A landmark six-year research project documenting every known Richmond Under 19s player has been completed.
The result is a list of 1,054 players who suited up for the Under 19s between 1946–1991.
That list is available to view on the Tigerland Archive site here: https://www.tigerlandarchive.org/tiki-index.php?page=Under+19+Players.
The project, begun by Rhett Bartlett in 2020 during the Covid lockdown, gained traction in 2021 when former Under 19s and Reserves player Peter Foot volunteered his services to help with researching and auditing the data.
The Richmond Under 19s began life as the ‘Richmond Recruits’ in 1946 in the VFL’s 3rd XVIII underage competition. Managed by Vin Dyer, yes, the brother of ‘Captain Blood’ Jack, all players trained with the Reserves during the week under the guidance of coach Alby Pannam.
In 1960 the competition changed its name to the Under 19s and was wound up after the 1991 season and replaced with the TAC Cup.
Documentation used for the research included Annual Reports, Minute Books, Claude O’Brien’s handwritten ledger, Footy Record, Trove Newspapers, Richmond News (microfilm), Sporting Globe (microfilm), Ancestry, Bill Meaklim’s stats sheets, and research assistance from Rob Harris.
In some years match data is incomplete, particularly in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, so be aware that some player’s numbers will be the minimum games or goals that we know of.
Where data is available the Top 5 most Richmond Under 19s games are:
66 games - Daryl Cumming (1967-70)
65 games - Robert Elliot (1987-90)
59 games - Michael Rice (1988-91)
52 games - Stephen James (1982-84), Barry Orvis (1971-74)
51 games - Stephen Ryan (1987-89), Kevin Gehling (1967-70)
Where data is available the Top 5 most Richmond Under 19s goals are:
186 goals – Peter Lane (36 games)
133 goals – Michael J Roberts (48 games)
124 goals – Graham Teasdale (27 games)
117 goals – Stephen James (52 games)
111 goals – Glen Dickson (44 games)
100 goals – Michael Rice (59 games)
Prior to 1946, the Richmond Football Club invested interest, time, money, resources, personnel, and facilities to several junior clubs in the area in the 1930s and 1940s.
Those clubs included Richmond Recruits (in the Melbourne Boys’ League A Grade), Richmond Colts (Melbourne Boys’ League B Grade), Districts, Kew Sub-Districts, Richmond Citizens Boys' League (under Stewart Hemmerde), Burnley CYMS, St Ignatius, Burnley (Eastern Suburban League), the Opportunity Boys' Club, Richmond United, and Richmond Rovers.
Any data prior to 1946 is not included in this research project.
For any missing data or additions or corrections please email Rhett at rhettrospective@gmail.com.
