Matthew Parker’s recent arrival at Richmond via the AFL’s mid-season rookie draft further enhanced the long-standing strong connection between the Tigers and WAFL club South Fremantle.
Parker returned to South Fremantle after being delisted by St Kilda at the end of last season and caught the eye of the Tiger talent scouts with his impressive form for the WA Bulldogs this year.
He joins his old Bulldog teammate and close friend Marlion Pickett at Tigerland, along with another former South Fremantle player in Shai Bolton.
Pickett and Bolton are both dual Richmond premiership players (2019, 2020).
Three other players recruited by Richmond from South Fremantle went on to be Tiger premiership players – Norm McIntosh 1921, Colin Beard 1969 and Bruce Monteath 1980 (captain).
Another of Richmond’s South Fremantle recruits – Maurice Rioli – was awarded the Norm Smith Medal for his brilliant exhibition in the Tigers’ 1982 Grand Final loss to Carlton. And Rioli also won two Jack Dyer Medals during his time at Punt Road (1982 and 1983).
There’s been a host of other WA Bulldogs-turned Victorian Tigers, including 2001 Jack Dyer Medallist Darren Gaspar, Stevan Jackson, Stephen Jurica, Wayne Hernaman, Andrew Krakouer and Marty McGrath.
