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 take a look at Richmond’s clash with St Kilda in Round 15 of the ’73 season.
A week after the Richmond big men had been the catalysts for the team’s victory over North Melbourne, it was the Tigers fleet of skilful small players who led the way in a hard-fought win against St Kilda at VFL Park, Waverley.
The Saints managed to nullify the all-round effectiveness of Tiger’ talls’ Michael Green, Brian Roberts, Neil Balme, Craig McKellar and Rex Hunt, but they had no answers to the significant influence exerted throughout the match by Ian Stewart, Paul Sproule, Kevin Bartlett, Kevin Sheedy and Wayne Walsh.
Stewart was superb against his former team, winning plenty of the ball and using it with trademark class.
He was adjudged best on ground for the fourth time in the past five games by The Age football experts to move into third place in the newspaper’s Player of the Year award and boost his prospects of a record fourth Brownlow Medal.
Sproule further underlined what a top-class pick-up he had been for Richmond following his delisting by Essendon at the end of the 1971 season, kicking a team-high four goals in a fine display.
Bartlett yet again was the leading disposal winner afield with 28, and he also hit the scoreboard, booting two goals.
Sheedy continued his recent impressive goalkicking form with two goals, taking his tally to 10 goals in the past five matches.
Walsh performed impressively, providing his customary dash and long kicking on a wing.
Overall, however, the Tigers had to work hard to shake off a persistent St Kilda side.
The Saints had more disposals and more marks than Richmond but could not capitalise sufficiently on the scoreboard.
Richmond’s win was soured somewhat with captain and superstar centre half-forward Royce Hart forced to leave the field in the third quarter because of another injury issue.
Match details
Richmond 3.2 7.5 10.9 13.12 (90)
St Kilda 4.2 6.5 9.7 11.11 (77)
Goals – Richmond: Sproule 4, Bartlett 2, McLean 2, Sheedy 2, Balme, Cumming, Lamb.
Leading disposal-winners – Richmond: Bartlett 28, Stewart 27, Walsh 25, Sheedy 23, Bourke 16, Sproule 16, Wood 16.
Best – Richmond: Stewart (best on ground), Sproule, Bartlett, Walsh, Bourke, Keane, Sheedy.
Goals – St Kilda: Davis 4, Neale 3, Breen, Colling, Sarau, Theodore.
Leading disposal-winners – St Kilda: Davis 26, Payze 26, Reynolds 24, Colling 21, Breen 20, Besanko 19.
Best – St Kilda: Colling, Davis, Galt, Perovic, Besanko, Payze, Lawrence.
Crowd: 31,499.
