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IMPORTANT // Please look after your loved ones, yourself and be kind to others. If you are feeling that the world is too hard to handle there is always help - I implore you not to hesitate in contacting one of these wonderful organisations Lifeline and Beyond Blue ... and I'm sure reaching out to our PRE community we will find a way to help. T.
RFC - FORTY YEARS AGO, 1967
- Thread starter Growl
- Start date
TIGERS TASTE BLUES’ BLOOD!
The Tigers ended the reign of the Blues as the only unbeaten team when they downed ‘em by 2 points in a terrific finish at Princes Park yesterday.
The Blues appeared to have the game won when they hit the front in the time-on period, but a dribbling goal restored the lead to the Tigers.
Former Tasmanian Royce Hart, the Tigers’ full forward, was their match-winning hero. A 60-yard kick by Royce cleared the pack and rolled through the goal untouched.
The capacity crowd of 37,364 roared as the Tigers fought back from ten points behind early in the last quarter and reached a crescendo when Hart goaled.
The umpires scarcely had time to return the ball to the centre, and bounce it before the siren sounded.
The Four has closed up with Carlton now leading the Magpies, Tigers and Cats by only two points.
Steak lunch paid dividends
TIGERS SHOWED THEIR TEETH
(Sporting Globe)
TIGERS SHOWED THEIR TEETH
(Sporting Globe)
RICHMOND showed terrific courage to become the first side to beat Carlton this season when they won by two points with the last kick yesterday.
Young ex-Tasmanian Royce Hart was the hero when his 60-yard kick rolled through to put the Tigers in front.
A capacity crowd of 37,364 was kept at fever pitch in the last term as Richmond fought back after trailing Carlton by 10 points. After Hart goaled umpires just had time to race the ball back to the centre when the siren sounded. The crowd then invaded the ground.
From the Sporting Globe: Richmond players had a pre-match meeting at their Punt Road ground before travelling to Princes Park. They had a round table discussion about the game followed by a steak lunch.
The Carlton ground was packed to capacity long before the match commenced. The crowd gave the two teams a great ovation as they ran onto the field. However, the gates were still open after the start and supporters kept coming at a steady pace.
Barassi won the toss and Carlton kicked to the scoreboard end. They went straight into attack where Waite was awarded a free but he failed to score from the half-forward line.
Richmond juggled key positions around and when things settled down, Swift was on the half-back flank with Jewell following Barassi on the ball.
The Tigers swung the ball around the grandstand wing for Barrot to force a point. Play was hard-hitting as Carlton swung the ball into the goal square, but Green was in the way. Lofts was marking well and he stopped the Tigers and got the ball away through Robertson roaming in the centre.
However, the ball was being bottled up between the half-back lines until Hart ran around two Carlton defenders for a great Richmond goal The game had a finals’ atmosphere as the Tigers went back into attack for Northey to soccer through their second major.
Richmond’s defence was holding firm as they stopped Carlton. They attacked again through Moore, and Hart was awarded a free for his second goal. The Tigers were away to a good start.
Many thought that Umpire Sheales was hard on Carlton when he took a mark off Lofts and gave the ball to Hart.
Richmond again swung into the attack where Patterson, standing behind the pack, marked and goaled. At this stage Carlton had no answer to Richmond’s play-on game.
The Tigers shot the ball to Hart again but his kick at goals fell short. Silvagni came out of the pack and found Stewart on the wing but big Neville Crowe marked over the pack to stop the blues.
Barassi was limping badly after he had his left leg “walked on” early in the quarter. He was playing virtually on one leg as got the ball to Gallagher for their first goal.
Bartlett outpaced the Carlton defenders but his kick resulted in only one point.
Lofts was hitting hard as he halted the next Richmond attack started by Bourke. The move of Barrot into the centre was starting to pay off as he matched Collis to get Richmond moving. It was Richmond’s turn to run into a stubborn defence as Lloyd marked on the half-back line.
