This isn’t the first time in its league football history Richmond has faced the Swans in a do-or-die final round encounter.  Tony Greenberg reports.

It’s exactly 67 years ago tomorrow that Richmond played the original Swans, South Melbourne, in a must-win, last-round clash.

The match took place at Punt Road Oval on Saturday, August 30, 1947, with the equation for Richmond a little more complicated than this year’s ‘win and you’re in’ situation.

After losing four of the opening five games of the ’47 season, the Tigers had gradually clawed their way back into contention.

With two rounds to go, however, in what was a 19-round season that year, they were still a game plus percentage out of the final four (as it was back in those days).

A thumping 74-point victory over arch-rival Collingwood, at Punt Road Oval, in the second-last round, brought Richmond to within two points of the Magpies, who dropped to fourth, with just one game to go.

So, the Tigers had to defeat South Melbourne at Punt Road, but also rely on Collingwood losing to Essendon at Victoria Park.

Admittedly, both scenarios were the favored way to go, with the Swans sitting below Richmond, in ninth place on the ladder, while Essendon was in second spot. 

But it was still a particularly anxious time for Tiger supporters, as they headed to Punt Road on that last Saturday in August 1947, to watch their heroes do battle with the Swans, and to listen out for word on how the Magpies were faring . . .

By half-time, their nerves had grown significantly, with the Tigers trailing the Swans by four points and Collingwood leading Essendon by 17 points.

Richmond gained control of the contest in the third quarter, kicking 5.7 to 2.5, to take a 16-point advantage into the final change. 

At nearby Victoria Park, however, the finals picture had become decidedly bleak for the Yellow and Black faithful, with the Magpies increasing their lead over Essendon to 23 points at three-quarter time.

Collingwood, at home in front of its adoring parochial crowd, seemed well and truly set to stitch up fourth place on the ladder.

The last quarter at Punt Road was unusual, to say the least . . .

With Richmond continuing to pull away from the Swans, all Tiger eyes, ears, minds and hearts turned to the events unfolding down the road at Victoria Park.

And, the news from that traditionally hostile territory, was starting to fill the Tiger faithful with renewed hope.

Essendon, finally, had managed to find form, and was storming home. 

By late in the final term, the Bombers had crept to within just one point, before the Magpies kicked a steadying goal.

But, just when it looked as though they would hang on, and deny Richmond a finals berth, Essendon surged again, applying relentless pressure.

Collingwood cracked under the strain, conceding the last two goals of the match to the Bombers, who got up in the end by seven points.

Richmond had kept its part of the bargain by scoring a comfortable 34-point win against the Swans – 16.17 (113) to 11.13 (79).

So, after a drama-filled final day of the 1947 home-and-away season, the Tigers had squeezed into the final four by the skin of their teeth.

Here’s how leading Melbourne newspaper of the time, ‘The Argus’, reported Richmond’s nail-biting finish to the season . . .

“Richmond did little before half-time against South Melbourne to brighten the hopes of their supporters, but a dashing finish offset all their earlier mistakes. In the last quarter they won everywhere, scoring 5.3 to Castle's two goals for South. 

While Richmond always appeared stronger, and were more evenly balanced, most of their early attacks were spoiled by inaccurate shortpassing, and a general weakness at half-forward. South did nothing spectacular, but, making fewer mistakes, led by four points at half-time.

Five successive shots for goals brought only behinds for Richmond in the third term, but once over this lapse they scored almost at will. Perkins (half-back flank), and Fraser (centre half-forward) began to take a more active part in the game, and, with the help of Mooney, who was scarcely sighted early, Richmond forged ahead to win easily . . .

Thousands of spectators at Richmond wondered what all the cheering was about in the last quarter, when there was so little in the play to merit wild excitement.

Densely packed sections of the crowd had transferred their interest to the Collingwood-Essendon match, and were listening in with portable wireless sets. Each time Essendon scored the cheering was renewed, because every Richmond supporter realised that, with Richmond already certain of victory, a place in the four depended upon the defeat of Collingwood.

Supporters were aware of the Essendon victory before the final bell sounded at Richmond, and many of them raced on to the ground to inform players of the great news, but thousands waited until after the match for the official scores to be recorded.

Essendon’s champion captain-coach at the time, triple Brownlow Medallist, Dick Reynolds, in his regular column for The Argus, wrote:

“WHEN we defeated Collingwood on Saturday we not only retained the double chance – we put Collingwood out and Richmond in the VFL four.

We were trailing for three quarters, and It was only a remarkable recovery in the last quarter that gave us victory. Collingwood, with their fast and clever small players, were the better side for that period and had us in trouble. It was only our solid defence and the outstanding play of Bushby that kept us in the fight. In the final quarter we struck our real form – it has been missing since our return from the West.

Collingwood are unfortunate. I thought they were certain to finish second, but they passed through a stale period, which proved fatal.

I am most confident about our future games now that we are in top form and have the double chance.

Carlton have earned top place. They are so well balanced and are so fast that I regard them as our greatest danger.

The performance of Richmond in reaching the final four has been remarkable. They passed through two bad periods, at one stage being as low as ninth, and were considered "no hopers." By reorganising their side and by great determination and fighting spirit, they have deservedly won a place in the semi-final.”


Round 19, 1947 Richmond v South Melbourne details
Richmond           4.5          6.7          11.14     16.17  (113)
South Melb.       4.2          7.5          9.10        11.13  (79)
Goals – Richmond:  Taylor 5, Fraser 4, Wilson 3, Mooney 2, Currie, Oppy.
Best – Richmond:  Morris, Perkins, Merrett, Burge, Taylor, Wilson, Durham.
Crowd:  22,000