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 report of the Tigers’ Round 19 match in the ’69 season against Carlton. The clash took place at Princes Park on Saturday, August 23, 1969, before a crowd of 27,661. Here’s how Footy Week editor, Harry Beitzel, reviewed Richmond’s rousing 29-point victory under the heading: “TIGERS KO CARLTON” . . .
“If the finals matches are as good as Saturday’s clash between Richmond and Carlton at Princes Park, the struggle to get finals tickets will be well worthwhile.
It was champagne football by two desperate teams. The Tigers were desperate to win it to earn a crack at the finals. The Blues were desperate to put a stop to a worrying losing sequence.
The match had everything – blistering pace, perfect handball, goals from all angles.
Bill Barrot was Richmond’s hero. Shifted from the centre to full-forward, he kicked eight goals.
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Some of Barrot’s goals were magnificent. He kicked them from the pocket, from a long way out, from all angles.
Probably the next-best move by coach Tom Hafey was to send young Ian Owen to centre half-back on to Robert Walls. The move was most effective as Walls, a dominating player in the first half, had only three kicks after half-time.
Carlton’s accuracy was uncanny. Their 19.4 to three-quarter time speaks for itself.
The third was one of the best quarters of football I have seen.
Richmond missed a golden opportunity on siren time when Mike Bowden had a shot from 20 yards out. Bowden got the jitters and the kick didn’t even make the distance.
Trailing by 17 points at the last change, coach Hafey laid it right on the line.
It was now or never.
The Tigers took some risks which paid off handsomely. Barry Richardson was sent from full-back to forward pocket and ruck, Mike Patterson was taken off and Kevin Sheedy given the job of minding Alex Jesaulenko.
Quick goals to John Northey and Barrot put Richmond only six points behind, but flashing handball from John Nicholls to Jesaulenko to Walls had the Blues 12 points in front only seconds later.
Then came the onslaught. It rained goals for Richmond. Royce Hart kicked two, Barrot three and Richardson and Northey one each to give Richmond almost a five-goal victory.
Although Jesaulenko kicked five goals in the first half and had a hand in three others in the second half, he appeared to carry an ankle.
Nicholls did everything asked of him. I thought he won while he was in the ruck and took a lot of good marks.
Although not the outstandingly dominant player, he at least proved he was fit.
Brent Crosswell showed a ton of dash and finished with six goals, playing as a half-forward flanker and ruck-rover.
The wing duels were interesting and, on the day, even. Carlton pair Gary Crane and Bryan Quirk were on top early, but Dick Clay and Francis Bourke improved as the day went on. Quirk received a couple of heavy knocks.
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Carlton’s biggest problem is on the full-back line, which lacks pace.
On a half-back flank, Barry Gill found Northey’s pace more than a handful. Northey finished with five goals.
The highlight duel was the one between Royce Hart and John Goold at centre half-forward for the Tigers. Both players were superb.
Carlton were out-roved which, almost on the eve of the finals, is a big headache.”
Match details
Richmond 5.4 9.9 15.11 24.12 (156)
Carlton 6.1 12.2 19.4 20.7 (127)
Goals – Richmond: Barrot 8, Northey 5, Brown 4, Hart 3, Moore 2, Patterson, B. Richardson.
Best – Richmond: Barrot, Northey, Hart, Brown, Green, Bartlett, Sheedy, Clay, Moore, Bourke.
Richmond player statistics
Kevin Sheedy: 12 kicks, 1 handball, 3 marks
Barry Richardson: 8 kicks, 2 handballs, 5 marks
Colin Beard: 9 kicks, 1 handball, 3 marks
Geoff Strang: 9 kicks, 2 handballs, 0 marks
Mike Perry: 11 kicks, 4 handballs, 3 marks
Ian Owen: 7 kicks, 1 handball, 2 marks
Francis Bourke: 19 kicks, 1 handball, 4 marks
Bill Barrot: 17 kicks, 0 handballs, 5 marks
Dick Clay: 23 kicks, 2 handballs, 5 marks
Roger Dean: 19 kicks, 5 handballs, 4 marks
Royce Hart: 16 kicks, 2 handballs, 6 marks
John Northey: 7 kicks, 4 handballs, 3 marks
Mike Patterson (off): 7 kicks, 1 handball, 2 marks
Eric Moore: 17 kicks, 0 handballs, 3 marks
Billy Brown: 20 kicks, 5 handballs, 2 marks
Mike Green: 13 kicks, 1 handball, 5 marks
Mike Bowden: 12 kicks, 2 handballs, 8 marks
Kevin Bartlett: 20 kicks, 1 handball, 2 marks
Graeme Bond (19th man): 2 kicks, 1 handball, 0 marks
John Ferguson (20th man): 0 kicks, 0 handballs, 0 marks