Hart outpaced Lofts to get his third goal, giving the Tiger’s an eight-point lead. B. Richardson handballed to Swift who kicked into the man and the ball bounced through for a point. A. Richardson and Northey combined with a good burst of handball for Northey to goal on the run.
It was now a matter of tit for tat as Carlton rushed the ball forward and Robertson snapped truly off his left foot. Hart brought great cheers from the Richmond section when he took a tremendous mark over Lofts to kick his fourth goal.
SECOND HALF:
Hart was still playing well in attack for Richmond although the Tigers were starting to fade under pressure. A. Richardson lifted their confidence when he goaled from a free and the Tigers were only six points down.
Richmond had switched Hart to centre half-forward and B. Richardson to spearhead, in an attempt to counter Carlton’s strong half-back line. Jewell got Richmond moving when he shot the ball to Bartlett who sent a long kick down field. Northey marked and goaled to level the scores. . . .
Silvagni kicked the easiest of goals to put Carlton ahead by 16 points. Richmond’s hopes were kept alive when Patterson grabbed the ball at the throw-in and snapped full points.
Play became fiery on the grandstand wing when Nicholls downed Brown, who had replaced A. Richardson. From the free Brown put Richmond into attack, where B. Richardson ran around his opponent, bounced the ball once, and goaled, making Richmond only four points behind.
Silvagni marked at half-forward but could not make the distance with his kick, and Richmond got the ball away through Bourke. Bourke got the ball to Barrot in the centre and his 60-yard drop kick landed 20 yards from goal, but Lofts cleared.
Seconds later Moore sent another kick into Richmond’s goal square and Lofts again cleared. Richmond were pounding the goals as Barrot sent another kick to the goal square but again the Carlton defence held firm.
Eventually the Tigers broke through when Northey was awarded a free and goaled to give them a 2-point lead. Barrot was lifting Richmond as he again forced the ball to the wing. Hart marked strongly in the centre then found Clay who directed a long kick to the goal front where Moore almost pulled down a good mark.
Umpire Sheales ruled play on and Carlton cleared only to see the ball bounce back again through Clay.
With time-on being played a goal to either side would seal the match as Carlton attacked through Quirk. The crowd went wild as Carlton switched Lofts to the forward line as they directed play towards Jesaulenko. Eventually they were rewarded when Robertson raced in to goal, giving them a four-point lead.
Richmond were not to be denied as they came back for Hart’s long kick to roll through recapturing their two-point lead. Six minutes time-on had been played as the siren sounded to give Richmond a great win.
The crowd swarmed on to the field, and could not be controlled as they raced to pat their heroes on the back.
HAFEY: “WHO’S THE UMPIRE?”
Sheales put on the spot
By PERCY BEAMES
Sheales put on the spot
By PERCY BEAMES
Hafey asked the question when Sheales visited the Richmond rooms for the umpire’s routine inspection before the start of play. As soon as Sheales entered the rooms he was challenged by Hafey.
Sheales, taken back by the unexpected move, replied: “I am in charge of the game and Barassi will do as he is told.
“If he tries to hold up play he will be penalised 15 yards and if he disputes my decisions he will be reported.”
“That’s all right by me then,” Hafey said. “We are a play-on side which likes to keep the ball moving and all I want is a fair go for my team.”
Hafey possibly would not have spoken to Sheales about Barassi had he known that the Carlton captain would be injured in the first five minutes of play. When tackled hard and thrown to the ground, Barassi was struck hard on the right thigh by an opponent’s knee.
From then on Barassi was “on” one leg and, up to the time he left the ground at half-time, only occasionally got close to the ball. Consequently he did not become involved in any umpiring incidents.
Hafey’s complaint yesterday stemmed from a growing feeling this season that umpires have allowed the Carlton captain to get away with “too much” on the field.
Frequently, when a Carlton player has been penalised, Barassi has raced to the spot and questioned the decision. Barassi recently said that this is his right as captain and coach to seek an explanation for decisions given. He also explained that he has not talked with umpires with any intention of disputing decisions.
