Richmond’s last premiership captain, Bruce Monteath, has revealed how far back his association with the Tigers really extends.

Monteath made his league debut with Richmond in 1975, at age 19, following an impressive three-year stint with South Fremantle in his home state of Western Australia.

He would go on to play 118 games with the Tigers, captaining them in the glorious 1980 premiership triumph over Collingwood.

But for Monteath, who was one of 18 Richmond premiership players to be granted Life Membership of the Club at the 2013 Annual General Meeting, the seeds for his life as a Tiger were actually sown when he’d just moved into his teens.

“The Club had been in contact with me since 1968, when I was a 13-year-old playing State schoolboys. So, I’ve always felt connected to the Club, even though I came from Western Australia,” Monteath said.

“When I finally arrived here as a recruit, I was only here two days and I was whisked off to Leonda restaurant, to listen to the great Jack Dyer make a speech.

“There were 250 people in the room, and myself and another recruit called Neville Roberts.

“I’m sure that Jack never took his eyes off the two of us.  We were at the front, so I think we were meant to be there to listen to Jack.

“Jack’s whole speech was about the history of Richmond, all the great players, and all the things that were important to be a Richmond player . . . and about how much we hated Collingwood.

“When I left the meeting, I knew more about Richmond than the club I’d come from in Western Australia (South Fremantle).”

Monteath expressed great pride with becoming a Life Member of the Tigers.

“I’m very honored to get this award, and I was really pleased to be able to be connected to the great ’73-’74 (premiership) sides.  All of them are mates, and most of them are my boyhood idols,” he said.

“To be able to play with all those great players, and to call them mates, is something special.

“Also, to go through the rebuilding, and to captain Richmond in 1980, and be connected to both important, really historical eras of our club, is great.”