May 9, 1931 ranks as of one of the most momentous days in Richmond’s proud league football history.
It was on this day that the Tigers took on North Melbourne at Punt Road in Round 2 of the ’31 season.
Richmond, having finished third in 1930, started the new season with a nine-point win against Carlton at Princes Park, while North Melbourne, last (12th of 12) the previous year, opened with a 52-point loss to South Melbourne at Arden Street.
Not surprisingly then, the Tigers went into this Round 2 encounter at home as decisive favourites.
What was to transpire, however, over the course of that afternoon, was something not even the most one-eyed Tiger could have imagined.
Richmond would go on to break the league record for the highest match score, secure its biggest-ever win, a second-gamer would kick the most goals by a Tigers player in a game, and the man regarded as the greatest to ever pull on the famous Yellow and Black guernsey, would make his senior debut for the Club.
The Tigers jumped North with a 5.7 to 0.1 opening quarter, and by half-time had increased their lead to a staggering 107 points – 17.9 to 0.4.
Although the visitors finally broke their goal drought in the third quarter, they trailed by a whopping 129 points at the last change – 22.14 to 2.5.
By the time the final siren sounded, Richmond’s advantage had blown out to a massive 168 points – 30.19 (199) to 4.7 (31).
Chief beneficiary of the Tigers’ total dominance all over the field that day was teenage full-forward Doug Strang.
The 18-year-old, who along with older brother Gordon, had arrived at Tigerland from country club Albury for the 1931 season, scored four goals in a promising debut against the Blues in the opening round.
Little would young Strang have known that, just a week later, he’d be rewriting the Richmond record books with a stunning goalkicking display.
Strang marked everything that came his way against the hapless Northerners, and there was certainly no shortage of leather supply from the Tigers’ dominant midfield.
He was bang on target, too, booting his 14 goals from 16 shots in a breathtaking display that sent Richmond fans into a frenzy of excitement.
Ninety years on, that remains the Club’s record for the most goals kicked in a senior game.
The great Jack Titus (full-forward in the Richmond Team of the Century) booted a ‘lazy’ eight goals, to complement Strang’s 14-goal avalanche.
Richmond’s final score of 30.19 (199) was to remain a league record for 38 years, until broken by Carlton in a 1969 fixture against Hawthorn.
It wasn’t until the Tigers’ 1980 premiership year that they managed to top that Round 2, 1931 score (34.18 against St Kilda in Round 16).
That winning margin of 168 points against North remains the greatest in the Club’s league football history.
The other highlight of that historic early May day in ’31 (although not recognised as such at the time) was the senior debut of a gangly 17-year-old by the name of Jack Dyer.
Given the massive impact Dyer was later to have with the Tigers, and on the game in general, it was a very humble beginning for the man who subsequently became known as “Captain Blood”.
Selected as 19th man, Dyer spent the entire match on the bench. He waited in vain for his chance to be part of the action, watching in awe as Richmond demolished North Melbourne.
Dyer was dropped to the seconds the following week and didn’t make his way back into the senior side until the return clash with North Melbourne that season, at Arden Street. He starred in that match and the rest, as they say, is history . . .
Here is The Age match report of the memorable May 9, 1931 Richmond v North Melbourne clash . . .
“The mastery of Richmond over the visiting North Melbourne combination was so complete that the contest requires no description. Richmond inflicted the most crushing defeat North Melbourne have sustained since their entry into League company.
After a rather poor opening Richmond settled down, and soon it was evident that the home side were at the top of their form. The local high fliers were capturing extraordinary marks, and the team co-operated splendidly with faultless passing, kicking and position play. Playing the fast, open game, Richmond had 5.7 on the board before North secured their only point for the term.
The home side in the next term were invincible, and completely subjugated the opposition in every department. Accurate shooting by Titus, D. Strang and Weidner resulted in 10 goals straight being added, and the term ended with Richmond 17.9 to 4 points.
After half time the only interest remaining in the match was centred round the possibility of Richmond eclipsing South Melbourne’s record, and how many goals D. Strang would be successful in securing. His every move was greeted with a roar, and when he kicked a goal or even marked the ball the Richmond supporters cheered themselves hoarse. In all he secured 14 goals.
Richmond were in superlative form on Saturday, and have never appeared to greater advantage. Their system was perfect, and the Foster, Titus and D. Strang combination was their most telling asset. All the others played their best football, and were seldom beaten. North were best served by Lewis, McCabe, Jackson, Huggins and Cameron, but the others were completely overshadowed by their brilliant opponents.”
Doug Strang went on to become a key member of Richmond’s 1932 premiership side (four goals in the ’32 GF v Carlton), a three-time winner of the Club’s Leading Goalkicker award, and he finished his league career at the end of the 1935 season, with 64 games and 181 goals to his credit.
Gordon Strang developed into a star key-position player for the Club. He was a dual premiership player (1932, 1934), and gained selection at centre half-back in the Tigers’ Team of the Century.
Legendary Collingwood coach Jock McHale said of the Strang brothers: “I have never seen two recruits from the bush come into a league side and shine like they did”.
Three decades later, Doug’s son, Geoff, was a member of Richmond’s 1967 and 1969 premiership sides (a dashing half-back in both).
Round 2, 1931 match details
Richmond 5.7 17.9 22.14 30.19 (199)
North Melbourne 0.1 0.4 2.5 4.7 (31)
Goals – Richmond: D. Strang 14, Titus 8, Weidner 3, Hunter 3, Baggott, Zschech.