Now that Hafey has spoken his mind about Barassi, the Richmond move could be expanded by other non-playing coaches. It could be claimed that Barassi, by being on the field and able to talk at will, has an unfair advantage over non-playing coaches, who are forced to sit outside the boundary line.
If a non-playing coach wants to query an umpiring decision, it has to be carried out by messenger to a player and, by the time this is done, it is too late to make it worth while.
There were no complaints in the Richmond rooms after the game, which ended with Carlton going down for the first time this season by two points in a magnificent finish. Hafey described Sheale’s umpiring as “excellent”.
“The man going for the ball got the breaks and that is how it should be,” said Hafey.
Carlton also spoke well of Sheale’s umpiring, but not with quite the same enthusiasm as the Richmond coach.
TIGERS PROVED THEIR ABILITY
By KEVIN HOGAN
By KEVIN HOGAN
RICHMOND players proved something very important to themselves yesterday by becoming the first team to defeat Carlton this season.
This was that they do not lack the ability and determination to win a close game under strong pressure. Yesterday’s match was a truly great game from almost every angle.
Both sides combined skill and strength, courage and co-operation, resourcefulness and resolution in a contest that was remarkably even.
Richmond probably had a little the better of the luck which so often decides a game in which both sides can be said to deserve victory.
But luck alone will not win any game. The ball must be won and driven forward before any lucky bounce or freakish kick can produce a score.
Carlton already has proved several times this season that its players have the heart and drive to snatch close wins.
Biggest blow yesterday for the Blues was the injury which put such an inspiring leader as Ron Barassi out of action. One could not find any flaw in Carlton’s determination even when Barassi was off the field.
After the game, officials of both teams praised Peter Sheales’ umpiring. Sheales was up with even the fastest passages of play and his decisions encouraged every player to win the ball and keep it moving.
The player tackling from behind was penalised unless it was quite clear that he did not combine a push with his grab.
Richmond’s satisfaction at winning yesterday was heightened by thoughts that the side can almost certainly be improved when vice-captain Pat Guinane and solid defenders Graham Burgin and Geoff Strang are ready to play again.
Centre half-forward and half-back flanks were “soft’ spots yesterday and the Tigers believe they have the men to brace them for later games.
BLUES FIRST LOSS
And that’s how the ball bounces!
By RON CARTER
By RON CARTER
The greatest optimist in the world could not have hoped that the kick by Royce Hart in the final seconds of play would snatch Richmond a two-point win over Carlton yesterday.
It never looked like a goal as the ball came off Hart’s left boot more than 70 yards out. But how that kick travelled!
Even when it cleared the heads of the pack, the chances of it going through the goals seemed fairly remote. It had to bounce straight for 30 yards, and not be touched by a Carlton player — but to the joy of every Richmond player and supporter that is exactly what happened.
It was a near thing. Carlton defender Ron Stone raced frantically after the ball, and touched it inches over the line. You could not wish for a more thrilling finish to a great game.
What a way for Carlton to lose its first match for the season! It will always be claimed by the Blues that they were beaten by a lucky kick.
It may have been a lucky kick which eventually won the Tigers the match, but it was hard work and not luck which put them back in the game after Carlton had a 16-point lead near the end of the third quarter.
What made Hart’s kick more sensational and breath-taking was that, only 20 seconds before, Carlton had struck what appeared a decisive blow. A goal by Ian Robertson, a minute before the end, put the Blues four points ahead and was almost as nerve-racking as Hart’s winning kick.
Robertson dropped the mark in the goal square and seemed to fumble the ball and hesitate. He knew he had to be very careful not to put his foot over the line as he kicked.
Carlton captain and coach Ron Barassi must have had to restrain himself from hobbling onto the field to lend his team a hand in the tense final minutes. Barassi spent the second half of the match sitting in the coaches’ box as his team took control of the game, lost it, won it and then lost it again.
