There are not many people who can say they’ve lived through the very best and very worst of Richmond.

But if you’re Des Dowling, you’ve lived to see it all, turning the big 100 on July 31, 2026.

11 premierships of Richmond’s 13 in the V/AFL, countless memories of the old Punt Road Oval, and seeing the great Tommy Hafey, Jack Dyer and many more heroes in the flesh.

For some, living through the best of Captain Blood, or Francis Bourke, would be a dream come true. For Des, that was just a regular Saturday afternoon down the road from home.

“Punt Road Oval was always the spiritual home, everyone was equal, and in difficult times we forgot our troubles and found our heroes there, rain, hail or shine,” Dowling said.

“After I married I moved out of Richmond, but my heart never left.”

Born on July 31, 1926, Dowling, who grew up on Richmond’s Lyndhurst Street, life was far from easy. Losing his father, a decorated Gallipoli veteran, in an accident in 1928, things were quickly turned on their head before Dowling was even two years old.

But it was his stoic mother, and the ever-constant presence of the Richmond Football Club - its people, the sights and sounds of Punt Road Oval - that grounded the young Melburnian and would do so for decades to come.

By 1931, Des was enamoured by the yellow and black and just a year later, at the age of six, saw his first Richmond premiership.

The Tigers downed the Blues by a whopping 60 points. Two years later, despite his fear of South Melbourne great Bob Pratt, who kicked 150 goals in the 1934 season, Richmond would prevail against the Bloods to win a second flag in three years.

“Somehow my mum always managed to have us a good spot up in the Jack Dyer Stand,” he said.

“Punt Road means so much to so many people and it is wonderful that the Club is investing in that location for the next 100 years.”

Dowling would argue the Richmond Football Club is the love of his life, but that would all change when he married his wife Joyce in 1952.

Lucky for the two families, Dowling’s new father-in-law was also a die-hard Tiger, meaning there was no further convincing needed for their three children, who have all become as Tiger-mad as their dad Des.

Eldest son Robert was indoctrinated first, attending his first game with his father in 1970. But it wasn’t just any other afternoon at the MCG.

In fact, Robert’s first match was Sunday April 5, 1970. The game itself was known for being the first ever Sunday league match, also attended by the Royal Family, with Queen Elizabeth II on the ground as the Tigers’ unfurled their 1969 premiership flag.

A win was not on the cards for the Tigers that day, but it’s a memory Dowling and his eldest Robert will never forget.

It also started a long affection with the Tigers, that still stands with his family today.

“My kids were lucky growing up in the late 1960s and through the 1970s and following the Tigers was just part of their life,” Dowling said.

“My two sons, their wives, children and grandchildren are all still passionate Richmond people. Nothing changes. It’s a wonderful thing about football clubs, you ride the ups and downs, but you never leave.”

A new era dawned quickly at Punt Road, with Dowling known for lining up for his finals tickets in the early hours of Tuesday mornings in September.

In 1974, Richmond would overcome North Melbourne and collect the premiership flag. Another for the memory bank with his beloved family, who were moving house at the time.

The 1980 premiership also remains a fond memory, overcoming the Pies by 81 points.

But after so many highs, Dowling would need to wait 37 years before seeing the next dynasty at Tigerland.

Just weeks before the Tigers’ 2017 drought-breaking premiership win over Adelaide, Dowling’s beloved wife, Joyce, would pass away.

Through the toughest loss of his life, the Tigers would rise to the occasion at the MCG, overcoming the Crows by 48 points, putting an end to the dark days, and a 37-year premiership drought.

He would go on to see more flags in 2019 and 2020, taking his tally to 11 premierships in 100 years. Not a bad record at all.

And although reaching 100 years with no enemies, or feuds, or brawls, ask Dowling about his most hated football teams, and he’ll have a story or 10 for the taking.

He’ll never like the Magpies, or the Bombers or the Blues, who he is certain stole flags from the Tigers in the 1970s, and 1980s, more specifically the 1972 and 1982 premierships (Carlton).

And he won’t be quick to forgive the Bombers for the infamous 1974 Windy Hill brawl, which Dowling declares is all Essendon’s fault.

Des can’t settle on his best Tiger of all time. And after 100 years, that’s more than fair enough. He’s seen all the greats, the highs and lows, and can remember them all fondly.

He selected eight, but refused to put them in any order. Jack Titus, Jack Dyer, Kevin Bartlett, Francis Bourke, Maurice Rioli snr, Matthew Richardson and Dustin Martin.

Those eight share countless premierships, Brownlow medals, Best and Fairests, All-Australian blazers and most importantly, were a key part of many decades of Des Dowling’s life, creating a love affair with Richmond that spans 100 marvellous years.

And who could argue with that?