Bill Barrot, who passed away earlier today (Tuesday, November 29), was the most electrifying Richmond player I’ve seen in my half-century of Yellow and Black barracking.

There have been more skilful, polished and consistent performers over those four decades, but in sheer terms of taking a game by the scruff of the neck, and setting the Tigers alight, ‘Bustling Billy’ was a stand-out.

For those Richmond supporters who didn’t have the good fortune of seeing Barrot in full flight, I’d compare his explosive playing style with that of current-day Tiger star Dustin Martin, in terms of their capacity to be dominant through the midfield, as well as mighty dangerous when shifted deep forward, due to their awesome power in one-on-one duels.

‘Bugsy’, as he also was affectionately known, was an out-and-out match-winner, who loved nothing better than strutting his stuff on centre stage at the MCG in September in front of a huge crowd.

He was the driving force behind Richmond’s drought-breaking 1967 premiership triumph, producing a superb best-on-ground display in that Grand Final epic against Geelong.

His match statistics in the ’67 Grand Final were impressive enough – 27 possessions, seven marks and one goal – but they alone don’t do justice to the crucial role he played on the day.

It was Barrot’s aggression, energy, exuberance and win-at-all-costs attitude that did so much to propel the Tigers to premiership glory.

Two years later, Barrot rose to the challenge again in brilliant fashion on that “one day in September 1969” . . . 

After a relatively quiet start to the big game against Richmond’s arch rival, Carlton, Barrot was switched from his customary role in the centre, to full-forward, where he lined up on rugged Blues’ full-back Wes Lofts.

This was a move Richmond coach Tommy Hafey had made a month earlier in a must-win home-and-away game against Carlton at Princes Park, when the team was about six goals down during the second quarter. Barrot went on to kick eight goals from full-forward and inspire the Tigers to a memorable win, which clinched a finals berth for them.

In the ’69 GF, the same positional change had a similarly positive effect . . .

Within a matter of minutes, after being swung to full-forward in the second quarter, Barrot turned the tide of the game, booting two goals and setting up another vital six-pointer for the side.

After the first of his goals, a fired-up Barrot stuck one finger in the air and yelled at Lofts that there was more to come. The Tigers supporters roared their approval, and the team responded in superb style.

Barrot finished the Grand Final with three team-lifting goals and plenty of accolades for the part he’d played in a second Richmond premiership in the space of three seasons.

It was vintage Bugsy, further underlining his inspirational qualities and his connection with the Tiger Army.

As he said years later in an interview:  “I grabbed the energy of the crowd – the for and against energy – and made it happen. Supporters in those days used to really barrack. I was that high on adrenalin that my feet never touched the ground . . . The way I played football was kill or be killed. I played like a gladiator and trained like that, too. Every week I was told someone was going to knock my block off. As long as we won, I didn’t mind.”

It was that gladiatorial approach to the game, which so endeared Billy Barrot to members of the Tiger faith, such as yours truly.

Rest in peace, Billy.