His thigh injury in the first five minutes was a crippling blow to Carlton and, no doubt, the Blues will maintain they would have won had Barassi not been injured.
“Barassi is worth more than two points to us,” was the comment freely heard among the Blues.
Did Barassi err in not coming off the field before half-time? For 20 minutes of the first quarter and for the whole second quarter he limped around the Blues’ forward line unable to keep up with the play. I say Barassi did the right thing. There was a chance he could run the soreness out of his injured thigh. He certainly tried this, even though it was agony.
Even on one leg Barassi left his mark on the game. He passed the ball to Adrian Gallagher for the Blues’ first goal and another kick in the second quarter went to Ian Robertson for another goal. At this stage Carlton were struggling to get into the game and the goals were worth double their normal value.
From the way Richmond started — it had 4.2 on the board before Carlton scored — it looked as though the Blues’ first defeat was going to be a real drubbing. Richmond’s forwards had almost a free hand, although the torrid opening had players crashing and flying everywhere.
Sheer persistency brought Carlton back. It took control across the centre with Cliff Stewart and Brian Quirk on the wings, and Alex Jesaulenko switched to ruck-roving, to make up for Barassi, gave Sergio Silvagni all the support he needed.
John Northey and Hart were still dangerous forwards for Richmond, and their efforts prevented the Tigers from dropping behind at half-time. Again in the third quarter the Blues played like a team inspired . . . with three winning half-forwards, Robertson, Kekovitch and Jesaulenko, and Silvagni superb in general play, the Tigers had real troubles.
Richmond were forced to watch Carlton score five goals straight, before retaliating. Desperation was equally distributed between the two sides, but the reason for Richmond holding its game together in the hectic few minutes was mainly through the fine play maintained by Hart and Northey and by a determined long-kicking last quarter from centreman Bill Barrot.
HART BEAT
Bump for the Ump . . .
GOING — [goal umpire Grant has no idea what is in store for him as Royce Hart and Wes Lofts tussle for the ball in the goal square.]
GOING — [C-R-U-N-C-H as Hart and Lofts keep going and collect Umpire Grant]
GONE! [Umpire Grant is skittled by the contesting players. He suffered a sore leg but saw out the game]
Match at Princes Park had everything
By PERCY BEAMES
Yesterday’s match between Richmond and Carlton at Princes Park produced something special for a home-and-home clash. Play was hard, keen and of a good standard, and it would have been almost impossible to have crammed more excitement into the finish.
By PERCY BEAMES
Yesterday’s match between Richmond and Carlton at Princes Park produced something special for a home-and-home clash. Play was hard, keen and of a good standard, and it would have been almost impossible to have crammed more excitement into the finish.
Before the match no-one would have dared predict that it would be won and lost twice in the last two minutes of play. One minute Carlton was jubilant because it thought it had scraped through in another close finish, but no sooner had the scoreboard been adjusted than Richmond was back in front.
Carlton seemed home when Ian Robertson’s goal — a snap a few inches from the line — put it four points up. But seconds later, Richmond’s Royce Hart grabbed the ball near the centre and kicked it with all his might. It sailed over the outstretched hands of the pack, bounced for about 20 yards and went through.
The ball travelled close to 70 yards and Hart’s goal had won the day for the Tigers.
It was a pity one team had to lose. Neither was entitled to pay the penalty of defeat. If anything, Richmond came out of the game a little richer than Carlton.
Besides winning, the Tigers had the satisfaction of finding out that they can stand firm in a tight finish. Until yesterday they had not proved they could do this, and in one or two matches their play had left some suspicion of brittleness.
Intensive planning aimed at countering Carlton’s big name players, and a revival, late in the game, by players who earlier had been quiet, were big factors in Richmond’s success. The players went on to the field with Tony Jewell shadowing Barassi, Neville Crowe checking John Nicholls, Alan Richardson looking after Gordon Collis and captain Fred Swift coping with Alex Jesaulenko.
