We continue our special series chronicling the mighty journey from Punt Road to the ME Bank Centre, with a tremendous tale of Tiger supremacy.
Long before Geelong established a stronghold at its Simonds Stadium home ground, winning a record 30 consecutive league games there from August 2007 to August 2011, Richmond had developed an aura of invincibility at Punt Road.
The Tigers embarked on what was to be an amazing winning streak at their beloved home ground, in July, 1932, defeating North Melbourne by 15 points in a Round 11 clash.
Two weeks later, they beat Melbourne at the venue by 24 points. A further two weeks on, they beat Footscray by five points.
And, the home wins just kept coming . . .
Richmond captured football’s ultimate prize in season 1932 – the premiership – courtesy of victory over arch-rival Carlton in the Grand Final.
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The Tigers unfurled their ’32 premiership flag in Round 2 of the 1933 season, and duly celebrated with a crushing 94-point win against North Melbourne.
They would go on to win all their home games (nine) in 1933, before finishing runners-up to South Melbourne in that year’s Grand Final.
The following season, Richmond again won nine out of nine at home, and subsequently managed to avenge that ’33 Grand Final loss, with a decisive 39-point victory over South in the premiership-decider.
Another premiership-flag unfurling win against North Melbourne followed in Round 2 of the 1935 season, and a couple of weeks later, the Tigers defeated Melbourne by 36 points at Punt Road.
On June 8, 1935, Richmond’s remarkable home winning run finally ended, with the team suffering a 46-point loss to South Melbourne.
The Tigers had scored an unprecedented 24 wins in-a-row at home – from Round 11, 1932, through to Round 4, 1935.
Punt Road Oval was a veritable Yellow and Black fortress back then, referred to by fans, foes, and the football writers of the day, alike, as ‘The Jungle’.
Several of the greatest players in Tigerland’s history were major contributors in that golden winning run, including Jack Dyer, Percy Bentley, Basil McCormack, Stan Judkins, Allan Geddes, Martin Bolger, Maurie Sheahan, Kevin O’Neill, Joe Murdoch, Ray Martin, Jack Baggott, Dick Harris, the Strang brothers (Doug and Gordon), and Jack Titus.
Titus, who is the Club’s all-time leading goalkicker, with 970 in the 294 games that he played, was in dazzling form throughout that time of Tiger home dominance.
‘Skinny’, as he was popularly known, kicked 85 goals in 22 of those 24 wins, missing two games due to injury. He finished with three goals or more on 17 occasions, with a best return of eight (against Melbourne in Round 4, 1935).
Interestingly, three different coaches presided over all those Tiger triumphs – ‘Checker’ Hughes (1932), Billy Schmidt (1933) and Percy Bentley (1934).
The full list of Richmond’s 24 consecutive Punt Road conquests, along with Titus’ goalkicking performances, is:
Round 11, 1932 defeated North Melbourne 8.10 (58) to 6.7 (43): Titus didn’t play
Round 13, 1932 defeated Melbourne 12.18 (90) to 10.6 (66): Titus 3 goals
Round 15, 1932 defeated Footscray 9.11 (65) to 8.12 (60): Titus 1 goal
Round 17, 1932 defeated Geelong 13.8 (86) to 9.20 (74): Titus 2 goals
Round 2, 1933 defeated North Melbourne 24.16 (160) to 9.12 (66): Titus didn’t play
Round 4, 1933 defeated Collingwood 13.15 (93) to 11.8 (74): Titus 3 goals
Round 6, 1933 defeated Geelong 13.10 (88) to 10.11 (71): Titus 6 goals
Round 9, 1933 defeated Essendon 16.14 (110) to 8.11 (59): Titus 1 goal
Round 10, 1933 defeated St Kilda 16.14 (110) to 8.8 (56): Titus 3 goals
Round 12, 1933 defeated Melbourne 20.15 (135) to 12.13 (85): Titus 4 goals
Round 14, 1933 defeated Footscray 18.16 (124) to 9.11 (65): Titus 2 goals
Round 16, 1933 defeated Hawthorn 11.17 (83) to 9.6 (60): Titus 2 goals
Round 18, 1933 defeated Fitzroy 16.13 (109) to 9.7 (61): Titus 3 goals
Round 1, 1934 defeated Melbourne 18.14 (122) to 12.9 (81): Titus 8 goals
Round 3, 1934 defeated Carlton 14.20 (104) to 9.13 (67): Titus 5 goals
Round 5, 1934 defeated Essendon 15.12 (102) to 12.8 (80): Titus 6 goals
Round 7, 1934 defeated Hawthorn 16.14 (110) to 11.15 (81): Titus 6 goals
Round 8, 1934 defeated Footscray 9.10 (64) to 6.12 (48): Titus 4 goals
Round 10, 1934 defeated Fitzroy 10.16 (76) to 9.9 (63): Titus 3 goals
Round 13, 1934 defeated St Kilda 7.25 (67) to 5.8 (38): Titus 3 goals
Round 15, 1934 defeated Collingwood 12.14 (86) to 11.9 (75): Titus 4 goals
Round 17, 1934 defeated South Melbourne 14.14 (98) to 13.14 (92): Titus 4 goals
Round 2, 1935 defeated North Melbourne 14.11 (95) to 10.12 (72): Titus 4 goals
Round 4, 1935 defeated Melbourne 18.20 (128) to 14.8 (92): Titus 8 goals
