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 13 match in the ’69 season against Collingwood. The clash took place at the MCG on Saturday, July 5, 1969, before a crowd of 45,546. Here’s how Footy Week scribe, David Lee, reviewed Richmond’s thrilling two-point win under the heading: “TIGERS SURPRISE MAGPIES” . . .
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“It was do-or-die day for Richmond. And 45,000 people at the MCG saw them throw everything into a memorable game against Collingwood.
The Tigers’ sheer determination saw them through and kept alive their final-four chances. They fell down in some key positions, but their grit and raw courage atoned for shortcomings in the skills department.
A lot of Collingwood people are saying that the Magpies should have won it – and they have a few valid arguments.
Certainly, they had ruckman Len Thompson in great form, nippier and their foot-passing a delight. They always seemed to have a loose man.
They were beaten because Richmond, with all the incentive in the world, were utterly relentless.
The Tigers had matchwinners in wingman Dick Clay and skipper and half-forward flanker Roger Dean. Clay, fast and elusive, was a sure avenue of attack. Dean, his experience proving invaluable, was a constant menace to the Collingwood backmen and his three goals in the first half put the Tigers on the way.
Big Len Thompson was a tower of strength for the Magpies and there was little John Ronaldson or Mike Green could do about it. Green did many useful things around the ground, but he had to bow to Thompson’s might at the hit-outs.
Thompson, remarkably agile for his size, punched the ball from the centre to the half-forward line or tapped it deftly to busy rover Wayne Richardson.
Barry Price probably had the call over Bill Barrot in the centre, though the Richmond man roamed far and wide and did constructive things. Richmond won on the wings, where Clay and Francis Bourke were too clever for Colin Tully and Peter Patterson.
Richmond suffered a severe setback when centre half-forward Royce Hart did not resume after half-time. Hart, who had been going well, went down heavily in the second term and Ted Potter relished his absence by getting right into the game when Ronaldson took over the key attacking role.
The goalfront duels were real thrillers. Barry Richardson and Peter McKenna really turned it on at one end of the ground and, at the other, Jeff Clifton and Rex Hunt were closer than blood brothers.
McKenna finished with six goals and Hunt with five, but both full-backs turned in great games.
McKenna cut Richmond’s winning margin back to two points when he marked on the final siren, picked his way through a couple of hundred children, who had streamed onto the ground – and sent a towering punt kick right through the middle.
West Australian recruit Colin Beard looked all at sea in the early stages, but improved as the game progressed and was a valuable defender when the Tigers were under pressure in the last quarter.
The third quarter produced the best football of the match. It was an amazing quarter in that only one goal was scored. The backlines were supreme as the ball was flashed from one end to the other.
Collingwood had most of the play, but the Richmond backmen played real pressure football and would not allow the Magpie forwards time to steady for their shots at goal.
The game was highlighted by superb high marking, some great long kicking, and furious tackling.
It was a morale-booster for the Tigers, but Collingwood can certainly not be written off as premiership contenders. They will still give the 1969 flag a big shake.”
Match details
Richmond 5.2 10.7 10.13 13.15 (93)
Collingwood 3.3 6.9 7.14 12.19 (91)
Goals – Richmond: Hunt 5, Dean 3, Barrot, Bourke, Hart, Robbins, Bartlett.
Best – Richmond: Clay, Dean, Bowden, Bartlett, Green, Bourke.
Richmond player statistics
Kevin Sheedy: 11 kicks, 1 handball, 2 marks
Barry Richardson: 15 kicks, 3 handballs, 3 marks
Colin Beard: 15 kicks, 4 handballs, 5 marks
Geoff Strang: 9 kicks, 5 handballs, 5 marks
Ian Owen: 5 kicks, 2 handballs, 1 mark
John Ferguson: 11 kicks, 1 handball, 1 mark
Francis Bourke: 11 kicks, 5 handballs, 1 mark
Bill Barrot: 28 kicks, 3 handballs, 4 marks
Dick Clay: 22 kicks, 2 handballs, 6 marks
Roger Dean: 10 kicks, 9 handballs, 1 mark
Royce Hart (off): 9 kicks, 2 handballs, 3 marks
Wayne Judd: 10 kicks, 4 handballs, 4 marks
John Ronaldson: 4 kicks, 2 handballs, 2 marks
Rex Hunt: 6 kicks, 1 handball, 4 marks
Graham Robbins: 4 kicks, 0 handballs, 0 marks
Mike Green: 15 kicks, 5 handballs, 12 marks
Mike Bowden (off): 13 kicks, 15 handballs, 5 marks
Kevin Bartlett: 30 kicks, 1 handball, 4 marks
Graeme Bond, 19th man: 1 kick, 1 handball, 0 marks
George McInnes, 20th man: 1 kick, 1 handball, 0 marks
