Top WA Tiger’s Tom tribute
The captain of Richmond’s most recent premiership side, in 1980, Bruce Monteath, presented the Club’s latest playing debutant, Tom Derickx, with his Tiger guern
It was a proud moment for Derickx’s family, who flew over from Western Australia to see big Tom receive his No. 39 Richmond jumper in the special pre-game ceremony, before running out to do battle with the Demons.
They were particularly pleased that the Club chose Monteath to do the honors on this occasion, given that he is a WA football great, and his son, Kym, now plays at East Perth, alongside Jacob Derickx, who is Tom’s younger brother.
Bruce Monteath was recruited by Richmond from WAFL club South Fremantle and made his senior league debut in 1975.
He had a top career at Tigerland, playing 118 games, kicking 198 goals, winning the Club’s leading goalkicker award in 1978 (55 goals), earning All-Australian selection in 1979 and, capping it all off, by captaining the 1980 premiership side.
These days, he’s a successful property developer in Melbourne.
An interesting sidelight to Derickx’s debut is the fact that, at age 24 years and 213 days (as of last Saturday), he was the oldest Tiger to play his first game of league football for nearly 90 years!
Loyal Oakley holds the record as the Club’s oldest debutant, with his inaugural appearance being in the opening round of the 1923 season at the ripe, old age of 32 years, 227 days.