Tony Jewell is Richmond’s next Homecoming Hero for the 2018 season.

The Tigers are set to pay tribute to their 1967 premiership player and 1980 premiership coach in the pre-game build-up to Saturday afternoon’s blockbuster against Collingwood at the MCG.

Jewell will walk to the Punt Road end of the ground, where he’ll be warmly received by the Tiger Army.

He’ll kick a ceremonial goal, then sign the football and present it to a Richmond fan in the crowd.

Highlights of Jewell’s career with the Tigers also will be shown on the MCG’s big screens.

Tony Jewell was recruited by Richmond from VFA club Oakleigh, where he had established himself as a forward at senior level.

At Tigerland, however, Jewell developed into a rugged, determined back pocket player.

He made his senior debut with Richmond in Round 2 of the 1964 season against Essendon at Punt Road, but it wasn’t until 1967 that he cemented himself as a regular member of the line-up.

Jewell played 16 games for the Tigers in their drought-breaking 1967 premiership year and was a valuable contributor for the team throughout that season as a back pocket minding the opposition’s resting ruckmen.

After retiring from league football at the end of the 1970 season, Jewell took over as captain-coach of VFA club Caulfield, and he led the Bears to their only premiership in the competition in 1973.

The man affectionately known as TJ returned to Tigerland in 1977 as coach of the reserves and had instant success, winning the premiership in his first year at the helm.

Then, at the end of the 1978 season, he replaced Barry Richardson as Richmond’s senior coach.

Under Jewell’s coaching guidance in 1979, the Tigers finished eighth (in the final-five system) with nine wins and 13 losses.

But the following year they surged up the ladder to finish third at the end of the home-and-away rounds, and then truly had a September to remember, with decisive victories over Carlton in the qualifying final and Geelong in the second semi-final, before crushing Collingwood by a then-record 81 points in the Grand Final.

Less than one year after that glorious one day in September 1980, Jewell was sacked as coach when Richmond missed the 1981 finals.

He subsequently had one season as St Kilda’s senior coach in 1983, and then took over the Tigers’ coaching reins again at the end of 1985.

Success unfortunately eluded Jewell in his second stint as Richmond’s coach and he departed after two years to make way for Kevin Bartlett.

That, however, was far from the end of Jewell’s involvement with his beloved Tigers.

In 1995, Jewell returned to the Club as chairman of selectors, which was a role he held for several years.

Jewell later served Richmond as a board member, further highlighting his unwavering commitment to the Yellow and Black cause.

Last year, a delighted Jewell watched the Tigers break the longest premiership drought in their history.  

He relished handing the baton to Damien Hardwick and no longer being known as the last Richmond premiership coach.

Tony Jewell profile

Born: December 8, 1943
Height: 185cm 
Playing weight: 83kg 
Recruited from: Oakleigh (VFA)
Guernsey number at Richmond: No. 39 and No. 1
Debut at Richmond: Round 2, 1964 v Essendon, Punt Road
Games played at Richmond (1964-70): 80
Goals at Richmond: 16
Games coached at Richmond (1979-81 and 1986-87): 113 (53 wins, one draw, 59 losses)
Honours at Richmond: Member of the 1967 premiership side, coach of the 1980 premiership team

Here is a list of Richmond's Homecoming Heroes since 2014...