It’s fair to say that no player in Richmond’s proud league football history has had more impact in less than 100 senior games, than Ian Stewart.

Stewart, who joined Richmond in a sensational swap for dual Tiger premiership hero, Billy Barrot, at the end of 1970, proceeded to rewrite the VFL/AFL record books during his 78-game stint with the Club.

In an interview on Channel Seven’s famous ‘World of Sport’ program, just after becoming a Tiger, Stewart outlined what he was hopeful of achieving at his new football home . . .

“I’d like to be a success at Richmond.  I’d like the teammates to have complete confidence in me.  And, I’d like Richmond to win a premiership,” he said.

Three resounding ticks in those boxes, it’s fair to say, with ‘Stewie’ going on to become the first (and to this stage the only) league footballer to win a Brownlow Medal and play in a premiership side at two clubs.

Following his back-to-back Brownlow success with St Kilda in 1965-66, and the key role he played in the Saints’ historic 1966 premiership side, Stewie took out the competition’s most prestigious individual award in his debut Richmond season (1971) and followed it up with a place in the Tigers’ flag side two years later.

The brilliant left-foot centreman also won Richmond’s Best and Fairest award, the Jack Dyer Medal, in ’71, and he finished equal sixth (with 17 votes) in the 1973 Brownlow won by North Melbourne’s Keith Greig.

In the Tigers’ 1973 Grand Final victory over arch rival, Carlton, Stewie underlined his sheer class on league football’s biggest stage, finishing with 16 kicks, two handballs, five marks and an equal-game high three goals.

Unfortunately, injuries took their toll on Stewie in his last couple of years at the Club following the ’73 premiership triumph, but a quarter of a century later, when the selectors sat down to name their Tigers’ Team of the Century, they had no hesitation in including the name I. Stewart (on the interchange bench) despite the fact he actually spent less than five seasons wearing the famous Yellow and Black.

Here’s how ‘The Tigers Of Old’ publication summed up Ian Stewart’s illustrious league football career . . .

“He went on to become one of the greatest centremen ever to play in Victoria. He was an excellent mark for his size and a brilliant ball player who had a ton of courage. It was not uncommon for him to mark amongst or over a pack of players and on occasions he would back into an oncoming pack in order to mark. He was also a magnificent kick with either foot and an accurate pass whether by hand or foot. He had excellent vision and always put his possessions to good use. He was easy to recognise on a football field as he usually played the game with his tongue sticking out of his mouth. Superbly balanced, he had brilliant evasive skills and was one of the most complete, all-round players of his era. A very adaptable player, he excelled in all conditions.”

Stewie’s instant impact at Tigerland in 1971 was remarkable . . .

Debate had raged for months in the football world after the Stewart-Barrot swap over whether Richmond or St Kilda would win on the deal.

In the end, it was no contest. ‘Bugsy’ never felt comfortable at Moorabbin and, after just two senior appearances with the Saints, was cleared to Carlton, where he spent the rest of the ’71 season (and, to his credit, finished in the top 10 in the Blues’ Best and Fairest).

Stewart, on the other hand, polled six Best-on-Ground votes and three ‘ones’, to take out the 1971 Brownlow with 21 votes, from Essendon’s Barry Davis, Hawthorn’s Peter Hudson and St Kilda’s John McIntosh, who all finished with 18 votes.

In ‘The Sun’ newspaper, after his ‘71 Brownlow success, Stewie said: “All I wanted to do was to play a good season with Richmond and prove my worth, that I was value.

“Anything else is extra and I’m very conscious that I owe it to Richmond.

“I want the Richmond players and club as a whole to share in the honor.

“They’re part of it - and a very big part of it.”

“I will admit when I came to Richmond this year in the big swap, I set certain goals for myself.

“One was to play every game for Richmond; the other was to try to appear in the finals for the Tigers this year.”

A few days later, in the Sporting Globe (Saturday, September 4, 1971), Stewart expanded on his feelings about Richmond to 1958 Brownlow Medallist and former St Kilda star, Neil Roberts.

“I owe Richmond the world,” Stewie said.

“(Tommy) Hafey has given me fitness and at last I believe in it.

“I am going to start training for 1972 - straight after the Grand Final.

“I’m really going to start playing football from now on.  In 1965 and 1966, things came easily and you know that anything that comes easily is not appreciated.

“The ensuing four years were full of trouble. I was savaged by bad luck and injury, but even in those days, despite my success, I had no endurance.

“I’ve grown to love football now and Richmond have done it for me. The Tigers are a family - an open family with everyone pulling together performing his own little task.”

The final word on Ian Stewart goes to his coach at Tigerland - the great Tommy Hafey . . .

“He was just a freak player.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen courage displayed like I saw with Ian Stewart so many times.  An absolute superstar,” Hafey said.

Best-on-ground in Friday night’s Blockbuster Round 10 Richmond-St Kilda clash at Etihad Stadium will win the annual Ian Stewart Medal, as determined by the Channel Seven football commentators at the game.