To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Tigers’ 1980 premiership, Richmond Media is transporting Yellow and Black barrackers back in time throughout 2020 to follow the Punt Road path to that fantastic flag triumph. Today, we take a look at ‘The Age’ football writer Gerry Carman’s review of Richmond’s Round 20 match of the ’80 season against Melbourne at the MCG, which took place on Saturday, August 16 before a crowd of 19,048.

“If there is one thing Richmond supporters share with the Carringbush mob it is the almost divine knowledge that their team IS the greatest, regardless of league ladders and premierships.

So, it was a chastening experience, amid the steam of the hot showers and dull aroma of liniment in the Tiger rooms after Saturday’s derby match against Melbourne to hear the adoring hordes in good voice letting fly with “We’ve got the best full-forward in the League”.

No argument there. Michael Roach had just equalled a 40-year Richmond record set by Jack “Skinny” Titus by booting his 100^th goal of the season.

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Yet amid all the hubbub over Roach’s great achievement, not a knowledgeable soul dared vary the tune to, dare I say it, “We’ve got the best football team in the League”.

Coach Tony Jewell’s motto of taking one game at a time appears to have got to the team’s supporters, too. And well it might, because, simply, some Tiger claws need sharpening. They are not playing consistently enough to win a premiership, at this stage.

Jewell tacitly agreed when he said after the match: “I was pretty pleased with the second half effort. We did things like backing up and running, which we have not been doing for weeks. In fact it’s been about five weeks since we really showed we’re a good side.”

It was just as well Richmond showed improved form after half time because Melbourne did itself proud at the MCG. If full-forward Steven Smith had kicked straight three times early in the last quarter, Melbourne could very well have stolen the match.

Smith took 14 tremendous marks, kicked seven goals and gave Francis Bourke perhaps the biggest hiding he has had at full-back. The hopelessly out of touch Jim Jess suffered the same fate.

Bourke was banished to the forward pocket in the third quarter. He partially redeemed himself by marking a Wiley pass and booting a goal, but he was hauled off the field at the 13-minute mark of the final term.

“I’ve never done it before,” Jewell said, almost apologetically. He would not comment on the rumour that Bourke had immediately started training after the match as a self-inflicted penalty!

Richmond’s backmen fumbled under sustained pressure from Melbourne. This was epitomised by Jess, who took a good mark early in the first quarter only to give a thumping hand pass to no one behind him, the ball ending up in a dangerous position in the back pocket.

Melbourne’s top players didn’t have things all their own way in the second half. Tony Elshaug, who had 28 possessions, was hauled off the ground “for disciplinary reasons”, according to Melbourne’s assistant coach, Hassa Mann.

The day belonged to Roach. His team-mates looked for him – at one stage Jewell sent the runner to tell David Cloke to get on with his own game – and he didn’t let them down.

Clearly, he wasn’t going to be caught playing from behind, roamed virtually half the ground, picking up kicks and 14 marks.

The only time he showed the strain of the nervous 90s was his first attempt at goal No. 98. “I was a bit shaky and missed”, he said.

His ninth goal for the day and his century came from a free kick only metres from the centre square line, following a hefty knock across the cheek from Jim Durnan, trying to knock the ball from Roach’s grasp.”

Match details

Richmond         3.3       9.8       17.13    26.18 (174)
Melbourne       3.4       9.6       13.10    16.13 (109)

Goals – Richmond: Roach 9, Bartlett 4, Cloke 3, Keane 3, Scrimshaw 3, Wiley, Dunne, Weightman, Bourke.
Best – Richmond: Mount, Roach, Wiley, Cloke, Bartlett, Lee, Scrimshaw, Weightman.

Goals – Melbourne: Smith 7, Seddon 2, Elliott, Gordon, Byrne, Dullard, O’Donnell, Nettlefold, Moir.
Best – Melbourne: Smith, Martyn, Seddon, Nettlefold, Flower, Byrne, Elshaug.