By Dave Campbell
It is a warm spring afternoon, perfect for football. Locked down and unable to watch Richmond at the MCG (or on the television) we decorate the garden with a few scarves and put a laptop on a stool. It isn’t quite the same, and my mind keeps drifting off to earlier games when I was at the MCG. Alastair Clarkson, pre-eminent coach of the modern day, sets up for the last time, and I am cast back to….
Round 21 2007 – Essendon v Richmond : Kevin Sheedy’s last home game as coach (against his old club)
I beheld a packed MCG, with red and black colours predominating. Richmond were on the bottom of the ladder, and were really only turning up as a formality to facilitate Kevin Sheedy’s farewell procession. Richmond’s forward line at the time boasted a young Jack Riewoldt, as well as Batman and Robin (Richo and Nathan Brown). The three of them kicked straight and Richmond waltzed it in, spoiling Kevin Sheedy’s party. But 90,000 people gave him a standing ovation on the final siren.
At the empty MCG Richmond is a pale shadow of the team I saw beat Hawthorn earlier this year. We have made nine changes for this last game, and there is a complete new line-up at the centre bounce. If anything it is the defence and forward line that are letting us down. I have recently developed new metrics for success at half time. Kicked more than two goals: tick! Only two goals down: tick!
Hawthorn are playing like the dominant, assured team that we have always been. They extend their lead in the third and final quarters. It will take a miracle come back from here. And I am cast back to….
Round 8 2007, Richmond v Fremantle
The equation was simple. After kicking five goals to three quarter time, we needed to kick five more goals in the last quarter and restrict Fremantle to zero goals. Fremantle seemed to have brought their own football and the Tigers spent hours chasing after in in the hot sun. Something finally clicked. Richmond ratcheted up the pressure and the ball permanently took up residence in our 50m zone. Shots were sprayed from everywhere, and some went in. Jack Riewoldt kicked a couple. The crowd roared to life. The clock ticked down. With 21 seconds to go, Ellis wobbled one through and WE HIT THE FRONT! The crowd went berserk. People were standing up, yelling incoherently, patting themselves on the back, hugging strangers. Before we could even sit down the ball was bounced, Neal of Fremantle whisked it away and Mundy kicked a goal after the siren. The same thing happened three weeks in a row and our season was completely shot.
Back in 2021 I witness a modern day miracle. Richmond kicks five quick goals, including two in the last minute of the game. Scores are level. It has been a long time since I witnessed at draw at the MCG.
Round 3 1980, Richmond v St Kilda
My grandfather took me along to the MCG that day, and kept me out of harm’s way in the outer. I mainly remember duffel coats and pipe smoke. It was my first opportunity to assess the Tigers in the new season. There wasn’t much to be excited about – Richmond toiled all day and eked out a draw. If that was all we could do against perennial cellar dweller St Kilda, then surely our season was shot. Although we did end up winning the premiership that year!
In the last act of his storied 400+ game AFL career, Shaun Burgoyne makes a desperate lunge to stop Jack Riewoldt’s kick off the ground from tumbling through. He misses by centimetres. In his youth, he would have made that save. But Jack Riewoldt of old would have kicked it harder!
It is a warm spring afternoon, perfect for football. Locked down and unable to watch Richmond at the MCG (or on the television) we decorate the garden with a few scarves and put a laptop on a stool. It isn’t quite the same, and my mind keeps drifting off to earlier games when I was at the MCG. Alastair Clarkson, pre-eminent coach of the modern day, sets up for the last time, and I am cast back to….
Round 21 2007 – Essendon v Richmond : Kevin Sheedy’s last home game as coach (against his old club)
I beheld a packed MCG, with red and black colours predominating. Richmond were on the bottom of the ladder, and were really only turning up as a formality to facilitate Kevin Sheedy’s farewell procession. Richmond’s forward line at the time boasted a young Jack Riewoldt, as well as Batman and Robin (Richo and Nathan Brown). The three of them kicked straight and Richmond waltzed it in, spoiling Kevin Sheedy’s party. But 90,000 people gave him a standing ovation on the final siren.
At the empty MCG Richmond is a pale shadow of the team I saw beat Hawthorn earlier this year. We have made nine changes for this last game, and there is a complete new line-up at the centre bounce. If anything it is the defence and forward line that are letting us down. I have recently developed new metrics for success at half time. Kicked more than two goals: tick! Only two goals down: tick!
Hawthorn are playing like the dominant, assured team that we have always been. They extend their lead in the third and final quarters. It will take a miracle come back from here. And I am cast back to….
Round 8 2007, Richmond v Fremantle
The equation was simple. After kicking five goals to three quarter time, we needed to kick five more goals in the last quarter and restrict Fremantle to zero goals. Fremantle seemed to have brought their own football and the Tigers spent hours chasing after in in the hot sun. Something finally clicked. Richmond ratcheted up the pressure and the ball permanently took up residence in our 50m zone. Shots were sprayed from everywhere, and some went in. Jack Riewoldt kicked a couple. The crowd roared to life. The clock ticked down. With 21 seconds to go, Ellis wobbled one through and WE HIT THE FRONT! The crowd went berserk. People were standing up, yelling incoherently, patting themselves on the back, hugging strangers. Before we could even sit down the ball was bounced, Neal of Fremantle whisked it away and Mundy kicked a goal after the siren. The same thing happened three weeks in a row and our season was completely shot.
Back in 2021 I witness a modern day miracle. Richmond kicks five quick goals, including two in the last minute of the game. Scores are level. It has been a long time since I witnessed at draw at the MCG.
Round 3 1980, Richmond v St Kilda
My grandfather took me along to the MCG that day, and kept me out of harm’s way in the outer. I mainly remember duffel coats and pipe smoke. It was my first opportunity to assess the Tigers in the new season. There wasn’t much to be excited about – Richmond toiled all day and eked out a draw. If that was all we could do against perennial cellar dweller St Kilda, then surely our season was shot. Although we did end up winning the premiership that year!
In the last act of his storied 400+ game AFL career, Shaun Burgoyne makes a desperate lunge to stop Jack Riewoldt’s kick off the ground from tumbling through. He misses by centimetres. In his youth, he would have made that save. But Jack Riewoldt of old would have kicked it harder!
Dave and Melody Campbell. Image: supplied.