Richmond legend Matthew Richardson has been inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.
Richardson, who played 282 games and kicked 800 goals in a glittering career at Tigerland, was inducted alongside Carlton’s Anthony Koutoufides and Ern Henfry, the Western Bulldogs’ Brad Johnson, Port Adelaide’s Warren Tredrea and Adelaide’s Andrew McLeod.
In 17 years as a player at Richmond, ‘Richo’ was a 13-time club leading goalkicker, Jack Dyer Medalist, three-time All-Australian, and Tiger Team of the Century member.
See the best photos from the career of 'Richo' in our photo gallery
Since emerging as a media star with Channel 7 and 3AW, Matthew Richardson has endeared himself to viewers and listeners around the nation by presenting a relaxed and positive persona.
He is a man who seems at ease with his place in the game and appears to have come to terms with the lack of team success during his 17 years at Richmond.
Yet, as the 39-year-old readily admits, "I have my moments. But at the end of the day, it was my footy career. I put everything I had into it, but it's not the end of the world. There are plenty of other things in life.
"I never wanted to play for any other team bar Richmond, and I would've loved to have played in a premiership with the Tigers, but I'm not bitter about it."
Richardson played 282 games in yellow and black from 1993-2009, but 'Oh We're From Tigerland' was played after just 116 of them, a winning percentage of 41.
The man known as 'Richo' played in just three finals, all of them under the coaching of Danny Frawley in 2001. For him, naming his favourite game is, somewhat unfortunately, an easy task.
"I always talk about the semi-final against Carlton, which we won," he says. "It was the only winning final I played in. To only play in one winning final in my career is the biggest disappointment I have. But to beat Carlton on the 'G is something I'll never forget."
Richardson grew up in Devonport, Tasmania, and was recruited via the father-son rule (his father, Alan 'Bull' Richardson, played 103 games for the Tigers during the 1960s).
Then a gangly colt, he quickly made an impact, debuting in 1993 and finishing his second season as the club's leading goalkicker (he would be Richmond's leading goalkicker 13 times in all).
In 1995, just as he was starting to take the AFL by storm, Richardson's career hit a snag when he suffered a serious knee injury in a game against the Sydney Swans at the SCG. He underwent a reconstruction and missed a rare finals campaign for the Tigers.
Richardson returned to boot 91 goals in 1996 and earn selection in the All-Australian team. However, Richmond narrowly missed the top eight. It was one of six seasons during his career that the Tigers finished ninth.
After '96, Richo's career was a roller-coaster affair. He took countless screamers and regularly booted miraculous goals from outside 50 near the boundary line. Yet he was also prone to missing set shots from the goalsquare.
An incredible athlete whose capacity for running long distances set him apart from the other power-forwards of his time, Richardson enjoyed perhaps his best season at the end of his career.
In 2008, aged 33, he was moved to the wing by coach Terry Wallace and almost galloped off with the Brownlow Medal, finishing equal-third in the count with 22 votes.
A badly torn hamstring forced him to retire the following season, but by then he had 800 goals to his name and his standing among the greats of Richmond was secure.
Now, to cap it all off, Richardson finds himself elevated into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.
"It is really humbling," he says. "When I was at Tommy Hafey's funeral service I saw guys there who are in the Hall of Fame, guys like Ian Stewart, and I still see them as being mythical figures in the game.
"To see my name up there with them is quite unbelievable. This is something I never thought I would achieve."
Matthew Richardson Fact File
Date of Birth: 19/3/75
Height: 197cm
Weight: 103kg
Recruited from: Devonport (TAS), 1992 AFL National Draft father-son selection
Guernsey number: No. 12
AFL debut: 1993
Games: 282
Goals: 800
Most goals kicked in a league game: 10 v Western Bulldogs, MCG, May 2004
Most goals in a season: 91 in 1996
Most Brownlow Medal votes in a season: 22 in 2008 (finished equal 3rd)
Averaged 14 disposals per game throughout his league career, 8 marks per game and 2.8 goals per game
Honors:
- 13-time winner of Richmond’s Leading Goalkicker award (1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008).
- Triple All-Australian representative (1996, 1999, 2008).
- Winner of Club’s Best and Fairest in 2007.
- 2nd in Club’s Best and Fairest 1996, 1999, 2002, 2005.
- 3rd in Club’s Best and Fairest 2008.
- Alex Jesaulenko Medal winner in 1996.
- Member of the Tigers’ Team of the Century (named on a half-forward flank).
- Second on the Club’s all-time goalkicking list behind Jack Titus (970 goals).
- Most goals kicked by a player at the MCG (464).
- Member of Tasmania’s Team of the Century.
- Most total Brownlow Medal votes by a Tasmanian (140).
- RFC Life Member.
- AFL Life Member.
Richo by the seasons . . .
1993: 14 games, 31 goals
1994: 19 games, 56 goals
1995: 9 games, 27 goals
1996: 22 games, 91 goals
1997: 19 games, 47 goals
1998: 16 games, 55 goals
1999: 20 games, 67 goals
2000: 3 games, 13 goals
2001: 22 games, 59 goals
2002: 13 games, 36 goals
2003: 19 games, 33 goals
2004: 18 games, 65 goals
2005: 22 games, 65 goals
2006: 18 games, 45 goals
2007: 22 games, 53 goals
2008: 20 games, 48 goals
2009: 6 games, 9 goals
