As I was growing up, all my family were Tiger supporters and our neighbour and best friends were all Hawks. For me this made the Rich v Haw games all the more memorable, along with the fact that both sides were strong (1970s). So three of my five are Richmond v Hawthorn games. In chronological order:
1. Rd 19, 1973 at Glenferrie. Rich 12.10(82) d. Haw 11.11(77). Rex Hunt kicked one from 40 or 50 out with the last kick of the game - siren went as the ball sailed through the goals. Can't remember too many games Richmond have won with the last kick of the day.
2. Rd 2, 1977 at the G. Rich 19.6(120) d. Haw 17.17(119). Does anyone remember this one? We'd led most of the day after a 10-goal second quarter but Hawthorn got back in front by about 17 points with ten minutes to go. My memory fades but I think Jim Jess kicked our last three goals to snatch a one point win. I was at the PRE where those goals were kicked and I distinctly remember the goal ump originally signalling one as a behind and then quickly a goal.
3. GF, 1980. Watching the video these days one is reminded more of what a sh!te team that Maggies side was than how good we were (a credit to Tom Hafey to get them that far). But who cares? Beating "them black and white bas%&#¤s" by a record margin in the big one. Does it get any better than that?
4. Rd 3, 1982 at the G. Rich 25.22(172) d. Ess 16.14(110). How often do you see a scoreline like that these days? Footy's lost something I reckon. 90.000 at a Home and Away game and I think it was the debut match of the electric scoreboard. Great day. Can NOT believe we fluffed the flag that year. Still reckon the club would not be in the position it's in today had we won it.
5. The 51 point comeback this year. v Hawks. Fair dinkum, even at that level you'd have given up wouldn't you?
While on the topic of Hawthorn ... is anyone else aware of the curious relationship between the Hawks and Tigers? Two clubs with similar colors, completely disparate supporter bases in terms of size and perceived political leanings. Despite both being power-houses from 1971-1982, they never met (and never have met) in a final. I think in those 12 years there are something like 12 games (either finals or round 22) where had the result gone the other way, then Richmond and Hawthorn would have met in a final the following week. Indeed, they went close to meeting in Grand Finals in 1971, 1974, 1975 and 1982.