As Richmond prepares to kick off its 2012 NAB Cup campaign, Tony Greenberg reflects on the 50th anniversary of the one and only time the Tigers captured the premiership in the league’s alternative competition . . .
Long before the NAB Cup, the Wizard Cup, the Ansett Cup, the Panasonic Cup, the Foster’s Cup, the Sterling Cup, the Escort Championships or the Amco-Herald Cup, the then VFL conducted an end-of-season competition for the eight teams (out of 12), who missed the finals.
This night competition, played under the less than beaming lights at South Melbourne’s Lake Oval, ran from 1956-1971, with Richmond triumphing in the September of 1962.
The Tigers, coached by Des Rowe and led on-field by 29-yer-old captain Ron Branton, had finished the ’62 home-and-away season in eighth place, with five wins and 13 losses.
They demolished Fitzroy by 49 points in the opening round of the knock-out tournament - 12.9 (81) to 3.14 (32) - and then defeated North Melbourne by 23 points in the semi-final - 12.13 (85) to 9.8 (62). This led to a grand final showdown with Hawthorn, who had finished the ’62 home-and-away season in ninth place, just behind Richmond.
On Wednesday, September 26, the Tigers, in front of a crowd of 24,550, won their first senior premiership, of any description, since Jack Dyer, in his capacity as captain-coach, led the Club to the ’43 flag against Essendon.
It was tight contest all the way through, with scores level at quarter-time, Richmond two points up at half-time, four points up at three-quarter time, and four points ahead when the final siren sounded - 8.16 (64) to 9.6 (60).
Star of the match for the Tigers was then 24-year-old full-back Fred Swift, who marked everything in sight and continually repelled Hawthorn’s attacking thrusts. Swift would go on to captain, and play a key role in, Richmond’s historic 1967 premiership victory over Geelong in a classic Grand Final encounter.
Ruckman Mike Patterson, who also subsequently became a ’67 premiership player, kicked a vital goal midway through the final term of the ’62 night grand final, to regain the lead for Richmond. The Tiger defence, inspired by the impassable Swift, then withstood a fierce, last-ditch challenge by Hawthorn, to ensure night glory for the Yellow and Blacks.
For revered Richmond trio Ron Branton, Ted Langridge and Col Saddington, it was a fitting finish to their careers at Tigerland, with the three of them bowing out of league football after the match.
A total of six players from Richmond’s 1962 night premiership side, went on to enjoy the game’s ultimate success, as members of the Tigers’ 1967 day premiership line-up - Swift, Patterson, Bill Barrot, Roger Dean, Paddy Guinane and Alan ‘Bull’ Richardson (father of modern-day Club great Matthew).
Barry Cameron, back pocket in that ’62 night premiership side, is the father of the Club’s current General Manager of Football, Craig Cameron.
Match details
Richmond 1.6 3.10 5.14 8.16 (64)
Hawthorn 2.0 4.2 6.4 9.6 (60)
Goals - Richmond: Jacobs 3, Lockhart 2, Richmond, Dean, Patterson.
Best - Richmond: Swift, Dean, Patterson, Jacobs, Branton, Barrot.
The Team
B: Ron Branton, Fred Swift, Barry Cameron
HB: Graeme Gahan, Alan ‘Bull’ Richardson, John Robertson
C: Tom Simpson, Bill Barrot, Richard Grimmond
HF: Graeme Jacobs, John Richmond, Roger Dean
F: Robert Lockhart, Paddy Guinane, Gary Williamson
R: Michael Patterson, Ron Serich, Ted Langridge
Res: Col Saddington, Brian McMillan
Coach: Des Rowe
Captain: Ron Branton
