A hundred years ago, Richmond played in its first league football preliminary final. The Tigers met Collingwood in the penultimate game of the 1919 season at the MCG, and emerged with a meritorious victory. Here is ‘The Age’ newspaper’s review of the match...
“Football reached its highest point as a drawing power on Saturday, when the attendance at the League final, Richmond v Collingwood, was calculated to be the largest in the annals of the sport in Australia, about 60,000 people.
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The game itself was a triumph for Richmond. The two contesting cities poured their population into the Melbourne ground. It did not come as scattered units, but as a stream, a seemingly endless river of humanity in fact, which only the flood gates in the shape of stubborn entrances could check and regulate.
Venturesome boys peered from the dizzy heights of the flag staffs on the big stands, there was a crush everywhere. People watched the game with strange moods.
Richmond’s fighting chance of two months’ ago had materialised more from the fanciful to the real as the season developed, and their form won them admirers, both attached and non-attached to other clubs.
Collingwood’s following had desired Richmond to win the premiership, but not at Collingwood’s expense. Non-partisans recognised the merit of Collingwood on the season’s form, but commonly hoped for “new blood” in the finals.
The new blood was strongly in evidence. With all its vitality, it coursed through the game, stimulating and strengthening, and subsequently overcoming weaker vitality.
Collingwood achieved an easy win the previous week. The effort, although not great, meant a contribution towards physical exhaustion. Richmond had had a fortnight’s respite, and the holiday served them well.
In the first and last quarters they were the only team in it, to use a sporting aphorism. Yet, in the second term, and again in the third, there were stages when Richmond seemed to be off the field.
The scores were level at one time, but Richmond finished like champions.
At the opening Haysom (Collingwood) distinguished himself in defence, and Bettles was cheered for a great mark over Lee.
The best combined move was a three-quarter distance clean drive by Morris, Hall and Bayliss, which eventually gave James an opportunity, and Richmond’s first goal resulted.
Twomey was developing his pace against his Richmond rival, and showing a lot of clean, dashing work, but honors were otherwise even in the general play over the ground.
When Smith whipped the ball in from the wing, and Bayliss marked it, and scored the second goal, Richmond roared. And a Richmond roar is something to hear.
Haysom again, and then Mutch, defended gallantly for Collingwood – their play was set off with good marks.
No one, however, was excelling like Hall, the diminutive rover, who has no fear and plenty of pluck and skill.
Richmond Hall of Famer Clarrie Hall starred for the Tigers in the 1919 preliminary final victory over Collingwood
R. Lee, whose forward play the previous week, gave Collingwood a strong hand early, had his first chance, and failed.
The pace was on, and the play was strong. Changes in the personnel of the rucks came quickly.
There was more cheering when Don, dashing in, secured Richmond’s third goal.
Then a change came. Collingwood, out of the leash, so to speak, raced down: Thorpe marked over R. Lee, but Laxton was handy and he passed to Wraith. A beautiful left-foot kick found the goals.
Out of the ruck the same player, two minutes later, got the second goal. It was a true Collingwood finish, but one which did not have a counter balancing effect in scores, which were 3.4 to 2.2 at the first change.
Singularly, Collingwood had all the play for a long time in the second quarter, but could not get goals. Richmond were under an eclipse from which they did not emerge until the closing ten minutes of the term.
Lee scored for the Woodsmen immediately after the start, and five minutes later he hit the post. It was dashing football on their part, and the rucks were supporting well.
Twomey, Pannam and Lumsden were doing great deeds, and Thorpe, Richmond’s full back, was sound in defence.
The play was sparkling and thoroughly interesting. “Things” were happening, but Elder, field umpire, had the telescope to the blind eye.
Richmond, through Smith, scored at last – a goal – and Bayliss marking over others sent the ball right into the teeth of goals, where McCarthy marked grandly and saved.
Collingwood’s run came again. Lee missed in a place shot, but Lumsden immediately got the ball and kicked it through.
A closing dash, headed by Hislop and seconded by Smith, gave James possession in front, and Richmond’s fifth goal was the result – 5.7 to 4.4.
The third quarter was one of decided changes. At first Richmond, then Collingwood, Richmond again, and then Collingwood to finish it with. Not throughout the match was the play so keen, but it did not lose its spectacularity.
The field umpire occasionally called a player or two to task for obvious misdeeds; still the play was not checked.
The off wing was the favored locale, and the speed men of the teams were seen at their best. McCarthy for Collingwood, and
Huggard and Hughes for Richmond, were often conspicuous on the defence lines.
Laxton and Lumsden each gave Curtis and R. Lee opportunities. Curtis failed off a good mark and from a good kick, but Lee was successful.
The scores were then close. Three behinds to Collingwood brought them level.
Collingwood’s play was impressive. A decided change in the last eight or ten minutes of the quarter, however, came. Richmond, fired with the knowledge that defeat meant retirement, marshalled their forces.
The rucks strained every muscle, and conquered the opposition. Hall got a nice hit out, and running on sent the ball to Bayliss. A great left foot kick brought the goal.
Around the posts just later Smith tried hard to score, but did not succeed. Hall, however, dashed out of the ruck with the ball, took a flying shot and scored again – Richmond 2.1 ahead.
Collingwood then, playing well over their opponents, brought up their sixth goal (Laxton), and the scores at three-quarter time were 7.10 to 6.6.
The points as well as the play were with Richmond, but to them the margin was not yet a safe one.
After Collingwood had twice fired in vain, Maybury from 25 yards out scored another goal for the yellow and black men.Both Hughes and Mutch were fine players in resisting attacks.
There was a great dash from half back by Hislop. He took the ball beautifully, raced on with it, and outpacing pursuers passed it cleanly to J. Smith, who did the rest.
Collingwood’s chance had gone. In mostly all the subsequent movements they were behind their men and never seemed to get up. Richmond’s pace and dexterity kept to them and, securing another goal, the game finished.
Richmond . . . 10 goals 14 behinds
Collingwood . . . 6 goals 9 behinds
There were many fine players in the match, but Hall, roving for Richmond, and Twomey, on the wing, were equalled by none. The two, in fact, were the driving forces in the game; always quick, invariably playing to correct positions, and seldom beaten, either in tactics or stamina.
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Richmond’s backs were very sound. Hislop showed above the others in the second half. James, Herbert and Moffatt were all good ruck men, and all on an equality.
The best of their centres was Morris, and Smith (2 goals), forward, was always active and alert, and not infrequently successful.
Bayliss (4 goals), Parkinson, Thorpe, Smith (2 goals) and Harley might also be singled out.”
