Charlie Flannagan, the reliable Omeo ruckman who played 26 senior games for Richmond from 1955-1958, has died. He was 91.
Flannagan died August 2nd 2025, after complications from a stroke, his son Rob told the Club.
Standing 6'1 and weighing 84kgs, he also played 42 Reserves games, was fullback in the 1955 Reserves Premiership over Footscray, and tied for the 1956 Reserves Best and Fairest despite playing mainly in defence.
Flannagan won the Omeo District League Best and Fairest in 1954 as a “classy player, very strong in the air and always able to place his kicks to advantage,” the Bairnsdale Advertiser wrote.
The following season Richmond snapped him up on a four-match permit on April 27th 1955, and he gained a full permit on June 4th, the same day that he debuted in the Reserves against Hawthorn.
Permit from Omeo to Richmond. April 1955.
Wearing No. 25, his senior debut came in the last home and away game of 1955 against St Kilda at the Junction Oval, replacing Ken McGown in the line-up, who was away on military duties.
The Tigers won by 94 points. It was the then fourth highest winning margin for a Richmond debut.
Flannagan's seniors debut v St Kilda 1955.
In 1957 Flannagan played 13 consecutive senior games, playing down back when Allan Cations was injured, in the ruck when coach Alan McDonald needed, and as ruck-rover to the great Roy Wright.
He finished ninth in the Best and Fairest, and the Tigers missed the finals by just two wins.
But it’s their Round 7 win over Norm Smith’s Melbourne that would be remembered for years to come.
The Tigers, second last on the ladder, hadn’t beaten them for four years, and the powerhouse Demons had won the previous two flags, and were top of the ladder.
But at Punt Road the scores were tied at quarter-time and half time, and going into the last change Richmond led by one goal. Incredibly they held on to win by two points, though the scoreboard erroneously had a Demon win by one point before the goal umpires signaled it was wrong.
Flannagan played as ruck-rover that day on Ron Barassi and helped nullify his impact. “The other Demon followers were unable to cope with the Richmond rucks. Even the usually reliable Ron Barassi shone only in spasms,” The Age wrote.
In 1958 a torn thigh muscle while sprinting off the ground at training in April slowed his pre-season, and his last game was against Fitzroy in August later that year.
In March 1959 he was cleared to Warragul as playing coach, then played in Yarram’s 1962 flag, and won two Best and Fairests for Won Wron.
Flannagan was a passionate Tiger supporter who adored the four years he spent at Tigerland.
His funeral will be held at Yarram Cemetery on Thursday August 7th from 11am. Attendees are requested, in honour of his Richmond career, to wear a little yellow.
