We continue the countdown to the start of Richmond’s 2013 premiership season campaign, with Tony Greenberg steering the ‘Tiger Time Machine’ back to the opening round of the 1973 season.
It’s been 40 years since Richmond and Essendon fought out a classic Round 1 encounter at Windy Hill . . .
Richmond was coming off a shock 1972 Grand Final loss to Carlton, while Essendon had finished fifth (under the then final five system) in dynamic Des Tuddenham’s first season in charge as its captain-coach.
The Tigers were buoyed by the return of star ruckman and 1969 premiership hero, Michael Green, who had been coaxed into playing again after retiring at the end of the 1971 season to concentrate on his career as a solicitor.
Be there for Round 1 this year, get your tickets to the game.
They also had recruited rangy, rugged key backman Robert McGhie from Footscray, to help fill a hole exploited by Carlton in the 1972 premiership-decider.
The Bombers had regained the services of gun defender, Geoff Pryor, who had been out of the game for two years due to work commitments, and they had enticed brilliant WA ruckman Graham Moss across to Victoria.
All roads led to Windy Hill for what shaped as an absorbing contest between two of the 1972 finalists – and those who piled into the ground certainly weren’t disappointed.
The lead see-sawed right throughout the match, including three times in the time-on period of a frenetic final term, before Richmond clinched a thrilling two-point victory.
For the Tigers, it was the “usual suspects”, with valuable back-up from some “unsung heroes”, who were the driving forces behind the win.
Captain Royce Hart booted six goals from just 10 touches, Francis Bourke repelled countless Bomber attacking thrusts across the backline for Richmond, picking up 23 possessions in the process, Kevin Bartlett was his customary ball-magnet self roving the packs, Kevin Sheedy ignited the team when moved from the back pocket to the forward line, Kevin Morris was a productive ruck-rover, while ruck giant Brian “The Whale Roberts” and Laurie Fowler (better known as a small back pocket) kicked three goals apiece.
Essendon, on the other hand, was over the moon with the first-up effort of Moss, who was best-on-ground, gathering 28 possessions and taking 14 marks.
The one major negative out of the game, from a Yellow and Black perspective, was the serious knee injury suffered by valuable Tiger Barry Richardson early in the second quarter.
Richardson, who had kicked 49 goals in the 1972 season, flew for a mark, but was crashed into by Bomber Ken Fletcher, and he slumped to the ground clutching his left leg. He was subsequently carried off the ground, and it was later revealed he had severely injured his knee ligaments.
As a result, Richardson was sidelined for the rest of the ’73 season, and he didn’t return to the playing field with the senior Richmond line-up until the second-last round of 1974.
The 1973 Tigers would go on and savour sweet revenge against Carlton in the Grand Final, with the Bombers bowing out in that year’s elimination final.
Four decades on, that ’73 Round 1 battle at Windy Hill, is still regarded as one of the best season-openers in league football history.
Here’s how ‘The Age’ summed up the exhilirating contest . . .
“Richmond, still smarting from its 1972 premiership loss, began the 1973 season with revenge on its mind.
The unfortunate recipient was Essendon, which went down by two points in a thrilling game at Windy Hill.
The Bombers were great in defeat and it was almost a tragedy the game wasn’t a draw.
The sides were evenly matched in all departments – including the luck of umpire Ian Coates’ decisions.
It was only slight inexperience on the part of the young Bombers that allowed Richmond to slip back into, and steal, the game.
The script could have been written by an advertising agency charged with the task of selling football on an international scale.
Essendon led by a point at quarter time, nine points at half-time and was down a point at three-quarter time.
Soon after it led by 13 points, and in time-on the lead changed three times before the quarter ended after 40 minutes.
The first three quarters each lasted 35 minutes.
The near capacity crowd saw Hart magic, Sheedy aggression, Bourke toughness and Bartlett speed and anticipation for the Tigers.
For Essendon, there was the marking of recruit Graham Moss, the bullet passes of Fields, the courage of Tuddenham and the sheer audacity of Cassin and Roberts.
Richmond was badly weakened by the loss of Barry Richardson and Paul Sproule in the first half.
At the finish it was the ability of Sheedy, who kicked two goals after being thrown into attack, and Hart, with full value from his 10 kicks, that turned defeat into victory.
The Bombers need not be disappointed by the loss – there won’t be many more in the next 21 weeks.”
Match details
Richmond 6.3 9.9 13.11 19.15 (129)
Essendon 6.4 11.8 13.10 19.13 (127)
Goals – Richmond: Hart 6, Fowler 3, Roberts 3, Sheedy 2, Bartlett 2, McLean 2, Green. Essendon: Roberts 4, Noonan 3, Fletcher 2, Barclay 2, Fields, Parkes, Tuddenham, Cassin, Gross, Perry, Wilson, Delahunty.
Best – Richmond: Bourke, Bartlett, Hart, Walsh, Morris, Green. Essendon: Moss (best on ground), Fletcher, Wilson, Delahunty, Fields, Pryor.
