Throughout 2025, we are transporting Richmond supporters back 60 years to what was a pivotal season in the Club’s history – 1965. In Round 7 of the ’65 season, the Tigers had a thumping win against North Melbourne at the MCG. Here is the review of that match by The Age newspaper’s football reporter Peter Stone.

Older Richmond supporters took home revived memories from the M.C.G. on Saturday after the Tigers had completely humiliated North Melbourne with a 94-point victory.

Their thoughts flashed back three decades to the great Richmond sides of the 1930’s...here was the making of another mighty Richmond combination.

The team may still be a fair way from the standard of the teams of that era, but it is certainly well on the way.

The Tigers showed a rare determination and will to win, combined with skilful football, to cast off the pitiful opposition offered by North Melbourne.

And the reason why this amazing recovery has been made by Richmond is that players are now confident they can win.

Captain Neville Crowe said after the game: “Our players have realised they can play football to match the other sides in the League, and this has increased the confidence of the side.”

This confidence was carried on to the field by the Tigers, and from the first bounce of the ball Richmond looked the winner.

Only seconds after the game started follower Ross Warner took a magnificent mark in front of goal to score Richmond’s first goal of a total of 21.16.

This set the pattern for the game. Richmond won clearly in the air and had control in practically every position.

The Tigers were faster than their flat-footed North opponents, tackled vigorously and developed a play-on game which left the Kangaroos floundering.

In fact, North offered no semblance of resistance to Richmond and it was a very dejected coach, Alan Killigrew, who said after the game: “Richmond won in all aspects of the game. We didn’t even make a fight of it.”

Collingwood “reject” full-forward Mick Erwin finished with 3.6 for Richmond...but he had had only one kick up to half-time.

“I found things very strange in the first half, playing in a black and yellow guernsey, instead of a black and white one,” Erwin said.

“I didn’t know three-quarters of the players by name and the only ones I knew personally were Fred Swift and Paddy Guinane.

“The thing that impressed me was that even though I had played shocking football in the first half, the Richmond players still kept kicking the ball to me – looking for me.”

Erwin received a rousing cheer from Richmond’s supporters when he kicked his first goal and, with a bit of luck, he could have kicked six goals in the second half.

Match details
Richmond   5.5   11.10   14.13   21.16   (142)    
North Melbourne   3.3   3.3   6.7   6.12 (48)

Goals – Richmond: Northey 5, Davenport 4, Erwin 3, Warner 3, Dimattina 2, Guinane 2, Bartlett, Patterson
Leading disposal-winners – Richmond: Barrot 23, Bartlett 23, Brown 23, A. Richardson 21, Smith 20
Best players – Richmond: Swift, K. Smith, Brown, Guinane, A. Richardson, Busse, Barrot, Warner, Northey

Goals – North Melbourne: Allison 2, Dean, Dell, Goode, Wood
Leading disposal-winners – North Melbourne: Dowdle 22, Dugdale 22, Gaudion 21, Waddington 18
Best players – North Melbourne: Waddington, Dowdle, Dugdale

Attendance: 24,602