The tactics paid off so well that Richmond had four goals on the board before Carlton got into stride. Richmond looked good again in the last quarter when Bill Barrot, in the centre, *smile* Clay on a wing, and other players, who had been out of the game, suddenly found their feet and supplied great drive to the forwards.
From a premiership test of strength Richmond’s win was inconclusive. The two sides are evenly matched, but whether they stay this way will be determined by the next nine games. The Tigers are confident that they can, and will improve, once Pat Guinane, Graeme Burgin and Geoff Strang return to the side.
Carlton eased the sting of defeat by saying that a two-point loss hardly measured up to the loss of Ron Barassi for almost the whole of the game. But the loss of Barassi was only one of several problems the Blues had to face. Their attack failed for most of the game. Barassi’s loss, which left them a follower short, meant a ruckman had to rest at full-forward, and to cap everything off, centre half-back John Goold had to leave the ground half way through the last quarter.
When Goold went off with mild concussion, Gordon Collis, who had controlled the centre, had to be shifted to centre half-back. Immediately Collis was moved, Barrot became a force for Richmond.
It could also be said that an incident involving John Nicholls cost the Blues the game. Carlton was 10 points up and Nicholls was awarded a free kick on Carlton’s half-forward line. But he tangled with Richmond’s 19th man, Bill Brown, and Brown was awarded the free kick. He flashed the ball to the other end of the ground and Richmond goaled. From then the Tigers did not look back.
The defeat did not deprive Carlton of top place, but now it is only two points clear of Collingwood, Richmond and Geelong, all with seven wins.
Below: John Northey tousles Royce Hart’s hair — a gesture of appreciation for Hart’s winning kick for Richmond in the tense match against Carlton yesterday.
The kick that made Barassi so blue
“IT hit the ground 20 yards from goal and my heart stopped . . .”
“IT hit the ground 20 yards from goal and my heart stopped . . .”
His rolling kick scored a goal seconds before the final siren to beat Carlton 13.15–93 to 14.7–91.
“It was the longest rolling goal I have ever kicked,” said Hart. “I just stood there and hoped no one would touch it.
“I saw four Carlton players go after it — but it just kept rolling.”
“Billy Barrot ran up and yelled ’you beauty!’ and I knew it was through.”
BELOW:
A very dejected Ron Barassi, Carlton’s captain-coach, limps from the ground.
Injured early in the game, Barassi was replaced at half-time.
Injured early in the game, Barassi was replaced at half-time.
Round 9 match snippets
WHAT THEY SAID:
“THIS was possibly our best win since we became a top side,” said Richmond coach Tom Hafey after his side had downed Carlton.
“We’ve won pressure games before, but this time we had to do it when the pressure was really on, and after it had looked all over for us.”
RON BARASSI (Carlton captain-coach): “There are few times when you can be proud of a team when it has lost, but today was one of those times. It was a tremendous game and a tremendous effort by Carlton.”
FRED SWIFT (Richmond captain): Even now it’s over I still can’t believe we’ve come out on top. It was a tremendous game which could have gone either way. It went our way because we refused to quit when things looked very bad for us.
* * *
* * *
Carlton follower Vin Waite was paid a mark he did not earn in the game against Richmond. Waite dived to the ground as he grabbed the ball and it went straight through his arms.
Luckily for him umpire Sheales was not in a position to see the ball hit the ground.
* * *
RICHMOND tried their hardest to put a gag on Barassi on Monday, hoping play would be speeded up. All season I’ve been concerned at the willingness of umpires to slow down the game.
Perhaps it’s their way of getting a breather, or even keeping up with play, but it certainly doesn’t help the fast play-on sides. If the umpires want to stop Barassi ranting at their decisions they have only to call ‘play on’ and Barassi will go his way.
He won’t be bothered arguing when the ball is in play. And I’d like to see umpires penalise the deliberate slow-down tactics when the opposition has the kick.
