To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Tigers’ 1980 premiership, Richmond Media is transporting Yellow and Black barrackers back in time throughout 2020 to follow the Punt Road path to that fantastic flag triumph. Today, we take a look at ‘The Age’ football writer Geoff Slattery’s review of Richmond’s Round 21 match of the ’80 season against North Melbourne at Arden Street, which took place on Saturday, August 23, before a crowd of 23,682.\

“There was nothing new in the lines. It was just that Graeme Richmond hadn’t said them for a long time. “Get ready boys,” said the Tigers’ vice-president in that unique nasal twang, “for the most glorious six weeks of your life.”

Richmond, the man, had been offered the floor by Tiger coach Tony Jewell. He didn’t need a second invitation. Onto a bench he hopped, the seriousness of his expression somewhat out of place in the mass of smiling (supporters) and exhausted (players) faces. On he went.

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“Keep putting in the effort you put in today, keep producing that extra character that came to the fore today, and I’m sure you can go right on with it.” His other words had inflammatory overtimes. In short, he had something to say on the joy of beating North Melbourne.

The oration was met with polite applause from some, raucous cheers from others. Some of the players smiled. Some sat exhausted, musing on the glories of the 100 minutes just gone, rather than the possible glories to come.

The medical room was bursting at the seams. Not with wounded, but interested observers. Prostrate on the only table in the room was Francis Bourke, a needle and thread repairing his gashed forehead. Jewell, one of those observers, looked at him in awe. “In that third quarter, he had so much blood on his face, I thought he’d been shot.”

Robert Wiley, who had won the game for the Tigers, just a few minutes earlier, lounged against the wall, staring at a pack of ice on his leg. Mark Lee, the ruckman who had covered most of Arden Street during the afternoon, now covered most of the floor, lying flat, naked as the day he was born, but about ten times as long. Said Jewell to the trailing Press: “Now that would be a good picture, wouldn’t it, boys?”

North led by only 14 points at quarter time, after first use of the wind, but it should have been more. Both Richmond’s goals in that first half were produced with more luck than sparkle. On the other hand, North looked strong, full of power.

The power carries into next term. The Roos began like a firecracker (more on that later), with classic goals in the first two minutes. But for the next hour, North could produce little, while the Tigers produced plenty.

Away they went, cashing home six goals in the second quarter, four in the third. They were in total control, and even an invasion of the ground by half the crowd after Michael Roach’s first goal did nothing to stop their flow.

The invasion was enthralling to watch. Cops, of course, came from everywhere, to shoo the young and old kids from the ground. But once that job was done, do you reckon the law was in any hurry to scamper off the field? Not on your life. They sauntered, they strolled, oblivious to the urgency around them.

There was no chance of a physical disaster on Saturday. But the cacophony that was part of the display would be cause enough for several letters from the already harassed local residents. The are driven mad by cars and people for nine Saturdays a year. And now half-time war games.

Even Ron Barassi found it a trifle disconcerting. “It was a bit hard to concentrate,” he ventured.

The third quarter was nothing for North. In fact Richmond outscored the Roos, despite kicking into the wind. Said Barassi later: “We didn’t lose it in the first and last quarters. We lost it in the second and third.”

Richmond had the wind in the last quarter. The game looked a breeze for the Tigers. But it was not to be.

Richmond opened with the longest goal of the day from the resurrected Jim Jess, and its lead was 23 points. But now it was time for North. Goals to Blight (2), McCann and Sutton, and the Roos were in front. Now Richmond looked beaten.

But Sutton had kicked the ball out of the ground, when he goaled, and a new ball was needed. It came, and the Tigers took to it like an in-form opening batsman.

Wiley stepped in with two goals. The game was over. And Graeme Richmond took the stage.”

Match details

Richmond                     2.3       8.10     12.16    15.19 (109)
North Melbourne          4.5       6.7       10.11    14.14 (98)

Goals – Richmond: Wiley 4, Roach 3, Bartlett 3, Jess 2, Raines, Bourke, Scrimshaw.
Best – Richmond: Mount, Scrimshaw, Lee, Raines, Tempany, Smith, Wood.

Goals – North Melbourne: Sutton 3, Blight 2, McCann 2, Dempsey 2, Tanner, Good, Boyse, Smith, Byrne.
Best – North Melbourne: W. Schimmelbusch, Good, Byrne, D. Schimmelbusch, Dempsey.