To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Tigers’ 1969 premiership, richmondfc.com.au is transporting Yellow and Black barrackers back in time throughout 2019 to follow the Punt Road path to that fabulous flag triumph. Today, we take a look at Footy Week’s review of the Tigers’ Round 4 match in the ’69 season against South Melbourne. The clash took place at the Lake Oval on Saturday, April 26, 1969, before a crowd of 16,663. Here’s how Footy Week scribe David Lee reported Richmond’s 45-point win, under the heading: “TIGERS – HOT AND COLD” . . .
“Just how good are Richmond? Nobody was any the wiser after the Tigers had cruised home against South Melbourne.
Richmond’s topsy-turvy form has made them the enigma of the VFL. They played so well at times against South that they were worthy of premiership rating. And yet they lapsed into errors that even their own supporters found unforgiveable.
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One thing emerged bright and clear: Richmond must find a ruckman. Their following division was outclassed by the South Melbourne brigade, led by Fred Way.
Despite this, Richmond were able to get the ball away from the centre thanks to the brilliant Bill Barrot.
Barrot roamed everywhere. Peter Bedford stayed at home and won plenty of kicks. But Barrot did untold damage with his driving kicks into the forward line.
The Tigers have a sensational goal-to-goal line from the centre on.
Barrot is back to his best; Royce Hart is in unbeatable form; and Rex Hunt is kicking them straighter and longer than ever before.
The Tigers’ defenders looked good – but they had little to beat. Barry Richardson relished the lack of opposition by clearing everything that came his way; Kevin Sheedy was foolproof in a back pocket; Mike Green took so many marks – in defence and in attack – that everybody except the Footy Week statisticians lost count.
It was foolish of South coach Norm Smith to let Graeme John take the field. Obviously nursing a leg, John was switched from a flank to centre half-forward early in the game. He could not go the pace and was far below his best.
The best thing Smith did was to put Wayne Walsh on to John Northey before the first bounce. Walsh, a former Richmond player, knows all about Northey, and gave him scarcely a kick.
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South gave their best effort in the third quarter. They looked better than Richmond and rattled on the goals.
The game got exciting for the first time as the Bloods got within striking distance. But Richmond gave the impression that they could have sewn it up at any stage.
Match details
Richmond 4.6 11.8 14.14 19.22 (136)
South Melb. 1.6 4.9 10.12 13.13 (91)
Goals – Richmond: Hunt 5, Hart 3, Dean 3, Smythe 3, Bartlett 3, Clay, Bond.
Best – Richmond: Barrot, Clay, Hart, Hunt, B. Richardson, Sheedy, Bartlett.
Richmond player stats
No. 10 – K. Sheedy: 21 kicks, 2 handballs, 7 marks
No. 17 – B. Richardson: 11 kicks, 2 handballs, 5 marks
No. 2 – J. Ronaldson: 4 kicks, 1 handball, 5 marks
No. 52 – I. Owen (off): 3 kicks, 1 handball, 1 mark
No. 14 – E. Murphy: 17 kicks, 2 handballs, 1 mark
No. 28 – G. Strang: 18 kicks, 1 handball, 3 marks
No. 8 – D. Clay: 23 kicks, 2 handballs, 10 marks
No. 24 – B. Barrot: 28 kicks, 5 handballs, 9 marks
No. 6 – D. Peardon: 15 kicks, 6 handballs, 0 marks
No. 9 – J. Northey: 5 kicks, 6 handballs, 1 mark
No. 4 – R. Hart: 15 kicks, 11 handballs, 6 marks
No. 3 – R. Dean: 19 kicks, 3 handballs, 3 marks
No. 20 – G. McInnes: 5 kicks, 4 handballs, 2 marks
No. 5 – R. Hunt: 13 kicks, 0 handballs, 8 marks
No. 26 – K. Smythe (off): 7 kicks, 2 handballs, 0 marks
No. 37 – M. Green: 15 kicks, 4 handballs, 13 marks
No. 11 – M. Bowden: 6 kicks, 11 handballs, 4 marks
No. 29 – K. Bartlett: 26 kicks, 7 handballs, 6 marks
No. 36 – R. Ball (19th man, on 4th quarter): 4 kicks, 1 handball, 2 marks
No. 44 – G. Bond (20th man, on 2nd quarter): 8 kicks, 3 handballs, 1 mark
