It is 50 years today since Richmond played its first-ever game at Waverley Park. Tony Greenberg takes the Tiger time machine back to Saturday, May 9, 1970 . . .
The VFL’s new stadium at Waverley was the venue for Richmond’s critical Round 6 match of the 1970 season against Hawthorn.
The Tigers, having swept all before them to capture the 1969 premiership in devastating fashion, were struggling five rounds into the ’70 season with just one win on the board and in second-last place on the league ladder (11th in the 12-team competition).
Hawthorn, who had been pipped on percentage by Richmond for a place in the 1969 final four, was in an even worse position, winless and on the bottom of the ladder.
So, the stage was set for a desperate battle on the wide, open spaces of Waverley Park.
It turned out to be an absolute ripper of a contest, an exciting, high-quality shoot-out, with both teams’ superstar key forwards from Tasmania – Richmond’s Royce Hart and Hawthorn’s Peter Hudson – providing many of the match’s highlights.
The Tigers grabbed the early advantage and took an 18-point lead into the quarter-time break following an opening term that saw a combined total of 11 goals straight scored.
By half-time, however, Hawthorn had reduced the deficit to just three points, with high scoring a major feature of the encounter.
It continued to be a pulsating contest in the third term, and by three-quarter time the Hawks had edged one point ahead.
The last quarter was a gripping, see-sawing affair, but in the end, it was Richmond that just managed to get over the line for a crucial victory.
Here is ‘The Age’ newspaper’s report of the match by Trevor Davis . . .
“The great pity was that one side had to lose – although for some minutes in time-on, with the scores level, a Richmond-Hawthorn draw was a distinct possibility.
Finally, in a tense, thrilling finish, the Tigers prevailed by seven points – probably because their game suited the big Waverley ground better, as well as the fact that they took marks where they counted and had more players capable of kicking goals.
Even though the Hawks lost they had reason for satisfaction, as did Richmond. For both, the game represented probably their best performances for the season.
After a scrambly opening the match developed into a test of skill and a contrast in styles – Hawthorn moving the ball around with short, precise team play, and the Tigers taking strong marks and driving the ball forward with long, direct kicks.
The high-scoring – 41 goals for the match – was not primarily the result of weak defence. It simply reflected the rapidity with which the ball was moved from one end of the ground to the other, giving the respective defenders a minimum of time to get set.
It showed, too, the almost uncanny skill and ball-getting ability of two great forwards in Peter Hudson and Royce Hart.
The loss of full-back Barry Richardson through injury just five minutes into the second quarter did not help Richmond’s cause.
Hudson had two goals up at the time, but was being hard-pressed. After Richardson’s departure Hudson added six more goals, several of them very easily.
Hudson received full scoring support and many opportunities from the irrepressible roving of Peter Crimmins, who kicked five goals and was a constant thorn in the side of the Richmond defence.
Bob Keddie, a prolific kick winner on a half-forward flank, turned in one of his best games for the year, too, and Hawthorn was able to attack through him with confidence.
The Tigers, however, were equally well equipped with scoring ability. Royce Hart, six goals, Eric Moore (4) and Rex Hunt (4), were forwards the Hawk defence could not stop.
Hart, in particular, added to his goal-kicking value with clever play which brought team-mates into the game time and again.”
Match details
Richmond 7.0 10.7 16.10 21.11 (137)
Hawthorn 4.0 10.4 17.5 20.10 (130)
Goals – Richmond: Hart 6, Hunt 4, Moore 4, Ronaldson 2, Northey 2, Morrison, Jewell, Brown.
Leading possession-winners – Richmond: Bartlett 25, Hart 21, Brown 20, Peardon 20, Bond 19, Bourke 19, Northey 19.
Best – Richmond: Hart, Peardon, Moore, Northey, Hunt, Bourke.
Goals – Hawthorn: Hudson 8, Crimmins 5, Smith 2, Keddie 2, Knights 2, Porter.
Leading possession-winners – Hawthorn: Crimmins 29, Keddie 28, Wilson 20, Angus 19, Meagher 19, Parkin 19, Porter 19.
Best – Hawthorn: Crimmins, Hudson, Keddie, Wilson, Beck, Smith.
Waverley Park became a home away from home for Richmond early on.
The Tigers won 15 and drew one of their first 18 games at the venue from 1970 until the end of the 1974 season.
They later had an 11-game winning streak there from Round 4, 1981 to Round 6, 1983.
But Richmond also endured some lengthy losing sequences at the ground, with the longest being 13 in-a-row, from Round 10, 1989 to Round 7, 1992.
And the Tigers also lost their last six games at Waverley Park, culminating in a 41-point defeat at the hands of St Kilda in Round 14 of the 1999 season.
All-up, Richmond played 106 games there, winning 55, losing 49 and drawing two.
One of those draws was in the Tigers’ first final at the venue – the 1972 second semi-final against Carlton.
They played a total of 10 finals there, winning six, losing three, with that one draw.
Here are some other key Richmond statistics from its three-decade playing record at Waverley Park.
Highest score – 29.21 (195) v Fitzroy 9.12 (66), Round 13, 1974.
Lowest score – 4.10 (34) v Hawthorn 10.10 (70), Round 18, 1998.
Biggest win – 129 points v Fitzroy, Round 13, 1974.
Biggest loss – 89 points v Geelong, 1995 preliminary final, 6.4 (40) to 20.9 (129).
Most individual goals in a match – 10 by Michael Roach v St Kilda, Round 18, 1979 and 10 by Michael Roach v Footscray, Round 18, 1980.
Most overall goals by an individual player at the ground – 143 by Kevin Bartlett (in 55 games, including 14 in two finals during the Tigers’ 1980 September campaign – six v Carlton, qualifying final and eight v Geelong, second semi-final).
