John Kennedy’s devotion to Punt Road has endured for more than 58 years.
His love for the Club ignited when he was in primary school, idolising Richmond heroes such as Royce Hart and Kevin Bartlett.
“As a child, throughout primary school, my first jumper was number four, for the fabulous Royce Hart - he was my idol,” Kennedy told Richmond Media.
“I saw my first game back in about 1969. We used to go as a family to the MCG, and we used to love to go and watch the Tigers, who were doing really well in that era.
“I have followed our beloved Tigers through thick and thin. I grew up in an era where I was spoiled, having successes, but I have stuck with our Tigers through those lean years between the 1980 premiership and 2017.
“It’s not just about supporting when you are up, but it’s also about supporting when you are down.”
Kennedy has been a devoted Richmond member for 32 consecutive years, attending every possible game he can, whether that be at the MCG or elsewhere.
From his early teenage years, watching Richmond games became a cherished tradition - one that eventually led him to join the team’s loyal Cheer Squad.
He found a sense of fellowship in the group during a time when attending a football match alone didn’t feel so safe.
“If I go back to my earlier days, when I was old enough to get on trains and go out by myself, 16, 17 or 18, I used to join up with the Richmond Cheer Squad,” Kennedy said.
“It was a safe space. For the people who didn’t live through the 70s and early 80s, it wasn’t safe to go to the football by yourself, you had to find camaraderie.
“The Richmond Cheer Squad was something that I connected early on with at that age, and it is something that flowed through later on in my life in my mid-30s, where I joined up with the Richmond Supporters Group.
“I had some fabulous memories of going interstate in the 90s on the bus with the Cheer Squad.”
Furthermore, Kennedy's passion and support for the Club has extended through to its AFLW program.
He has been an advocate and key supporter of the team since Richmond's inaugural 2020 season, and is now encouraging more of the Tiger Army to do the same.
“I was really excited when the AFLW first launched and my wife and I attended the first-ever game at IKON Park, and I couldn’t wait until Richmond got given its license, which happened in 2020,” Kennedy said.
“I had to get in there and support the women’s program because I knew it was going to be an integral part of the Club going forward.
“It is important to be able to provide that support, and I stepped up to become a foundation member like many others.
“I was lucky enough to attend the inaugural team launch event, and that was very special for me.
“Going forward, for me, it is really important that Richmond fans and members support our women’s program because they are just wonderful people.
“At the ground, it is a friendly atmosphere, and I’ve made many friends on the fence.”
Going the extra mile, Kennedy opted to be a player sponsor for dual-code athlete, Tessa Lavey.
The pair have sparked up a friendship and are both big advocates for women’s sport, helping grow the game off the field.
“A couple of seasons ago, I wanted to take it a little bit further and get an inner sanctum connection, so I thought, let’s become a player sponsor,” Kennedy said.
“I was already aware of Tessa because of her exceptional sporting talent, being a WNBL player and an (Australian) Opals player.
“I followed Tessa’s career from over the fence to begin with, before being a player sponsor, and now, I’m at the end of my second year as her sponsor.
“My only regret is not doing it earlier. I've got to meet some other really lovely player sponsors, with whom I now have a strong network with at the ground."
Lavey, now in her sixth season at Tigerland, has been busy off the field, as she purchased the Aviary pub in Abbotsford, transforming it into a dedicated space for watching women’s sport. Read more on Lavey’s W Club HERE.
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