Toast RIP Tommy Hafey

[Nostradumbass]

Condolences to the Hafey family, such sad news. I was lucky enough to meet him and could not have met a nicer and genuine bloke. The one thing I remember him telling me was "don't ever take for granted that you support the Richmond Football Club"
The AFL has lost a TRUE LEGEND!!

RIP MATE!

Hit me like a tonne of bricks reading that just now.... I probably do and I shouldn't.

 

[jmac70]

A sad day for both our great clubs. RIP Tommy.

 

[Livonski]

Rapt he was ours.
But really, we were his!

RIP Tommy.

 

[JAKLAUGHING]

Gobsmacked to hear the sad news...
Unfortunately never had the pleasure of meeting tommy but feel like I have known him all my life...
R.I.P big fella and condolences to your family.

 

[TigerAndy]

I shed a tear in the car on the way home when I heard the news on the radio.

I was behind him in the ticket queue at a Melbourne Storm rugby game 18 months ago with my 11 year old son (at the time). He was happy to pose for pictures with people in the queue. I was able to introduce a real life living piece of Tiger history to my boy that night. What a real classy down to earth humble gentleman he was.

I was touched when I got home tonight and my son remembered the night we met him and told me that he had seen it on the news that he had passed away.

 

[Obese Arachnid]

Vale "T-Shirt" Tommy.

The Richmond football club mourns tonight as does the Collingwood football club & all football supporters in general.

A true Legend & gentleman of the game.

 

[mickctiger]

RIP Tom Hafey and condolences to the Hafey family.
He, and the team he coached was the reason for a 5 year old Mick C Tiger became a Tiger, way back in the early 70's

C'mon Richmond, lets make this year a fitting tribute to the greatest of all Tigers

 

[GH213]

 

[Strawbs]

Vale Tommy - now with Captain Blood and my Mum in RFC heaven. I see my Tommy Hafey autograph on the fridge every day. 'Keep fit' he wrote. Met Tom at a sportsman's night several years ago. One of the highlights of my life. I'll never forget when a couple of blokes who had had a few too many called out things, Tommy just refused to speak until they were quiet. You could see the coach in him - demanding and commanding respect. Surely a statue at Punt Road beckons.
Condolences to the Hafey family and friends.

 

[flaps]

A great man taken from us too soon. RIP Tom. The banner had better be bloody good to you this weekend.

"Heaven's football team can now take the field because your coach has now arrived."

 

[Strawbs]

GH - Tommy would have said 'mornin' and 'runnin' just like he said 'finessin' 'kickin' and 'handballin.'

 

[telsor]

Really sad news.

RIP Tommy.

 

[DrMike]

No words could ever encapsulate the legend this man is and forever will be. But we'll try anyway.

RIP Tommy

 

[nobulltiger]

 

[RogerDean]

An inspiration to so many...this is a sad day.

 

[jreesosb]

My Mum knew the Hafeys. (we all lived in Beaumaris), and we apparently lent them some girls tiger stuff for one of their daughters to help celebrate after we won the '73 grand final. Never met him myself though, or not that I remember; just a bit too young. Rest in Peace Tom

 

[HalloweenJack]

An amazing man and great coach. RIP Tommy Hafey a true legend of the game.

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

It's odd, feels like Tommy was our tigers dad...that's why it hurts

Feels exactly the same mate.

 

[Tiger71]

RIP Tommy. He was a rare man, a true leader but always humble.

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

I really hope the players go out this week and take something from the great bloke he was. He was inspiring.

If they don't i swear..

 

[Jisha]

Absolutely shattered. Legend of a man, on and off the field.

RIP Tommy and condolences to his friends and family.

 

[Frank Grimes]

Very sad news and I'm gob smacked. He is a Legend at Richmond and a part of me believed he really was immortal with how fit he was despite his age. He was/is a true inspiration for our club.

 

[mickctiger]

Nothing less than a State Funeral is appropriate for Tom Hafey.

 

[TigerAndy]

Just been listening to some of Tommy's inspirational words......."There's nothing more Tigerish than a bloody Tiger - A wounded Tiger".

Nice one Tommy.

Carn the Tigers. We're all wounded tonight

 

[PerthBoy87]

As you all know, I love stats, so I decided to look up Tommy Hafey's stats over his career. This one is for you Tommy. Thanks for touching so many lives as a player, coach, mentor and as a person.

Born: August 5, 1931

Playing Career

Playing Height: 173cm

Playing Weight: 76km

Games: 65 games for Richmond

Goals: 10 goals

Position: Back Pocket

Debut: Saturday May 30, round 6 against Collingwood at Victoria Park

Last Game: Saturday August 23, round 18 against Essendon at Punt Road

Also played/coached Shepparton in the Victorian country league from 1960 to 1965

Coaching Career

Richmond: 248 games - 173 wins, 73 losses and 2 draws

Collingwood: 138 games - 89 wins, 47 losses and 2 draws

Geelong: 66 games - 31 wins and 35 losses

Sydney: 70 games - 43 wins and 27 losses

Finals Coached: 42 games: 24 wins, 16 losses and 2 draws (59% win ratio strike rate)

Overall Coaching Record: 522 games - 336 wins, 182 losses and 4 draws (65% win ratio strike rate)

Coaching Debut (Richmond): Monday April 25, 1966 against Carlton at Princes Park. Age 34

Last Game as Coach (Sydney): Sunday August 28, 1988 against Brisbane Bears at Carrara. Age 57

Highlights:

• 10-time Grand Finalist coach -1967, 1969, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1977*, 1977, 1979, 1980 and 1981

• Richmond Premiership coach - 1967, 1969, 1973 and 1974

• Coached 42 finals

• Coached Victoria in 1971, 1976 and 1980........and was never beaten

• Only once in twenty-two years coaching football did a Hafey-coached team finish lower than seventh
• All Australian Coach - 1980

• Richmond Coach - Team of the Century

• Richmond Hall of Fame - Inducted in 2002

• Richmond "Immortal" - conferred in 2003

• AFL Life Member

• AFL Hall of Fame - Inducted in 1996

• Coached Shepparton in Victorian country football from 1960 to 1965 winning premierships in 1963, 1964 and 1965

Tommy's Premiership Teams in bold:

1967: Richmond: 16.18 (144) defeated Geelong: 15.15 (105)

1969: Richmond: 12.13 (85) defeated Carlton: 8.12 (60)

1973: Richmond: 16.20 (116) defeated Carlton: 12.14 (86)

1974: Richmond: 18.20 (128) defeated North Melbourne: 13.9 (87)

Tommy's Grand Final Teams in Bold:

1967: Richmond: 16.18 (144) defeated Geelong: 15.15 (105)

1969: Richmond: 12.13 (85) defeated Carlton: 8.12 (60)

1972: Carlton: 28.9 (177) defeated Richmond: 22.18 (150)

1973: Richmond: 16.20 (116) defeated Carlton: 12.14 (86)

1974: Richmond: 18.20 (128) defeated North Melbourne: 13.9 (87)

1977: Collingwood: 9.22 (76) drew North Melbourne: 10.16 (76)

1977 (GF Replay): North Melbourne 21.25 (151) defeated Collingwood: 19.10 (124)

1979: Carlton 11.16 (82) defeated Collingwood: 11.11 (77)

1980: Richmond: 23.21 (159) defeated Collingwood: 9.24 (78)

1981: Carlton: 12.20 (92) defeated Collingwood: 10.12 (72)


Tommy Hafey - Pictures