With the Tigers hunting a third consecutive premiership this year, Tony Greenberg takes a look at how their two previous attempts at a ‘threepeat’, in 1922 and 1975, turned out.

Richmond unfurled its 1921 premiership flag in the opening round of the 1922 season against arch-rival Collingwood at Punt Road before a crowd of 27,000 on Saturday, May 6.

The Tigers, having defeated the Magpies in the 1920 Grand Final to claim their inaugural VFL premiership, made it back-to-back flags with victory over Carlton in the 1921 GF.

With spearhead George Bayliss delivering a dominant seven-goal display, Richmond scored a 17-point win against Collingwood in the 1922 season-opener – 10.13 (73) to 8.8 (56).

It was Richmond’s ninth win on-the-trot – a Club record at the time – and all seemed good at Tigerland, with Dan Minogue at the helm as captain-coach, in the quest of that third successive premiership.

A two-point loss to Melbourne at the MCG the following Saturday, however, was a frustrating sign of things to come for the Tigers over the course of the rest of the season.

The next week, Richmond went down to Geelong by two points at Corio Oval, and nine days later, on the King’s Birthday Monday holiday, it came up 10 points short against Essendon at Punt Road in front of a record crowd for the ground of 40,000. That broke a run of 11 consecutive victories over Essendon by the Tigers. 

In what was a 16-game season that year (nine clubs competed), Richmond ended up losing four matches by less than three goals (and another by 19 points) to finish in fifth place on the ladder at the completion of the home-and-away rounds (three games out of the final four), with seven wins, nine losses and a percentage of 92.0.

Bayliss was Richmond’s leading goalkicker for the season with 32 goals, the Club’s membership tally that year was 5,749, and champion full-back Vic Thorp became the first Tiger to reach the 200-game milestone in VFL ranks (v Essendon, Round 5, Punt Road).

Forty-three years later, Richmond went in search of the premiership hat-trick ‘Holy Grail’ for a second time.

The terrific Tommy Hafey-coached Tigers, having beaten Carlton in the 1973 Grand Final and North Melbourne in the 1974 premiership-decider, started their 1975 campaign against Fitzroy at the Junction Oval on Saturday, April 5.

They survived a determined challenge by the Lions, defeating them by five points – 15.13 (103) to 14.14 (98) – with former Footscray captain David Thorpe starring. Thorpe had 34 disposals and booted four goals in a typically classy exhibition.

Another highlight of Richmond’s win in the opening round of the ’75 season was the impressive VFL debuts of star interstate pair Bruce Monteath and Neville Roberts.

Monteath, recruited from WAFL club South Fremantle, had 20 disposals, while Roberts, from SANFL club West Torrens, finished with 12 touches and two goals.

In Round 2 the following week, the Tigers unfurled their 1974 premiership flag against Geelong at the MCG, and they celebrated the occasion with a decisive 40-point win – 15.22 (112) to 10.12 (72).

Thorpe again was excellent with 30 disposals and a goal, while inspirational captain and champion centre half-forward Royce Hart kicked five goals in another superb showing.

Richmond’s form fluctuated throughout the home-and-away rounds, but it managed to win 13 of 22 games and clinch fourth place in the then final five.

The Tigers fronted up against Collingwood in the elimination final at Waverley Park and looked home and hosed at half-time when they led by 32 points.

But it was all the Magpies in the second half, and they seemed set for a famous comeback victory, before a goal by young, strongly-built ruck-rover Bill Nettlefold, late in the final term, sealed a narrow Richmond win – 11.11 (77) to 10.13 (73).

Talented, young forward Allan Edwards, with three goals, and champion rover Kevin Bartlett, 20 disposals and two goals, were prominent performers for the Tigers.

Seven days later, Richmond took on its other long-time foe Carlton in a do-or-die, semi-final clash at the MCG.

A crowd of 76,967, on a wet September Saturday afternoon, saw an inaccurate Tigers team emerge victorious by nine points – 9.17 (71) to 9.8 (62).

Bartlett, with 25 disposals and star midfielder Paul Sproule, 27 disposals and three goals, played significant roles in Richmond’s semi-final success.

The premiership hat-trick dream for the Tigers was well and truly alive, as they made the trek out to Waverley Park to do battle with North Melbourne in the 1975 preliminary final.

Although ‘Hafey’s Heroes’ were well short of their best form on the day, they kept persisting and reduced a 26-point deficit midway through the third quarter to just one goal late in the final term.

The predominantly pro-Richmond crowd of 71,130 roared themselves hoarse in anticipation of a stirring come-from-behind victory.

It was not to be, however, with the Roos steadying and running out 17-point winners – 10.16 (76) to 8.11 (59).

Allan Edwards was the Tigers’ leading goalkicker in the preliminary final with four goals, while his more experienced teammate Wayne Walsh produced a top-class 24-disposal display.

Bartlett won Richmond’s goalkicking award for the season with 42 goals, Kevin Morris took out the Jack Dyer Medal and the Club’s membership tally was 11,008.

No review of the 1975 season at Tigerland would be complete without mention of the controversial John Pitura trade deal.

The South Melbourne star had been relentlessly chased by Richmond for more than a year, and in May 1975 the Tigers finally got their man, releasing three players to the Swans in exchange for him – Brian ‘The Whale’ Roberts, Graham Teasdale and Francis Jackson – as well as paying a substantial transfer fee.

Pitura played 12 games for the Tigers in the ’75 season and just 40 all-up for the Club. At the other end of the football scale, Roberts went on to finish equal sixth in the 1975 Brownlow Medal, Teasdale won the 1977 Brownlow, and Jackson had a fine 100-game career with South Melbourne.