* * *
JOHN’S LAPSE WAS COSTLY:
Big John Nicholls showed a rare flash of temper in the tense last term, and it proved costly for Carlton. The Blues’ giant had been awarded a free kick on the centre wing.
But umpire Sheales took the ball off him after he unexpectedly clashed with tiny Tiger Bill Brown.
The ball was swept forward for a Richmond goal, and the start of the come-back which cost Carlton a win.
* * *
Tiger Northey leads a ‘conga line’ of Blues, John Lloyd and John Goold, and fellow Tiger Mike Patterson.
* * *
RICHMOND star Bill Barrot must have wondered where he was when he was given a huge cheer by the Carlton members as he ran on to the ground for the start of the game at Princes Park.
Barrot came out of the race several minutes after his team-mates. His arrival coincided with the appearance of the Blues taking the field — hence the big reception.
* * *
GAME MUST GO ON:
What happens in a League football match if fog blankets out the play? Nothing . . . the game must go on.
This was the reply Carlton president, Mr George Harris, received yesterday when he became worried about the possibility of fog interfering with the Carlton-Richmond match at Princes Park.
Mr Harris was remembering last Thursday evening, when visibility was down to a few yards during training.
He was so anxious about the fog that he telephoned the VFL umpires’ adviser, Mr Bob Nunn, at home yesterday morning. Mr Nunn ruled that the game could not be stopped because of fog, and would be played to a finish.
“I’ve never heard of a football match being stopped because of fog,: Mr Nunn said later.
Fortunately, the fog scare was unfounded. The game was played in a misty haze, but there was never a threat of a thick fog settling over the ground.
* * *
From John Coleman, Essendon coach, as told to John Craven (The Herald): . . . I went to the game thinking the winners could easily be this year’s premiership side. It wasn’t as easy as that.
They are BOTH premiership chances and will have to be beaten for the flag.
That is not discounting Collingwood, who have their strong points. . . . In deciding between Richmond and Carlton as the better premiership chance, I must go a shade Richmond’s way.
Both sides are tough and strong, and they showed no signs of “dying” in a very tense match.
. . . I think they [Richmond] must improve their roving , and their defence could be tighter.
I was not completely satisfied with their forwards, although John Northey and Royce Hart went well.
. . . Main difference between the sides is that Richmond have the Melbourne Cricket Ground as their home ground, and they have a very capable spearhead in Hart. Their play is geared to the MCG and it must be a help.
I was most impressed by Hart, who went well under pressure, kicked well and showed great pace and spring. He also kept the defenders guessing.
He didn’t take any “screaming” high marks against Carlton, but I’m told he can produce them. He did well against a tough opponent in Wes Lofts.
* * *
HAND PASSES TOO HIGH — High, floating hand-passes by Richmond ruckman “Bull” Richardson upset his team-mates. Often they have to wait for them to come down and are sitting shots for the opposition.
This happened at Carlton yesterday when he gave one of his floating hand-passes to little rover Kevin Bartlett.
Bartlett was standing under the ball and, as he grabbed it, he was “collected” by Wes Lofts and was attended by the trainers for some time.
* * *
Pictured: Richmond half-back Kevin Shinners relaxes with team-mate, rover Kevin Bartlett, after their team’s tough match — and two-point win — against Carlton.
“I’LL KEEP ON TALKING . . .”
By JOHN CRAVEN
By JOHN CRAVEN
Carlton captain-coach Ron Barassi said today “he couldn’t care less” that Richmond coach Tom Hafey had spoken to field umpire Peter Sheales about him.
“It doesn’t worry me in the least,” he said.
Before the Carlton-Richmond game yesterday, Hafey asked Sheales whether Barassi would be allowed to “umpire” the match.
Hafey obviously was referring to Barassi’s habit of querying umpiring decisions which go against him and other Carlton players.
Barassi said: “This probably happened because of publicity I have received on this point. It was only to be expected from that angle.
