To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Tigers’ 1980 premiership, richmondfc.com.au will transport Yellow and Black barrackers back in time throughout 2020 to follow the Punt Road path to that fabulous flag triumph. Where possible, we’ll delve into The Age newspaper’s archives. We kick off today with a look at The Age reporter Trevor Grant’s review of the Tigers’ Round 1 match of the 1980 season against Hawthorn, which took place at Princes Park on Saturday, March 29, before a crowd of 21,028.
“Sixteen footballers made VFL ranks for the first time on Saturday. There is no question that the luckiest of them was Richmond’s little winger Matt Wall.
It wasn’t so much that his first kick was a goal, but that he was able to run on to the ground at all.
Wall, who has just turned 20, eased the Saturday morning tension by shopping for a new car. He needed it because his old one is now a mangled heap in a wrecker’s yard.
Just a few days before his first game, he rolled the car on a slippery stretch of road in Mentone, sent in crashing through a wooden fence and wrapped it around an SEC pole.
The car was a write-off, but Wall walked away without a scratch, free to continue what looks like being a long VFL career.
In Richmond’s five point win over Hawthorn on Saturday, the left-footed Wall, the only newcomer, displayed finesse and skill which seems to be drifting out of the modern game.
It is now rare to see a youngster who can kick well with either foot, handball swiftly with either hand, as well as being equipped with a natural sidestep.
His performance was sufficient to leave Hawthorn officials very sullen. Wall came from Hawthorn’s territory in Frankston, but a mistake in clearance procedure cost them his services.
Hawthorn had other reasons for disillusionment after the defeat at Princes Park. It led by 26 points after kicking with a strong breeze in the first quarter.
But when its turn came to kick with the wind again in the third quarter, it could not manage a goal. Richmond was able to score two.
Since winning the 1978 premiership the Hawks have struggled in many areas, but they have never been short on spirit. Their seven-goal comeback in the last quarter was not surprising.
Like a lot of people, though, Hawthorn coach David Parkin found it impossible to gauge the potential of the two teams.
“Maybe Richmond will win a premiership or maybe they will finish on the bottom. From that game I couldn’t say how we will go,” he said.
What was more surprising about the last quarter was Richmond’s ability to maintain a lead.
With ageing duo Francis Bourke and Kevin Bartlett finding more steam as the game dragged on, the Tigers rallied to a cause they probably would have forfeited last year.
And earlier in the day, they had fought back from a worrying position. “Last year we would have been beaten by 12 goals if we had been four goals behind in the first quarter,” coach Tony Jewell said.
Richmond moved in threes and fours. If trouble struck there was a man to feed a pass to or a man to offer protection.
Smaller players such as Bartlett, Barry Rowlings and Robert Wiley gave the Tigers direction and purpose. They were helped greatly by second-game ruckman Kim Kershaw, whose inexperience was well concealed.
Hawthorn had no such links. In the battle for possession, its players were left to fend for themselves.
The exceptions were wingman Geoff Ablett, the best player on the ground, and rover Leigh Matthews, who appears to have made a good recovery from a stress fracture in his foot.
As usual, Matthews had his sledge-hammer with him, cracking open packs to retrieve the ball. But he had no one helping him to pick up the spoils.
Match details
Richmond 1.2 9.7 11.12 16.15 (111)
Hawthorn 5.4 8.7 8.12 15.16 (106)
Goals – Richmond: Bartlett 4, Keane 3, Oborne 2, Wiley, Raines, Monteath, Jess, Rowlings, Cloke, Wall.
Best – Richmond: Bartlett, Kershaw, Rowlings, Keane, Wall, Monteath, Jess.
Goals – Hawthorn: Ablett 4, Moncrieff 4, Matthews 3, Tuck 2, Goss, Russo.
Best – Hawthorn: Ablett, Matthews, Moore, Tuck, Moncrieff, Eade.
