Throughout 2025, we are transporting Richmond supporters back 60 years to what was a pivotal season in the Club’s history – 1965. We take a look today at the Tigers’ big win against South Melbourne at the MCG in Round 11 of the ’65 season via this match report in The Age newspaper by Chris Forsyth.
It took 15 minutes for Richmond to sign, seal and stamp their application for the “four” against South Melbourne at the MCG on Saturday.
In that time the Tigers – with the chant of coach Jack Titus: “We’ve got to win this to stay near the four, and from then on it’s up, up, up,” still ringing in their ears – over-ran the stunned South Melbourne defenders and kicked four goals.
Richmond’s four-goal spree started when captain Neville Crowe took the first mark of the game and sent the ball towards full-forward Mick Erwin, who was fouled.
Erwin kicked a perfect drop-punt into the 10-yard square and Paddy Guinane, after marking, did the rest.
Goals to Kevin Bartlett and John Sheahan followed in quick succession and, not long after, John Northey snapped the Tigers’ fourth goal from the forward pocket to put them 24 points in front.
With this early break Richmond looked set for a well-merited runaway win.
A runaway win it had, but only because South Melbourne lost interest and let it kick 9.8 to 2.4 in the last quarter.
For the first 15 minutes the Tigers looked a real final four prospect with their forward line playing intelligently, their rovers sharking well and their backline tagging their opponents.
But after this, Richmond appeared content to maintain its four-goal advantage with the result that the match became a dull, listless affair.
Players from both sides chased the ball in packs, fell over for no apparent reason and fulbled and kicked the ball anywhere.
Richmond’s high spot was its half-forward line. Northey and Sheahan ran rings around their opponents while Guinane, at centre half-forward, pressed home attacks at the expense of two opponents, Harrison and Ray Lucev.
Across the centre, too, the Tigers had the edge. Roger Dean took command from an out-of-form Max Papley and he was ably supported by wingmen Trevor Gowers and Don Davenport.
In defence Richmond had the best man on the ground, Wilf Dickeson, who could do no wrong.
South Melbourne had a bad day and it would have been beaten by more but for the efforts of rover Stuart Magee, newcomer Haydn McAuliffe, Paul Harrison when moved to centre half-forward, and big men Elkin Reilly and Gary Williamson.
South’s defence was loose and team-mates repeatedly flew together for marks.
Match details
Richmond 5.4 10.9 14.12 23.20 (158)
South Melbourne 1.4 6.6 10.6 12.10 (82)
Goals – Richmond: Bartlett 4, Erwin 4, Guinane 3, Northey 3, Patterson 3, Sheahan 2, Crowe, Davenport, Dean, A. Richardson.
Leading disposal-winners – Richmond: Dean 22, Dickeson 21, Guinane 21, A. Richardson 21, Gowers 20, Northey 20.
Best players – Richmond: Dickeson, Guinane, Sheahan, Erwin, Northey, Gowers.
Goals – South Melbourne: Kingston 3, McAuliffe 3, Magee, Nilsson, Papley, Parker, Reilly.
Leading disposal-winners – South Melbourne: Nilsson 21, Lucev 16, Davison 15, Harrison 15.
Best players – South Melbourne: Magee, Reilly, McAuliffe, Harrison, Williamson, Parker.
Attendance: 35,220
