In part three of a new feature series on richmondfc.com.au commemorating the release of the unique “Tommy’s Guns” nostalgic memorabilia piece, Tony Greenberg reflects on the winning Grand Final achievements of Dick Clay, under the Club’s ‘Immortal’ four-time premiership coach Tommy Hafey.
It’s hard to believe Dick Clay arrived at Richmond from Victorian country club Kyabram in 1966 as a 21-year-old with a reputation as a key-forward sensation.
I say that because by the time the Tigers’ historic 1967 Grand Final appearance against Geelong rocked around, Clay was carving a niche as one of the best wingmen in the competition. And, by the time his illustrious 213-game career ended at the end of the 1976 season, he was acknowledged as one of the best full-backs going around.
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A handy player by the name of Royce Hart had pushed Clay out of the centre half-forward role in his debut season in ’67. But the league career of the “Kyabram Kid”, as he was dubbed, took off when he was moved to a wing, where he formed part of that outstanding centreline, alongside Bill Barrot and Francis Bourke, before eventually becoming a gun full-back.
The attributes that had made Clay such an attractive proposition as a key forward - explosive pace, poise and long kicking - ideally suited Richmond’s at-the-time revolutionary concept of using a 6ft 1in (185cm) player on a wing.
Clay took to the wing like a duck to water . . . He caught the eye of the men in white during that ’67 season, too, finishing equal fifth in the Brownlow Medal with 12 votes.
On Grand Final day ’67, Clay was a solid, rather than spectacular contributor, finishing with match stats of 11 kicks, one handball and one mark, but he’d more than played his part throughout the whole season with his exciting exploits on the wing.
Two years later, the Kyabram Kid was rated in the top three Richmond players on the ground as the Tigers overwhelmed Carlton before a massive crowd of 119,165 at the 1969 Grand Final. He had 18 kicks, took six marks and provided the Tiger team with a ton of drive from his wing in his customary dashing fashion.
When Richmond next tasted sweet premiership success, in 1973, Clay had “abandoned” the relative freedom and safety of a wing for the unrelenting, pressure-cooker environment of full-back.
Clay’s overall standing in the game, however, soared due to the mighty fist he made of his full-back role with the Tigers. Fist is an appropriate word because time and again Clay would spoil marking attempts by his opponents with well-timed defensive punches that cleared the ball out of danger. He also used his ‘grass-burning’ speed and towering torpedo-punts to initiate countless attacking thrusts for the team.
In the ’73 Grand Final success against Carlton, Clay was one of Richmond’s best, carrying out his defensive duties with aplomb, shutting down his opponents and backing his judgment to the hilt.
A year later, in the 1974 Grand Final, Clay had the tough assignment on champion North Melbourne spearhead Doug Wade. Although Wade finished with four goals, the by now veteran Kyabram Kid again was a valuable contributor in a Yellow and Black premiership triumph.