“Speaking frankly, however, this year I have done less talking to umpires than ever before. If Tom Hafey wants to talk to an umpire about me, that’s his privilege. I won’t be changing my methods.”
Barassi denied that he queried umpiring decisions sometimes to waste time.
“I have been playing football the same way for 15 years,” he said. “If I do get away with more than others with umpires — and I don’t think I do — maybe it’s because of my way of play over the years.”
VFL umpires’ adviser Mr Bob Nunn said today that Tom Hafey, or any other coach, was entitled to question an umpire on interpretation of the rules.
He had received no complaint that field umpires were too “lenient” on Barassi.
Richmond don’t need little men
By JOHN RICE (Sporting Globe)
By JOHN RICE (Sporting Globe)
If Richmond win this year’s flag . . . and that’s quite on the cards, they’ll have set a new trend in football. They’ll have proved that a team doesn’t need little men to be a success.
Except for John Northey 5ft 10½in. and Roger Dean 5ft. 9in, every other player in the line-up is at least a Collingwood six-footer.
Richmond have moulded their side for MCG performances and that’s where the finals are played. They’ve been criticised at times for the ruthful way heads have been lopped in Tigerland.
It’s obvious the Richmond brains-trust are ramming home in no uncertain fashion to their players that the team is bigger than the individual.
There’s still a long way to go before we reach Grand Final day, but at this stage Richmond look the team to beat. Granted Collingwood beat the Tigers by seven points on the MCG this season, but since then Richmond’s gone from strength to strength.
They have tremendous aerial power and their big fellows can move like rovers.
So it’s going to be interesting to see if they can take the title without any short men like Billy Goggin, Ross Smith, John Birt, Thorold Merrett, “Bluey” Adams and Ian Law, who in recent years have played such important roles in premiership sides.
Hart — ‘wise man’ of the VFL team
JACK DUNN – Around the Packs
JACK DUNN – Around the Packs
Young Richmond full-forward Royce Hart, who has won a VFL guernsey after only eight matches with the Tigers, will be the “wise man” of the team to play Tasmania in Hobart.
Many of the VFL’s most experienced players will be novices compared with Hart when the team runs out on the North Hobart Oval.
Hart, 19, came to the Tigers last year from Tasmanian club, Clarence. He has appeared in more than 30 games at North Hobart.
“I was never in a League game there, but I played in more than 30 matches as a schoolboy on that ground. It is one football oval I know really well,” Hart said.
“I once trained on the ground every week for a season,” he said.
Hart won a Schoolboys’ State guernsey with Tasmania in 1961. “I was a rover then. I was 5 feet {tall] and weighed less than nine stone.”
He will look different when he runs out with the Victorians against Tasmania. He is now 6ft 1½ and 13.4
RICHMOND committee has included head trainer, Alby Keogh, in its allocation of $50 for players who will wear VFL guernseys against Western Australia and Tasmania tomorrow week.
The Tigers have Royce Hart and Mike Patterson in the team for Hobart and Bill Barrot, *smile* Clay and Mike Perry in the side to tackle WA.
So the Tiger contingent has cost the club $300.
The Tigers have Royce Hart and Mike Patterson in the team for Hobart and Bill Barrot, *smile* Clay and Mike Perry in the side to tackle WA.
So the Tiger contingent has cost the club $300.
Tigers are pulling fans
31,000 LIFT ON ’66
31,000 LIFT ON ’66
AFTER nine League games so far this season Richmond’s attendances for all games are more than 31,000 higher than last year.
After nine games last year 259,785 people had watched Richmond play; this year 291,171 have seen them.
Last year Richmond were more successful than this season. After nine games they had lost one and drawn one; this year they have lost two games.
So the only reason for the larger crowds watching Richmond must be that they are becoming more popular.
And, of course, five of their games have been played on the Melbourne Cricket Ground, which is easily the most comfortable ground at which to watch football.
Richmond can look forward to another big crowd as their match against Melbourne has suddenly blossomed into a big game. Melbourne are fifth — certainly two games outside the four — and Richmond are third.
