On May 11, 1940, then veteran Richmond champion Jack Titus showed that he was far from a spent force at the game’s highest level, producing one of the best performances of his outstanding playing career with the Tigers. Tony Greenberg takes up the story . . .
Jack Titus already was a Richmond great going into the 1940 season, his 15th at VFL level.
In 14 seasons and 224 games with the Tigers up until then, the gifted forward had kicked a total of 693 goals.
His season-best goal tally had been 83, which he’d posted in 1935, and then again in 1936. He had also booted 80 goals in Richmond’s 1934 premiership year.
But in 1939, when the Tigers were bundled out of the premiership race in the first semi-final, Titus had managed ‘only’ 48 goals from 19 games.
As a result, there was speculation in the lead-up to the 1940 season that, at 32 years of age, he was on the slide and would not be able to recapture his brilliant best form.
Two rounds into the ’40 season, Titus had a respectable seven goals on the board (four v Footscray, Round 1 and three v Melbourne, Round 2) in two Tiger losses.
It was in Round 3, however, that Titus reignited Richmond’s prospects and regained his on-field aura of invincibility.
In a do-or-die clash with Hawthorn at Glenferrie Oval, Titus kicked eight goals in a vintage display that lifted the Tigers to a 27-point win – 19.15 (129) to 15.12 (102). This was Titus’ highest goal return in a game since the opening round of the 1938 season, when he booted nine against North Melbourne at Punt Road.
Here is ‘The Age’ newspaper’s report of the Round 3, 1940 match, and the major role played by Titus that day . . .
“Without the experience, sound judgment and driving force of their coach-captain, Bert Mills, Hawthorn, after a valiant effort, had to concede victory to Richmond at Glenferrie.
Although Richmond won by a substantial margin, the game was by no means one-sided. Hawthorn were always close until the last quarter when obviously tired, they just could not counter Richmond’s straight-ahead methods. Only then were Richmond able to consider themselves out of danger.
Both teams deserve congratulations for a first-class exhibition of speedy football. There was little between them in ruck and aerial duels. Richmond’s long and accurate kicking and more cohesive play forward deciding the issue.
Adhering closely to a definite plan of campaign in which (Jack) Titus was made the spearhead of the attack, Richmond were able to make a number of positional changes with beneficial results. (Jack) Dyer opened at centre half-back instead of in the first ruck, and in the third quarter moved into goal, while after half-time (George) Smeaton went to centre half-back, and (Jack) Crane centre half-forward. In the last term, Smeaton filled the full-back position.
Titus surprisingly scored 8.5, a feat which greatly delighted the Richmond camp. As a memento he will have a trophy which Mr J Jones, a Richmond official, promised him when he next kicked six goals in a match.”
The ‘Sporting Globe’ had this to say about Titus’ mighty, match-winning performance against Hawthorn . . .
“The forward play of Jack Titus during the second quarter was instrumental in keeping the Tigers in front. His remarkable leading out had a tendency to put the defenders off their balance. He got four goals during the second quarter with beautiful drop-kicks.”
Titus would go on to rewrite the Richmond record books that year, becoming the first Tiger to achieve the magical 100-goal feat in a season.
He finished with exactly 100 goals in 1940 after booting three in the Tigers’ Grand Final loss to Melbourne.
To underline how consistent Titus was that season, his lowest goal tally in a match was two, with his highest of nine coming in Round 17 against St Kilda at the Junction Oval.
Titus maintained his fine goalkicking form the following season, scoring 87 goals, and he then steered through 67 goals in 1942.
The man affectionately known as ‘Skinny’ subsequently bowed out of VFL football at the end of the 1943 season, having missed Richmond’s premiership that year because of injury.
With 970 goals from 294 games, Jack Titus remains the greatest goalkicker in the Club’s history, and the fact that he is one of only eight Richmond ‘Immortals’, highlights how highly he’s revered at Tigerland.
