As the saying goes, a picture's worth a thousand words . . .

That being the case, we here at richmondfc.com.au have decided to delve into our photographic archives to provide you with some pictorial nostalgic nuggets throughout 2019.

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The series continues today with this photo of Bill Cosgrove.

Bill Cosgrove could have been a top player for Richmond, but instead became an Australian wartime hero.

He had shown considerable promise as a centre half-back in three senior games with the Tigers throughout the 1940 season, before enlisting with the Royal Australian Air Force and subsequently flying fighter planes during World War 2.

He flew in more than 50 important missions over Libya, Burma, Iraq, Sumatra, Java and New Guinea.

Sadly, Cosgrove, the uncle of current Australian Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove, was killed in action in 1943, when his Beaufort bomber was shot down, just a few weeks before Richmond's Grand Final triumph that year over Essendon.

Here Cosgrove is pictured sitting on one of the fighter planes he flew, with a picture of a tiger's head and the famous Richmond 'Eat 'em Alive' battle-cry emblazoned on the fuselage.

Cosgrove, himself, was the embodiment of the Tigers' Eat 'em Alive spirit.