But, according to the premiership ladder, no other game outranks it in importance.
Footballer hobbled into career
By MURRAY CADAN
By MURRAY CADAN
Injuries usually are regarded by footballers as unwelcome but unavoidable parts of the game.
For Richmond centre half-forward Barry Richardson, however, injuries opened the door to a career. While being treated by a physiotherapist for a school football injury, Richardson got talking about the job.
By the time he was ready to leave he had decided that he, too, would be a physiotherapist. He is now doing his final year of study and probably will spend the next couple of years working in hospitals.
Eight months of concentrated study and demands of football training add up to a busy year for a 21-year-old. So, when the long university vacation comes around in the summer, Richardson makes a complete break from his rest-of-the-year routine.
He goes home as soon as he can to his parents’ farm, seven miles out of Wodonga, and helps harvest wheat, oats and hay. “There’s enough work there to keep you pretty fit,” he says.
Richmond recruited Richardson from a famous cradle of footballers, St Patrick’s College at Ballarat. He was school captain in 1964 and captain of the football team in the same year. He also captained the combined Ballarat Public Schools for three years and the school cricket team for three years.
He was in the school athletics team and played tennis for two years. This is a remarkable record in a school noted for the quality of its sportsmen.
Richardson said the St Pat’s football team experienced the worst period in its history during his first two years at the school. “When I first went there they had missed only one premiership in 54 years,” he said.
“They missed out in both of my first two years, but I think they have won every one since then.”
“Schools like Ballarat College and Ballarat Grammar have grown and the competition has become stiffer.”
Barry Richardson, 21, 6ft 3in, and 13 stone, is a grandson of one of Essendon’s old-time “greats” . . . Fred Hisbins, who played at centre half-forward for the Dons in the early 1900s.
Richardson is in his third season with Richmond. In his first year he went straight into the seniors but found after two games that he “wasn’t up to it.” Three games later a knee injury put him out for the rest of the season.
Most of last year he spent in the Reserves premiership side.
He forced his way back into the seniors this season and played the best game of his career against Geelong on the MCG three weeks ago. After the knee injury in 1965 Richardson had to spring for marks off his left leg instead of the right.
He says it is only lately he has been able to get up high for marks again.
Hart, Tully, Brown in side to play W.A.
By PERCY BEAMES (The Age)
By PERCY BEAMES (The Age)
Richmond’s 19-year-old star Royce Hart has replaced Doug Wade as full-forward in the Victorian team to play Western Australia at the MCG on Saturday.
Collingwood centreman Colin Tully, and Fitzroy follower Norm Brown, also have been brought into the team for the WA match.
Changes also had to be made in the Victorian side to play against Tasmania in Hobart on Saturday.
Last minute inclusions are 1966 Brownlow Medal winner Ian Stewart, and Kevin O’Neale – both of St Kilda, Peter McKenna (Collingwood), Bryan Kenneally (Melbourne) and Noel Teasdale (North Melbourne).
In all, eight changes were made to the two State teams.
Apart from Wade, Carlton captain-coach Ron Barassi and Melbourne captain Hassa Mann have dropped out of the side to meet WA.
Wade yesterday entered hospital for a minor operation, and he is likely to remain there for two or three days. Barassi, who has a badly bruised thigh, was limping yesterday and could not be considered.
Mann also had to be passed over because of a sore knee and a bruised heel.
But despite these losses, Victoria will still field a strong side against Western Australia.
Hart, with his elusiveness, tenacity and good high marking, could prove a worthy stand-in for Wade. In eight games this season he has kicked 27 goals, five of them on Monday against Carlton’s Wes Lofts, generally regarded as the toughest full-back in League football at the moment.
Hart is representing Victoria for the first time. . . . The promotion of Hart, Tully and Brown caused three of the changes in the Tasmanian side, while the loss of Ian Cooper (ill), and Graeme John (injured) was responsible for the others. . . .
