Mick Erwin, who won Richmond’s goalkicking in his debut season, appeared in a famous Jack Dyer tutorial, and replaced his old mentor Tom Hafey as Collingwood coach, has died. He was 82.

Erwin died Saturday, April 11^th 2026, his daughter Cathy told Club historian Rhett Bartlett.

At Tigerland, wearing No. 21, he started off at full-forward and finished his career at full-back, with 33 senior games and 37 goals from 1965 to 1968.

During his tenure, the Club were trying to sort out their forward line structure and Erwin, along with Paddy Guinane, Barry Richardson, Royce Hart, and Fred Swift were all trialled.

In his first five games for Richmond, Erwin booted 3.4, 3.3, 3.4, 3.4, and 4.4 – a pretty impressive showing, yet the club’s hierarchy were frustrated with his inaccurate torpedo punts.

So, they played their trump card to run him into form, and invited 51-year-old Jack Dyer to training to teach him, and 18-year-old Kevin Bartlett, the finer points of the drop punt. (Bartlett had kicked 6.8 for the U19s the previous week).

Herald photographer Bob Buchanan was on the scene, along with the cameras from Channel 7 to document the coaching lesson, on a bitterly cold Punt Road afternoon.

In 1966 Erwin was centre half-forward in the reserves unofficial ‘undefeated’ premiership season, despite being docked 12 points for playing an unregistered player.

The following year the Club moved him to full back for the opening 13 senior matches, then named him on the bench for the last home and away game. He was not selected for any of Richmond finals leading up to the drought-breaking flag.

In 1968 he struggled to break back into the seniors and the Club cleared him to Coburg in the VFA where he captain-coached them to the 2^nd division flag in 1970.

Michael James Erwin was born in Stawell on June 8th 1943. He began with West Heidelberg YCW, then joined Collingwood Under 19s in 1961. The following season he debuted in the seniors and spent four seasons with the Carringbush for 29 games.

At 21-years-of-age Erwin was snapped up by Richmond midway through 1965, signing his papers beside Graeme Richmond and the boardroom Tiger skin.

“I have decided to play with Richmond for two reasons,” he said.

“I feel have a better future here than elsewhere and I like the idea of playing on the MCG.”

Two days later he made his debut.

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

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

He kept his spot in the seniors for the rest of the season and finished with 32 goals 29 behinds to top the goalkicking ahead of John Northey.

After his success at Coburg, he joined Port Melbourne and played in their 1974 premiership, before rejecting a coaching job with Williamstown to return to Tigerland as a specialist coach for two seasons under Tom Hafey.

Erwin coached a premiership at Prahran in 1978 and not surprisingly found his way back to Collingwood in 1982 as reserves coach.

On May 31st that year, the football world was shocked by the sacking of Magpie coach Tom Hafey after five years. Erwin was appointed his replacement, five hours later. He had played under the coaching legend 21 times at Tigerland.

“It’s not the way you’d want a coaching job, but that’s life,” he told the press.

“It’s like Lyndon Johnson when Kennedy got shot, I guess. It’s the biggest challenge of my career. Obviously, it’s not going to be easy.”

The Magpies won only three games from the next 12, and Erwin was not considered for the position the following year.

Off-field he was a director with the Merrett-Hassett sports stores and joined 3AW as an around-the-grounds commentator.

His sons both played football - Michael Jnr for Collingwood, Sandringham, Port Melbourne, Box Hill, and Mark for Collingwood Under 19s.

The Richmond Football Club extends its condolences to Wendy and the family.

His celebration of life will be held on April 23^rd 2026 at the Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club, after a private service for the immediate family.