On the eve of the 80th anniversary of Richmond’s third league football premiership, Tony Greenberg cranks up the Tiger Time Machine to relive the thrilling 1932 Grand Final victory over arch-rival Carlton.

The Tigers, after winning back-to-back flags in 1920-21, had subsequently earned a reputation as the competition’s bridesmaids. From 1927-29, Richmond played in three consecutive losing Grand Finals against neighboring foe, Collingwood.

Then, in 1931, the Tigers again finished runners-up, on this occasion to Geelong.
So, after being runners-up four times in five seasons - all under the coaching guidance of dual Tiger premiership player (and former star rover), Frank “Checker” Hughes - they were desperate to go that one step further in 1932.

Carlton, having finished third in 1931, was expected to be one of the main contenders for the ’32 flag. The Blues were coached by Dan Minogue, who had led Richmond to its first two league football premierships (1920-21) in his role as captain-coach.

The two teams met early in the season (Round 3) at Punt Road, with Carlton scraping in by one point against an inaccurate Richmond - 12.12 (84) to 10.23 (83).
In the return match later that season at Princes Park, it was another thriller, but this time the Tigers prevailed by five points - 13.13 (91) to 12.14 (86).

At the end of the 18-round, home-and-away season, Carlton finished on top with 15 wins and three losses, while Richmond was second with 14 wins, one draw and three losses.
Two weeks later, when the teams met in the second semi-final, the Blues led at every change, but were blown away by the Tigers in the last quarter, who scored eight goals to two and recorded a 25-point win - 18.16 (124) to 14.15 (99).

Star full-forward Doug Strang, with seven goals, and brilliant half-forward, Maurie Hunter, six goals, ran riot for Richmond in attack, as the Tigers advanced to their fifth Grand Final in six seasons.

The following week, Carlton destroyed Collingwood by 75 points in the preliminary final and, with that performance fresh in the minds of the football public, the Blues entered the 1932 Grand Final showdown with Richmond as favorites.

A then record crowd of 69,724 flocked to the MCG in ideal conditions to watch this much-anticipated clash of the two league heavyweights in the 1932 Grand Final.
Richmond went into the premiership-decider without its young gun, Jack Dyer, who had been unable to recover in time from a severe knee injury sustained earlier in the year, after an excellent start to the season.

In his pre-match speech to the players, Tiger coach Checker Hughes emphasised the importance of a premiership to the Club, to remove the pain and bridesmaid tag emanating from all the Grand Final losses of recent seasons. 

Champion ruckman, Percy Bentley, who had taken over the Tigers’ captaincy in 1932 from Hunter, won the toss and decided to kick into a slight breeze in the opening quarter.

The stage was set for an epic Grand Final encounter . . .

With both defences on top early on, scoring chances were limited and the intense pressure of the occasion caused quite a few mistakes.

The Tigers, however, settled better, and kicked the first two goals of the match, before Carlton steadied to level the scores.

A late goal by Fred “Fritz” Heifner enabled Richmond to take a deserved six-point lead into the first change.

In the second quarter, Richmond defenders Maurie Sheahan, Joe Murdoch, Jack Baggott and Basil McCormack continually repelled Carlton’s attacking thrusts through strong, aggressive play.  Gordon Strang, seemingly playing all over the field, was dominant in the air for the Tigers, as was his brother, Doug, up forward.
Some spite crept into the game during the second term, with several players being decked, and the umpires had their work cut out keeping control of proceedings.
By half-time, Richmond’s advantage had stretched to 15 points and, during the long break, coach Hughes urged his charges to continue applying plenty of strong tackling and physical pressure on the Blues, in a bid to wear them down.

Star Richmond wingman Allan Geddes, who had been badly hurt in a collision with teammate McCormack, was in plenty of pain at half-time, but he took his place on the field in the third quarter and played out the Grand Final.  It was subsequently revealed after the match that he had suffered a broken jaw!

The second half of the match was as tough a battle as any Grand Final in years . . .
Carlton coach Minogue made several positional moves at the start of the third quarter, attempting to break the discipline and cohesion of his former club.
After some more fiery incidents, field umpire Scott threatened players with tribunal punishment if they failed to focus on the ball.

By three-quarter time, Richmond’s lead had been cut to just seven points . . . the premiership was well and truly up for grabs.

Early in the final term, dynamic centreman Eric Zschech gathered the ball and passed it to Bentley, who booted a crucial goal, to give the Tigers some breathing space.
That, however, was the signal for star Carlton spearhead Harry ‘Soapy’ Vallence to cut loose.  In the space of just a few minutes, Vallence, who had been well held by Tiger full-back Sheahan, kicked three goals and set up another, to put the Blues in front.

At that point, Carlton, seemingly, had all the momentum, until Doug Strang lifted the Tigers with a magnificent goal, to regain the lead for them. 

The Blues, however, snapped back the lead with their fifth goal of the last quarter.  With only five minutes to play, they led by four points and it looked like Richmond was destined to finish runner-up yet again.

