Five-time Richmond premiership hero and revered Club ‘Immortal’ Francis Bourke made his senior league debut exactly 50 years ago today.
Bourke initially had attracted the attention of the Tigers’ astute secretary and chief talent scout at the time, Graeme Richmond, while starring as a teenage key forward for Victorian country club Nathalia.
He was invited to Tigerland to play the occasional reserve-grade game on match permit, but it wasn’t until 1967 that he officially joined the Club.
Bourke’s father, Frank, had been a talented full-forward for Richmond in the 1940s, whose league career was cut short because of a serious knee injury.
After starting the 1967 season in the reserves, Francis Bourke was named as 19th man for his senior debut with the Tigers in the Round 5 match against Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday, May 13.
In Elliot Cartledge’s excellent book, ‘The Hafey Years’, Bourke described the emotions he felt upon learning of his inaugural senior selection.
“On the Thursday night before my first game, I heard my name on 3DB (Melbourne radio station). That was the way it was done,” Bourke said.
“I went to bed that excited, I could hardly sleep, and dreamt that I slept in the following night and missed the game.
“The next night I was so terrified I was going to sleep in that I hardly slept at all.”
Despite his lack of sleep, Bourke produced an encouraging first-up performance.
The 20-year-old was introduced to the on-field action after quarter-time, as a replacement for dashing half-back flanker Graham Burgin, who had suffered a knee injury.
In three quarters of football, Bourke had nine kicks, three handballs, took one mark and kicked a goal.
Richmond crushed Hawthorn by 75 points that day, with star rover Kevin Bartlett booting six goals in a brilliant display, and the likes of John Northey, Roger Dean, Dick Clay, ‘Bull’ Richardson and Barry Richardson also exerting a significant influence.
Bourke not only maintained his place in the senior side for the rest of the season, he had a key impact.
Interestingly, he had a few games as a forward pocket/second rover to Bartlett, before being switched to a wing by coach, Tommy Hafey, in a move that proved to be a masterstroke.
By season’s end, Bourke had established himself as an integral part of Richmond’s line-up in his wingman role.
He was a key member of the Tigers’ drought-breaking ’67 premiership side, forming a centreline with Bill Barrot and Dick Clay that was to achieve legendary status.
Throughout the next 14 seasons, Francis Bourke carved out a magnificent playing career at Richmond, winning a further four premierships, a Best and Fairest award, and captaining the Club.
Bourke subsequently had a two-year senior coaching stint with the Tigers, guiding them into the 1982 Grand Final, before vacating the post at the end of the 1983 season.
The accolades kept coming for ‘St Francis’, as he’s affectionately known, in the ensuing years . . . induction into the Australian Football Hall of Fame and Richmond’s Hall of Fame, selection in the AFL Team of the Century and the Tigers’ Team of the Century, and elevation to ‘Immortal’ status at Tigerland.
Given Bourke’s outstanding Yellow and Black achievements, it’s well worth reflecting on the start of his league football journey, 50 years ago today . . .
Richmond v Fitzroy Round 5, 1967 match details
Richmond 5.6 7.10 10.14 16.22 (118)
Hawthorn 1.4 3.10 5.11 5.13 (43)
Goals – Richmond: Bartlett 6, Davenport 3, Northey 2, Bourke, Hart, Patterson, A. Richardson, B. Richardson.
Leading possession-winners – Richmond: Clay 27, Bartlett 23, Dean 23, Jewell 21, Northey 21, B. Richardson 21, A. Richardson 20.
Goals – Hawthorn: Gay 2, Hudson 2, Crimmins.
Leading possession-winners – Hawthorn: Arthur 22, Meagher 21, Olsson 18.
MCG crowd: 27,175
Francis Bourke profile
Born: 2/4/1947
Height: 185cm
Playing weight: 82.5kg
Recruited to Richmond from: Nathalia
Guernsey number at Richmond: No. 30
Senior games at Richmond (1967-1981): 300
Goals: 71
Honors at Richmond: Five-time premiership player (1967, 1969, 1973, 1974, 1980); Best and Fairest winner in 1970; Club captain 1976-1977; Victorian State representative 13 times; Richmond senior coach 1982-1983; RFC Life Member; inaugural Australian Football Hall of Fame inductee; member of the AFL Team of the Century; member of Richmond’s Team of the Century; inaugural RFC Hall of Fame member; RFC ‘Immortal’.
