In the latest extract from “The Hafey Years”, we present these tributes paid throughout the absorbing new book to one of the major contributors to the greatest era in Tigerland history - Royce Hart.
Four-time Richmond premiership hero Dick Clay
“Royce was a team-lifter. In the ’73 prelim, when he came on after half-time and kicked a couple of goals . . . it just puts a stamp on a great player. He could supply the spur. He could mark across the front of the pack and hit the ground running. He’d be the first in and under and would never miss a goal from 50 metres out. His kicking was such that I’d be thinking, “I’m going to run back to the middle and get ready for the next bounce.”
Four-time league premiership coach (Hawthorn and Carlton) David Parkin
“I’ve coached some very good centre half-forwards, like Kernahan, but in my mind Hart captivated me as an opposition player.” I think Hart should probably go down as the best ever, although Carey would not be far behind. Hart’s athleticism and endurance . . . I mean he was going just as well at the finish as he was at the start because he worked at his game.
He had a capacity to mark the ball before it got to where it should be . . . in other words, the pack is rising up, but he’s already got there and pinched it. The ability to glide across the front of the pack; they’re the most spectacular marks. Plus he’d go sideways and backwards - they’re the most courageous ones to take. He did that every week. He could lead up strongly and had beautiful hands.”
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Triple Brownlow Medallist and 1973 Richmond premiership centreman Ian Stewart
“Royce played in the hardest position and often had two or three blokes on him. It didn’t worry him. He got out of a hell of a lot of trouble by turning onto his left side. He was tremendously courageous and was a prodigious kick for goal under pressure.
It’s funny - he and I came from Tasmania and the pace-setter from Tasmania, an absolute champion, was Darrel Baldock. After Royce had played a good game, he came to me that night, about nine o’clock, and asked, ‘How do I rate with Baldock now?’ I told him, ‘Oh well, after that game, you’re getting there, but you haven’t caught him.’
A few weeks later Royce played another blinder, and he asked again, ‘What about now ‘Stewie’, am I as good as ‘Doc’?’ And I said, ‘Gee, you’re getting close.’ He said, ‘Jesus, what do I have to do?!’
This went on for a while during my time at Richmond. One day, after he had kicked a bunch of goals after half-time, I said, ‘Royce, you’ve caught him.’ Well, he grinned like a big kid. He was a little bit opinionated and he’d brush kids aside, but he could carry it out. He was inspiring.”
Richmond’s 1980 premiership captain Bruce Monteath
“Royce was sensational. One of the goals of any forward at training was to see if you could outmark him; it was simply impossible. I mean, I tried running back into him, running in from side-on, but I couldn’t do it.
He was fantastic as a captain, one of these ‘Do as I do’ type of blokes. I got to know Royce better than a lot of blokes. A lot of the guys thought he was up himself, but he was a sensational player. It was wonderful to play beside him.”