The record crowd roared, as the Tigers launched a frantic attack.  A fumble by Carlton full-back Frank Gill resulted in the ball spilling free . . . Richmond’s 19th man Jack Anderson swooped, gathered cleanly, and goaled, to regain the lead for the Tigers.

Zschech then drove the ball forward from the centre bounce and Jack Titus put the nail in Carlton’s coffin, with his second goal of the Grand Final.
Then, the brave Geddes hit the post with a snap on the final siren. 

The jubilant roar could be heard throughout the length and breadth of Richmond, as the Tigers finally chalked up a premiership - their first in 11 years.  They won a gripping Grand Final by five points - 13.14 (92) to 12.11 (83).

Hughes had a premiership, as coach, at last. He, and a delighted captain, Bentley, were chaired off the field.

Hundreds of excited supporters tried to force their way into the Richmond dressing-room after the match, but only a few managed to gain admission. 
The players were swamped with congratulations and the Club’s officials were beaming with delight - none more so than president Barney Herbert.  In his first year as president, he had donned the guernsey he’d worn as a player when the Tigers had won their previous premiership in 1921. 

VFL president Dr W.C. McClelland congratulated the team and declared that while they had been knocking on the premiership door for many years, they had finally bashed it down, and they now stood at the head of the list.

Captain Percy Bentley, who was given a rousing ovation, said since seeing Richmond’s 1921 premiership, as a boy, he had an ambition to lead the Tigers to another flag.  That ambition had been realised, and it was a wonderful experience.
Checker Hughes also received an enthusiastic reception.  He expressed his delight with the team’s success and thanked the players, trainers and staff for the support they had always given him.

Interestingly, the 1932 Grand Final was to be Hughes’ last as Richmond’s coach.  He took over as Melbourne’s coach the next season and proceeded to carve out a highly-successful coaching career with the Demons.

There was great celebration in old Tiger Town that night, and for many days to come . . .

The flag at the Richmond Town Hall was hoisted soon after the final siren sounded and, later that evening, the Tigers celebrated at a dinner in the Hotel Metropole, Bourke Street, city.

‘The Age’, in its Grand Final review, was glowing in its tributes to Richmond.  Renowned football columnist “Forward” wrote:  “For years, Richmond have shown they are one of the most accomplished sides in the competition and on Saturday staged a magnificent struggle, certain to go down in the annals of history as one of the most wildly thrilling and dramatic encounters on record.  Played at high tension throughout and packed with thrills from end to end, the game had the mighty crowd roaring with tremendous excitement from first bounce to final bell.”

He also declared that Gordon Strang, with 16 marks, was best afield in a truly great team effort. 

A few days later, Richmond received a letter from the VFL complimenting and congratulating the Club on its premiership victory:  “On behalf of the president and members of the Victorian Football League, it affords me pleasure to extend hearty congratulations upon your club’s success in winning the premiership for season 1932 - thus breaking the sequence in which on four of the previous five seasons the club occupied the position of runners-up - a unique record. 

The magnificent struggle between Richmond and Carlton before the record attendance of 69,724 persons must go down in the annals of football history as one of the most stirring encounters to date.  The players played the game in a fine sporting spirit, quite in keeping with the standards and traditions of the VFL.   Their ability and clean sportsmanship was fully appreciated by opponents and spectators alike, and reflects great credit, not only upon the players, but upon those officials responsible for the general management of the club . . . “

1932 Grand Final details
Richmond    3.3    7.9    8.12    13.14  (92)
Carlton        2.3    5.6    7.11    12.11  (83)

Goals - Richmond:  D. Strang 4, Titus 2, G. Strang, Heifner, Hunter, Bentley, O’Halloran, Martin, Anderson.
Best - Richmond:  G. Strang, McCormack, O’Neill, Baggott, Titus, Bolger, Martin.

Richmond player statistics (in positional order)
Martin Bolger:  13 kicks, 1 handball, 4 marks
Maurie Sheahan:  18 kicks, 0 handballs, 2 marks
Kevin O’Neill:  9 kicks, 2 handballs, 1 mark
Jack Baggott:  21 kicks, 2 handballs, 3 marks
Joe Murdoch:  14 kicks, 1 handball, 3 marks
Basil McCormack:  14 kicks, 1 handball, 2 marks
Stan Judkins:  11 kicks, 3 handballs, 5 marks
Eric Zschech:  24 kicks, 4 handballs, 5 marks
Allan Geddes:  20 kicks, 6 handballs, 6 marks
Jack Twyford:  11 kicks, 1 handball, 0 marks
Gordon Strang:  23 kicks, 1 handball, 16 marks
Jack Titus:  21 kicks, 3 handballs, 9 marks
Fred Heifner:  20 kicks, 1 handball, 6 marks
Doug Strang:  10 kicks, 0 handball, 6 marks
Maurie Hunter:  9 kicks, 1 handball, 4 marks
Percy Bentley:  19 kicks, 1 handball, 7 marks
Tom O’Halloran:  19 kicks, 0 handballs, 6 marks
Ray Martin:  22 kicks, 5 handballs, 2 marks
Jack Anderson (19th man):  2 kicks, 0 handballs, 0 marks