Richmond Team of the Century centre half-back Gordon Strang has been selected in the same position in the greatest New South Wales side of all time, which was announced today.
Strang, along with his younger brother, Doug, was recruited by the Tigers from East Albury.
The brothers debuted for the Tigers in the opening round of the 1931 season against Carlton at Princes Park.
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Gordon, 21, took 12 marks in a superb performance at centre half-forward, while Doug, 18, kicked four goals in a lively display at full-forward.
Largely due to the considerable contribution made by the Strang brothers first-up, Richmond was able to overpower the home side and win a tight Round 1 contest by nine points.
One week later, against North Melbourne at Punt Road Oval, Gordon again impressed with his elite aerial ability, while Doug, produced something quite extraordinary at full-forward, kicking 14 goals in the Tigers’ then league record score of 30.19 (199) and record winning margin of 168 points.
To this day, Doug Strang’s 14-goal haul remains the biggest individual tally kicked by a Richmond player in a senior league game.
He went on to win the Tigers’ leading goalkicker award for the 1931 season with 68 goals, repeated the dose in 1932 with 49 goals, and again in 1933 with 51 goals.
Doug also played an important role in Richmond’s 1932 Grand Final triumph over Carlton, kicking four goals.
Big brother Gordon, playing at centre half-forward that day, was best afield, taking 16 marks in an outstanding display.
Gordon possessed excellent judgement and anticipation and was a fine kick. Marking, however, was his strongest attribute.
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In a match against South Melbourne during the 1935 season, he was credited with the astonishing tally of 28 marks!
Doug Strang missed the 1933 premiership-decider against South Melbourne due to suspension after being reported in the preliminary final, and injury prevented him from taking his place in the Tigers’ 1934 Grand Final line-up.
Gordon Strang, however, was a key member of the team that finished runner-up to South in ’33.
One year later, he was one of Richmond’s best, playing at centre half-back, when the Tigers exacted revenge in the ‘34 Grand Final against the Bloods.
Gordon left Richmond in 1937 to coach Tasmanian club Launceston, but returned to Tigerland the following year for one more season at the game’s highest level.
All-up, he played 116 games and kicked 108 goals in an excellent league career with Richmond.
He played a total of 11 finals with the Tigers and was voted in their top three players in four of those games.
The greatest NSW team of all time was picked from a pool of nearly 500 footballers who had played a minimum of 100 games in a senior competition (either VFL/AFL, WAFL or SANFL).
Respected football journalist Mike Sheahan and 1988 Brownlow Medallist Gerard Healy were the senior selectors of the side, along with a group of football historians and former Sydney Swans chairman Richard Colless.
North Melbourne great Wayne Carey was appointed the team’s captain, with former Essendon champion Terry Daniher and inspirational ex-Sydney skipper Paul Kelly joint vice-captains.
Other big names in the line-up include Fitzroy’s triple Brownlow Medallist Haydn Bunton, Hawthorn’s Shane Crawford, St Kilda’s Lenny Hayes and North Melbourne’s John Longmire.
