Richmond fans watched with immense pride during the Tokyo Olympics as our AFLW recruit Tessa Lavey participated in her second Olympics for the Australian Opals Basketball Team.

And it got many Tiger fans asking – what has been the history of the Richmond Football Club, and the Olympics?

A deep dive through the club’s archive has brought to the surface quite a few (and no doubt incomplete) Olympic connections.

Tom Bolger, who represented Australia in wrestling at the 1928 Olympics was the brother of champion backman, and club Hall of Famer Martin Bolger, as the papers liked to remind Tiger fans of the day.

Richmond’s head trainer and masseur of 15 years, Ernie Saunders, accompanied the Australian contingent to the 1936 Berlin Olympics on the RMS Mongolia. He stepped down from his role at Richmond for that year.

Saunders was in high demand in the sporting world by the Australian Cricket Team, and John Marshall who won silver and bronze in swimming at the 1948 Olympics.

The 1956 Melbourne Olympics have a very strong Richmond connection.

Prior to the Opening Ceremony on November 22, all the athletics waited on the Punt Road Oval before they marched into to the MCG. Participants arrived at 1.30pm, to begin assembling by 2pm. Between 3.20 and 4.10pm all participants, in formation, marched along a “special race” connecting the ground to the MCG.

Working at the Melbourne Olympics was Vern Vivian, the doctor for all gymnastic events held at Festival Hall. He would later become Richmond’s Honorary Medical Officer from 1965-69.

The Games also included a demonstration of Australian Rules Football. Played on December 7, it pitted a VFL/VFA team against a Victorian Amateur Football Association.

The VFL/VFA side included Tiger players Brian Davie (1953-59), Frank Dunin (1953, 1955-59), Ray Allsopp (1955-59), and Vic Naismith (1956-58). The trainer was Tiger Hall of Famer Charlie Callander.

Naismith had actually been training to represent Australia in the javelin, until he injured his shoulder carrying a 150-pound bag of flour while working as a baker. His Olympic football guernsey is held at the club for a future display in the Museum.

Robert Kabbas, who won a silver in weightlifting at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, did so by using Richmond’s Punt Road gymnasium as his training base. The club gave him his own key to the gymnasium. He spent 4 years training there twice a day.

Gael Martin, who won a bronze medal in shot put at the 1984 Olympics, also called the Richmond gymnasium her home during that period of training.

Debbie Flintoff-King who famously won the Gold Medal in the 400m Hurdles at Seoul in 1988, is the daughter of Les Flintoff, a former player who become a key recruiter for the club during the success of the 1960s and 1970s.

Shane Perkins, who won Bronze in the individual cycling Men’s Sprint at the 2012 London Olympics, is the grandson of Polly Perkins – Richmond’s 1943 premiership player.

Tamsyn Manou, who ran in the 800m at 3 consecutive Olympics (2000, 2004, 2008), the 400m (2008), and the 4x 400m relay (2000), and who commentated the athletics competition at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics with Bruce McAvaney, is the granddaughter of Allen Lewis who played for Richmond in 1944. Her father, Greg Lewis (Allen’s son), also represented Australia at the 1968 Olympics in the 100m and 200m sprints.

Ian Macindoe, club physiotherapist and Life Member, looked after the Australian baseball team for the 1996 Olympics. He passed away in July 2021.

Daniel Sproule, a member of the 1996 and 2000 bronze medal Kookaburras hockey team, is the son of champion Tiger Paul Sproule (1973 and 1974 premiership ).