KB rejects Tiger lunch invitation
17 June 2003 Herald Sun
By MARK ROBINSON
KEVIN Bartlett has turned his back on a Richmond olive branch again. Invited to the inaugural Tom Hafey Club coterie luncheon in a week's time, Bartlett will tell organisers, 'Thanks, but no thanks'.
The lunch, in similar vein to Essendon's successful *smile* Reynolds Club lunches, is celebrating Richmond's 1943 and 1967 premiership teams, the latter of which included Bartlett.
The rejection continues Bartlett's much-criticised stance of not attending an official Richmond function, or indeed Punt Rd, since he was sacked as coach after the 1991 season.
It was thought the Hafey connection – the two are lifetime best friends – could be the bridge builder, but Bartlett has already told his premiership coach he won't be attending.
"I don't generally go to anything official," Bartlett said yesterday. "I haven't for 12 years and I can't see any reason why I would change.
"I've stepped back from club functions. I don't go to them any more. I don't care how big it is or how small."
Bartlett didn't seem concerned about what Richmond officials and supporters now thought of him.
"Does it play on my mind that some people may say they don't give two hoots about Kevin Bartlett? Well, that's fair enough," he said. "I'm not there to change their mind."
Asked if he might ever change his thinking, Bartlett was non-committal. "I don't know. Who knows what we do?" he said.
Bartlett, who played 403 games for the Tigers, told Hafey he wouldn't be attending during one of their daily conversations.
"And Tommy has no problems, no concerns whatsoever, not even in the slightest. Why should he?" Bartlett said.
"I always go to the Grand Final reunions at the end of the year, I never miss one. In fact, all Richmond premierships have a reunion for the last six or seven years and I never miss one."
Hafey was understanding of Bartlett's position.
"Ah well, it's his thing. It's not going to worry me. I love him and he loves me and that's never going to affect our friendship, but that's what happens," Hafey said yesterday.
"He goes to different things I put on. He never misses Christmas when I take them all to lunch, but that's not a club function, that's Tommy Hafey."
Asked if Bartlett should bury the hatchet once and for all, Hafey said: "I wouldn't even talk about it. It's not within my scope. It's a problem to him, that's all right, but we've all got things like that."
In a twist, the lunch will be compered by Rex Hunt, who recently engaged in a slanging match with Bartlett about his standoff.
Tigers president Clinton Casey said yesterday Bartlett was saying no to his former teammates because the Tom Hafey Club was not officially part of the Richmond Football Club.
He agreed there could come a time when supporters gave up on one of their famous sons. "There will come a time when that becomes the view of the average supporter and that's a shame, but that's his decision," Casey said.
17 June 2003 Herald Sun
By MARK ROBINSON
KEVIN Bartlett has turned his back on a Richmond olive branch again. Invited to the inaugural Tom Hafey Club coterie luncheon in a week's time, Bartlett will tell organisers, 'Thanks, but no thanks'.
The lunch, in similar vein to Essendon's successful *smile* Reynolds Club lunches, is celebrating Richmond's 1943 and 1967 premiership teams, the latter of which included Bartlett.
The rejection continues Bartlett's much-criticised stance of not attending an official Richmond function, or indeed Punt Rd, since he was sacked as coach after the 1991 season.
It was thought the Hafey connection – the two are lifetime best friends – could be the bridge builder, but Bartlett has already told his premiership coach he won't be attending.
"I don't generally go to anything official," Bartlett said yesterday. "I haven't for 12 years and I can't see any reason why I would change.
"I've stepped back from club functions. I don't go to them any more. I don't care how big it is or how small."
Bartlett didn't seem concerned about what Richmond officials and supporters now thought of him.
"Does it play on my mind that some people may say they don't give two hoots about Kevin Bartlett? Well, that's fair enough," he said. "I'm not there to change their mind."
Asked if he might ever change his thinking, Bartlett was non-committal. "I don't know. Who knows what we do?" he said.
Bartlett, who played 403 games for the Tigers, told Hafey he wouldn't be attending during one of their daily conversations.
"And Tommy has no problems, no concerns whatsoever, not even in the slightest. Why should he?" Bartlett said.
"I always go to the Grand Final reunions at the end of the year, I never miss one. In fact, all Richmond premierships have a reunion for the last six or seven years and I never miss one."
Hafey was understanding of Bartlett's position.
"Ah well, it's his thing. It's not going to worry me. I love him and he loves me and that's never going to affect our friendship, but that's what happens," Hafey said yesterday.
"He goes to different things I put on. He never misses Christmas when I take them all to lunch, but that's not a club function, that's Tommy Hafey."
Asked if Bartlett should bury the hatchet once and for all, Hafey said: "I wouldn't even talk about it. It's not within my scope. It's a problem to him, that's all right, but we've all got things like that."
In a twist, the lunch will be compered by Rex Hunt, who recently engaged in a slanging match with Bartlett about his standoff.
Tigers president Clinton Casey said yesterday Bartlett was saying no to his former teammates because the Tom Hafey Club was not officially part of the Richmond Football Club.
He agreed there could come a time when supporters gave up on one of their famous sons. "There will come a time when that becomes the view of the average supporter and that's a shame, but that's his decision," Casey said.
