To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Tigers’ 1969 premiership, richmondfc.com.au is transporting Yellow and Black barrackers back in time throughout 2019 to follow the Punt Road path to that fabulous flag triumph. Today, we look at Footy Week’s summary of the Tigers’ Round 14 match in the ’69 season against North Melbourne. The clash took place at Arden Street on Saturday, July 12, 1969, before a crowd of 10,597. Here’s how Footy Week scribe, Pat Scanlon, reviewed Richmond’s thumping 69-point win under the heading: “TIGERS STILL IN IT” . . .
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“Don’t write off Richmond for the 1969 flag. The Tigers gave notice on Saturday that they intend to be right in it.
Richmond trounced North Melbourne, who can now forget about 1969 and start thinking about 1970. They have several prospects who could make them a real force next season.
Richmond took the field with the line-up as announced on Thursday night, but North made a few pre-match changes, with Sam Kekovich going to centre half-forward and Peter Steward to centre half-back against Royce Hart.
North started well enough, with Darryl O’Brien in the centre, and Geoff Bryant giving them drive. But they fell down at centre half-forward, where Ian Owen had the measure of Kekovich.
The Kangas were going in harder than Richmond and it was well into the first quarter before the Tigers hit their straps.
Steward at least broke even with Hart early, but Kevin Bartlett and Billy Brown were combining well for Richmond.
North had a handy lead at the first change, but they were never in the game after that.
Mike Green won in the ruck all day. The Kangaroos swung Kekovich on to the ball in an attempt to lift their ruck play, but the Tigers were too strong. Kekovich was beaten by every opponent he played against and was taken off, apparently uninjured at three-quarter time.
Dick Clay was another Richmond star. In fact, the Tigers had winning players in nearly every position.
Laurie Dwyer was one of the few North players who won consistently. Bryant and Mike Dowdle were also good players for North.
North tried Kekovich at full-forward for the third quarter, hoping to take advantage of the strong wind. But the Tigers’ centreline and half-backs were too strong, and Kekovich must have felt pretty lonely.
With the wind behind them in the final quarter, Richmond did what they liked. Green finished off a first-class performance with three good goals.
Hart left the field early in the last quarter and was replaced by Mike Perry. In the closing stages, Tom Hafey took off Kevin Bartlett, not because of injury, but because he must have just about worn his boots out with his multitude of kicks.
It was an impressive performance by Richmond, who are making every post a winner in the race for final-four berths.
And it was a bitter blow for North, who started the season with such a blaze of glory.”
Match details
Richmond 2.4 8.10 10.12 17.15 (117)
North Melb. 4.7 5.8 6.10 6.12 (48)
Goals – Richmond: Judd 3, Green 3, Bourke 2, Dean 2, Brown 2, Barrot, Hart, Hunt, Bartlett, M. Perry.
Best – Richmond: Green, Clay, Bartlett, Dean, Barrot, Owen.
Richmond player statistics
Kevin Sheedy: 14 kicks, 4 handballs, 6 marks
Barry Richardson: 7 kicks, 2 handballs, 3 marks
Colin Beard: 9 kicks, 2 handballs, 3 marks
Geoff Strang: 11 kicks, 1 handball, 4 marks
Ian Owen: 8 kicks, 3 handballs, 2 marks
John Ferguson: 10 kicks, 0 handballs, 1 mark
Francis Bourke: 16 kicks, 4 handballs, 4 marks
Bill Barrot: 15 kicks, 4 handballs, 1 mark
Dick Clay: 25 kicks, 1 handball, 9 marks
Roger Dean: 15 kicks, 7 handballs, 3 marks
Royce Hart: 17 kicks, 4 handballs, 4 marks
Wayne Judd: 17 kicks, 2 handballs, 5 marks
John Ronaldson: 6 kicks, 0 handballs, 1 mark
Rex Hunt: 6 kicks, 0 handballs, 5 marks
Billy Brown: 11 kicks, 4 handballs, 4 marks
Mike Green: 18 kicks, 5 handballs, 15 marks
Mike Bowden: 13 kicks, 11 handballs, 5 marks
Kevin Bartlett: 20 kicks, 3 handballs, 5 marks
Mike Perry, 19th man: 2 kicks, 1 handball, 0 marks
Graham Robbins, 20th man: 0 kicks, 0 handballs, 0 marks
