Following the launch of the Fighting Tiger Fund around this time 10 years ago, Tony Greenberg wrote a passionate piece for The Fighting Tiger magazine about the pivotal role it would play in Richmond’s restoration as a powerhouse of the AFL competition. Here, under the heading “Reignite the might!”, is that article in full . . .

Those Richmond supporters who experienced the greatest era in the Club’s history – the five premierships from 1967-80 – do not need reminding of just how big the Tigers can be when they’re up and about.

Unfortunately, however, there is a whole generation of Tiger fans, who know of Richmond success only through televised Grand Final marathons, or via the history books.

With Richmond’s recent launch of the Fighting Tiger Fund, designed to generate the necessary financial support to provide the Club with the best possible chance of achieving sustained success in the modern football era, it’s well worth taking a look back . . . 

I am one of those Yellow and Black barrackers fortunate enough to have lived through the golden years and, even though they were a long time ago now, the memories are indelibly etched in my mind . . .

There was the total majesty of Royce Hart’s play at centre half-forward, Kevin Bartlett’s weekly dose of “leather poisoning”, as he racked up possession after possession, Francis Bourke’s inspirational courage, Bill Barrot’s exuberant, match-winning qualities, Dick Clay’s lightning pace and booming kicks, Kevin Sheedy’s bold aggression, Michael Green’s aerial dominance, Ian Stewart’s superb silky skills, Neil Balme’s special blend of ruggedness and raw talent, and then, towards the end of the era, Michael Roach’s marking and goalkicking prowess, Dale Weightman’s craftiness and creativity, Geoff Raines’ sheer class, Mark Lee’s athleticism and thumping ruck hit-outs, and Jimmy Jess’s X-factor, crowd-pleasing capabilities.

Then, of course, there was Tommy Hafey, the coach of four of those triumphant Tiger teams.  Hafey’s ability to train his players to peak at the business end of the season, was legendary.  The Hafey-coached Richmond sides were super-fit, strong, ruthless, relentless and uncompromising.  They had enormous belief in their ability to overcome any opposition and, to our great delight, they usually did. 

From 1971-75, the Tigers did not miss the finals.  They finished third in ’71 and ’75, runners-up in ’72, and won back-to-back flags in 1973-74.  In that five-year period, they won 91 of 125 games, with one draw, for a winning strike-rate of just on 73%.

Richmond was the competition pacesetter back then, both on-field and off-field . . .

We were the first league club to attract attendances of more than one million in a season when, in 1972, 1,008,855 went through the gates to watch the Tigers in action.

The following season, we did even better, attracting a combined crowd total of 1,041,580.

As an indication of just how significant that Richmond achievement was, the magical million mark for attendances wasn’t reached by Collingwood until 1977, Essendon didn’t hit it until 1993, and it took Carlton until 1995 to get there.

In the 1970s, Richmond also became the first club to put a sponsor’s logo (CUB) on its playing guernsey, and those “Tigers of Old” were renowned for their innovative marketing ploys.

A decade earlier, Richmond was the first league club to enter into a full-time ground rationalisation scheme, when it became an MCG co-tenant with Melbourne.  That was to be the catalyst for the Tigers’ resounding success over the next couple of decades.

To be a Tiger supporter during that time was exhilarating and enormously enjoyable.  We revelled in the fact Richmond was the most feared team in the competition, and the subsequent bragging rights that came our way . . .

But that was then . . . this is now.

A lack of success over the past three decades has had a major adverse effect on the Club’s finances.

You all know the story . . . just two finals campaigns (1995 and 2001) since our 1982 Grand Final appearance.  Even Fitzroy has appeared in more finals during that period, and it went out of business in 1996!

Notwithstanding the AFL’s desire to ensure an even competition, via the drafting system and salary cap, the fact still remains that the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer.

Reigning premier Collingwood’s football department expenditure in 2010 topped $19 million – the most of any club in the competition – and over $2million more than Richmond’s.

It’s estimated that over the past 10 years, Collingwood has spent $8million more on its football department than the Tigers have.

As the Club’s CEO, Brendon Gale, said when the Fighting Tiger Fund was launched: “There is a clear correlation between the amount you are prepared to invest in your football department and your likelihood of success on-field.  We are at a stage now where we need to invest in our football club and we need to grow our football club.

“If we invest and we are intelligent and rational, we will get the results we are looking for.  I am absolutely confident in that.

“Unless we take very significant steps right now to build our financial strength, we are unlikely to deliver our football department with critical resources that they need to build a side and a program that can go on to win premierships . . .

“Richmond has a range of assets that provide a wonderful foundation for us to build upon.

“To complete the picture, we must remove debt and provide football with the resources to give our young group the best possible chance of succeeding.

“We simply must make our move NOW or risk condemning ourselves to mediocrity in an increasingly competitive market.”

I see many similarities between the current Richmond playing group and the emerging Tigers of the mid-1960s under then new coach Tommy Hafey.

The likes of Bartlett, Bourke, Clay, Hart, Green, Sheedy, B. Richardson, Burgin, and Strang, all came through the Punt Road system together in that time, and would go on to be instrumental in Richmond premiership success, supported by seasoned Tiger campaigners such as Swift, Dean, Guinane, Barrot, ‘Bull’ Richardson, Patterson and Brown.

Today, we have the likes of Riewoldt, Cotchin, Martin, Edwards, Astbury, Vickery and Conca, backed by the more experienced Newman, Foley, Deledio, Jackson, Tuck and Moore.

I also believe there are clear parallels between Hafey and current-day coach, Damien Hardwick, particularly with regards to their football principles, and ability to extract the maximum out of the talent at their disposal.

Hafey instilled a wonderful team-first attitude into his players, and Hardwick is following suit at Tigerland four decades on.

But if Hardwick is to lead the Tigers into the “promised land”, as Hafey did so superbly from the late 1960s through to the mid-70s, the Club must, firstly, eradicate its debt, and then, secondly, build a strong financial position.

There’s a real sense of deja vu about this at Tigerland, too . . .

I delved into the archives and discovered an interview the Club’s great administrator, Graeme Richmond, had done with Lou Richards in ‘The Sun’ newspaper, on the eve of the 1973 Grand Final.

In that article, GR outlined the turning point that had led to the Tigers’ revival back then after a lengthy period in the football wilderness . . .

“I woke up to the fact that money was coming into the game 20 years ago,” he said.

“I decided, quite coldly, that money was the thing that could lift the Tigers out of the doldrums.

“I was sick of defeat.

“It’s a terrible feeling being part of a team or a club, which believes it’s not good enough.

“No one wanted to know Richmond 20 years ago.  The Tigers were ashamed of themselves.

“Sure, I know people say we’re arrogant and over-confident now, but you have to understand that changing from a bad team to a good one is like changing your politics or your religion.

“You become more fanatical . . .”

In years to come, we may well look back at the Fighting Tiger Fund as the catalyst for the next Yellow and Black golden era.

Given the impact of COVID-19, and our ambition to remain at the forefront of Australian sporting clubs, the Fighting Tiger Fund is no less important today. The coming years will be critical to ensure that we do not forfeit our hard-earned position of strength and our ability to pursue our strategic priorities that will underpin Premiership success. If you'd like to make a contribution please visit the Fighting Tiger Fund homepage.