Throughout 2026, we are cranking up the Tigerland time machine and transporting yellow and black barrackers back to 1966 to relive a pivotal year in Richmond’s history.

We take a look today at the Tigers’ Round 5 clash of the ’66 season against Geelong at Kardinia Park via this match report from The Age newspaper by Peter Stone.

"A decision by Geelong captain Polly Farmer before the start of the Richmond-Geelong match on Saturday sealed the fate of the Cats and set the Tigers on their way to breaking a nine-year drought at Kardinia Park.

Farmer won the toss but decided to kick against a solid breeze, which most officials agreed was worth four goals a quarter.

And Richmond made full use of the opportunity with a great first-quarter display of play-on, systematic football.

The Tigers made football look easy as they kicked 9.4 while keeping Geelong to only 3.1.

Farmer said afterwards that coach Peter Pianto had left the decision to him if he won the toss.

“I took the gamble that the win would be better in the second quarter,” Farmer said.

After 15 minutes of the first quarter, Farmer must have been regretting his decision as the Richmond forwards were cutting Geelong’s defence to ribbons.

In this first 15 minutes, Richmond had 5.1 on the board – with two goals each to Pat Guinane and half-forward John Northey and one to rover Frank Dimattina.

Geelong answered with goals to rover Brian Chirgwin and Gordon Hynes, and the Cats were only two goals down as starting to play more as a team.

But Richmond was irrepressible, and added four more goals before the siren ended a nightmare first quarter for the stunned Cats.

This left Geelong with the formidable and almost impossible task of erasing a six-goal deficit.

But the Geelong players set about the job with purpose and, taking a leaf out of Richmond’s book, started to develop a systematic approach to goal.

With only time-on to be played in the last quarter, Geelong was two goals down and had a great chance of victory, but Guinane steadied the Tigers with a timely goal.

The decision of Richmond’s selectors to use height and strength in defence paid dividends.

The shorter Geelong forwards could not match their bigger opponents.

The return of follower Michael Patterson also helped the Tigers. He took a load off Neville Crowe’s shoulders and the Richmond captain gave one of his best games to his club.

Richmond’s speed was another asset. Its big men matched the pace of the smaller Geelong players and often beat them in the race to the ball.

But, on the whole, it was Richmond’s team work which won the day. Players were also in position to accept a well-directed hand pass and looked for teammates.

Match details
Richmond   9.4   12.4   14.5   15.8 (98)        
Geelong   3.1   6.5   9.5   12.8 (80)

Goals – Richmond: Guinane 5, A. Richardson 3, Barrot 2, Dean 2, Northey 2, Dimattina.
Leading possession-winners – Richmond: Crowe 28, Brown 23, A. Richardson 23, Dimattina 20, Barrot 18.
Best – Richmond: Crowe (best on ground), Dean, Barrot (until injured), A. Richardson, Guinane, Dimattina.

Goals – Geelong: Ryan 5, Chirgwin 3, Hynes 2, Eales, Farmer.
Leading possession-winners – Geelong: Closter 26, Hynes 26, Marshall 25, Newman 25, Farmer 20, Goggin 20, Polinelli 20.
Best – Geelong: Marshall, Closter, Newlands, Ryan, Farmer, Newman.

Attendance: 21,655.