To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Tigers’ 1973 premiership, Richmond Media is transporting Yellow and Black barrackers back in time throughout 2023 to follow the Punt Road path to that fabulous flag triumph. Today we delve back into the Age newspaper’s archives for a review by Paul Speelman of Richmond’s Round 10, 1973 match against South Melbourne at the Lake Oval.

Much-maligned South Melbourne should take a bow for its last quarter effort against the arrogant Tigers at the Lakeside Oval on Saturday.

Nobody could have blamed it if it had thrown the towel in after half a game with only three points on the board, and after trailing by 56 points at three-quarter time.

But the Swans didn’t give up. And they got their reward. After outscoring Richmond by about seven goals to one with only about 10 minutes to go, they had narrowed the gap to a mere 16 points.

Richmond scored a couple of steadying goals, but the fright might have convinced the Tigers once and for all that you can’t lie down on the job.

Apart from one bright spot it was a thoroughly bad day for the Tigers.

The first blow came after only one minute when captain Royce Hart, back from injury, got an unlucky kick right on the injured shin which had caused him to miss several games.

Then Ian Stewart, who was starring in the centre, had to go off with a bruised shoulder.

The one bright spot was the form of new full-forward Graham Teasdale, 17, who has had a rapid rise through the ranks to take the place of injured Ricky McLean.

Teasdale made such a good job of it that he may stay. Six goals speak for themselves, but it was the way he got them that made it such an impressive debut. He leads well, has a spectacular leap, doesn’t stray too far from goals and is an accurate kick.

“It’s a completely different game,” he said afterwards. “I’m not used to leading to blokes in the centre like Ian Stewart.”

For South, John Pitura played a great game all day, and it’s a pity he isn’t allowed to settle down in the one position.

Brian Woodman in the back pocket is a player of great potential, Jim Prentice, apart from a short spell recovering from an injury, earned his keep, and Greg Lambert, on his wing, gave Bryan Wood a bath.

What South needs is a couple of good forwards. Their attack was non-existent, especially for the first half.

Match details

Richmond                     1.5       6.9       10.12    13.14 (92)                                            

South Melbourne          0.1       0.3       2.4       9.8 (62)                                                                        

Goals – Richmond: Teasdale 6, Thompson 3, Carter, Dean, Lamb, Sproule.

Leading disposal-winners – Richmond: Sheedy 26, Sproule 21, Stewart 19, Wood 19, Green 18, Keane 18, Roberts 18.

Best – Richmond: Roberts (best on ground), Sheedy, Teasdale, Sproule, Hunt, Thompson, Lamb, Stewart (until injured).

Goals – South Melbourne: Prentice 3, Pitura 2, Aanensen, Cook, Gull, Quade.

Leading disposal-winners – South Melbourne: Lambert 31, Pitura 27, Quade 27, McLeish 26, Goss 23.

Best – South Melbourne: Pitura, Woodman, Prentice, Quade, Lambert, Beecroft, Goss.

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