on April 20, 1946.
1680 days: Bruce Tschirpig – from his 8th game on August 28, 1971 to his 9th on April 3, 1976.
1449 days: Frank Hughes senior – from his 24th game on June 19, 1915 to his 25th on June 7, 1919.
1449 days: Tom Graham – from June 26, 1886 (VFA) to June 14, 1890 (VFL).
1442 days: George Threlfall – from his 5th game on June 7, 1919 to his 6th on May 19, 1923.
1414 days: Wayne Walsh – from his 6th game on August 24, 1968 to his 7th on July 8, 1972.
1393 days: Graham Gaunt – from his 2nd game on September 2, 1972 to his 3rd on June 26, 1976.
1386 days: Kevin Colls – from his 2nd game on July 18, 1942 to his 3rd on May 4, 1946.
1379 days: Ray Boyanich – from his 61st game on October 7, 1972 to his 62nd on July 17, 1976.
1344 days: Laird Smith – from his 114th game on September 6, 1941 to his 115th on May 12, 1945.
1337 days: Terry Smith – from his 50th game on August 7, 1982 to his 51st on April 5, 1986.
1330 days: Daryl Vernon – from his 4th game on August 8, 1981 to his 5th on March 30, 1985.
1176 days: Hughie James – from his 114th game on May 6, 1916 to his 115th on July 26, 1919.
1134 days: Dave Lynch – from his 4th game on June 9, 1923 to his 5th on July 17, 1926.
1064 days: Keith Millar – from his 33rd on June 25, 1927 to his 34th on May 24, 1930.
1043 days: Anthony Smith – from his 1st on August 9, 1969 to his 2nd on June 17, 1972.
1042 days: Mark Coughlan – from his 83rd game on June 18, 2006 to his 84th on April 25, 2009.
1038 days: Murray Thompson – from his 3rd game on June 16, 1973 to his 4th on April 19, 1976.
1036 days: Jack Sullivan – from his 25th on June 19, 1943 to his 26th on April 20, 1946.
1036 days: Laurie Taylor – from his 7th game on July 15, 1944 to his 8th on May 17, 1947.
1029 days: Bill Burns – from his 27th game on July 3, 1909 to his 28th on April 27, 1912.
1021 days: Mabior Chol – from his 1st game on August 27???, 2016 to his 2nd on June 13, 2019.
1015 days: Ralph Empey – from his 15th on July 18, 1925 to his 16th on April 28, 192.
1008 days: Bill Burns – from his 54th game on August 9, 1913 to his 55th on May 13, 1916.
