Matthew Richardson

[TigerKnights]

Well I respectfully disagree. Roach was my childhood idol but his peak years were 20-22yo; injury prevented him being greater for longer. Richo embodied the spirit of the club as Dyer did, only differently. I note that both Roach and Richo are on the bench in the Tasmanian TOTC which was named in 2004. Richo added 220 goals and 51 Brownlow votes after that.

Dyer named Roach at FF in his greatest ever Richmond team c. 1982, but like Richo's 1998 TOTC gong, it was a little premature.

Incidentally, as one of five playing "immortals" I'd include Vic Thorp, who nobody mentioned on that other s**t thread.

Yeah I get it is tight call. J Titus got plenty to, it is a tough gig at tigerland. Disco was my first fave to. I am just one of those guys who would pick a team in real world terms and you cannot have 6 CHF/FF in the TOTC or any team. Sorta the opposite of how the AA team is selected these days. But if came down to 25m directly in front to win, you gotta go Disco. And he simply cannot replace Hart. But I would say the Dyer comparison is one most accurate on Richo I have heard for a while. He brought a roar back to tigerland than had been long forgotten.

 

[Captain_Bender]

Well I respectfully disagree. Roach was my childhood idol but his peak years were 20-22yo; injury prevented him being greater for longer. Richo embodied the spirit of the club as Dyer did, only differently. I note that both Roach and Richo are on the bench in the Tasmanian TOTC which was named in 2004. Richo added 220 goals and 51 Brownlow votes after that.

Dyer named Roach at FF in his greatest ever Richmond team c. 1982, but like Richo's 1998 TOTC gong, it was a little premature.

Incidentally, as one of five playing "immortals" I'd include Vic Thorp, who nobody mentioned on that other s**t thread.

Michael Roach did kick 80 goals from 17 games during 1985 at 26 years old

 

[Ron The Bear]

Yeah I get it is tight call. J Titus got plenty to, it is a tough gig at tigerland. Disco was my first fave to. I am just one of those guys who would pick a team in real world terms and you cannot have 6 CHF/FF in the TOTC or any team. Sorta the opposite of how the AA team is selected these days. But if came down to 25m directly in front to win, you gotta go Disco. And he simply cannot replace Hart. But I would say the Dyer comparison is one most accurate on Richo I have heard for a while. He brought a roar back to tigerland than had been long forgotten.

Titus would probably go to a pocket these days, given he was the same height as Eddie Betts and much lighter.

Michael Roach did kick 80 goals from 17 games during 1985 at 26 years old

Yeah 1985 was a resurgent year. But chronic injuries largely curtailed his massive leap and reduced the monster goalkicking range he had in his prime. He was still an athletic player and still a threat, but nowhere near as spectacular after 1981 (1982 was spent largely as a mobile second ruck). He had a kick like a laser beam and was converting at 73% at one point, but only 61% after 1981. Those early years after being moved to FF were something else.

The players were announced as they got up to receive their 1980 premiership medals: "Mark Lee... Dale Weightman... Geoff Raines... Superstar, Michael Roach!" He was a special player alright. A sensation. Even Mike Brady's theme song for 1981 contained the line

You'll be captain, you'll be coach
You'll be Jezza, you'll be Roach



No torpedo required.

 

[Lunchtime]

Saw most of Richo's games and until he spent the last couple of seasons up on the wing, he generally had licence to roam the forward 50 and as such I wouldn't call him a pure FF nor a pure CHF during that time.

He was top 10 without a shadow of a doubt and the reason I just loved going to watch the Tigers play even if I knew we would get a hiding on occasions. His career average of 2.8 goals & 8.0 marks per game stacks up pretty well with the other legendary forwards of his time I would suggest:

Kernahan 2.9 / 7.0
Brereton 2.2 / 5.6
Carey 2.7 / 6.7
N.Riewoldt 2.1 / 8.8
Treadrea 2.2 / 6.9
J.Brown 2.3 / 7.1
Lucas 1.7 / 5.7
Lloyd 3.4 / 6.3
Longmire 2.6 / 4.4

Tom Hawkins - 2.1 / 5.4 ... exclusively at FF and never on the wing. Shouldn't even be mentioned in the same sentence.

And now Hawkins will be given its his 350th game this week.

 

[Cleansweep17]

Yep.

I think Dusty, KB, Hart and Richo are the fab 4 at Richmond it terms of playing ability.

Would have given anything for him to play in the 17-20 team. Can’t believe it’s been so long since he’s retired already, him and Dusty never played a game together. Astonishing.

 

[Lunchtime]

Yep.

I think Dusty, KB, Hart and Richo are the fab 4 at Richmond it terms of playing ability.

Would have given anything for him to play in the 17-20 team. Can’t believe it’s been so long since he’s retired already, him and Dusty never played a game together. Astonishing.

Richo was like Franklin, athletic and could run all day. In his younger days Richo was like Franklin where he could run away from opponents at pretty good speed, as this footage shows:

 

[Cleansweep17]

Richo was like Franklin, athletic and could run all day. In his younger days Richo was like Franklin where he could run away from opponents at pretty good speed, as this footage shows:

Omg the hair haha

I also loved when he rocked the glove later. Just oozed coolness. I don’t think players do it anymore, reckon they should.

 

[Thrawn]

Just oozed coolness.

Every time someone uses the word "oozes" I think of a popped pimple.

 

[juss]

To answer the question of course he is easily in our top 10.

He's the best contested mark I've ever seen, period. You've got to remember he played in one of the weakest teams every year, so his marks came from positions where the ball wasn't necessarily put in a favourable position. He would regularly be the best in the AFL in his prime in that category. He was super strong in the wrestle, but equally could burn an opponent on the lead.

His flaws were his suspect goal kicking, yet he still kicked 800 goals. Mildly better skills and he's a 1000+ goal forward with a bit of tidying up there. In fact, I'd argue without being plagued by injury through his career he possibly gets there too. He missed significant time with a knee and frequent hamstring issues.

His body language in his early/mid years are also something that wouldn't be tolerated now, but it added to his theatre and made him so watchable.

To go onto the wing in basically his last year and nearly pull off a brownlow as a tall wingman at his age just showcases the ridiculous talent he was.

 

[Lunchtime]

To answer the question of course he is easily in our top 10.

He's the best contested mark I've ever seen, period. You've got to remember he played in one of the weakest teams every year, so his marks came from positions where the ball wasn't necessarily put in a favourable position. He would regularly be the best in the AFL in his prime in that category. He was super strong in the wrestle, but equally could burn an opponent on the lead.

His flaws were his suspect goal kicking, yet he still kicked 800 goals. Mildly better skills and he's a 1000+ goal forward with a bit of tidying up there. In fact, I'd argue without being plagued by injury through his career he possibly gets there too. He missed significant time with a knee and frequent hamstring issues.

His body language in his early/mid years are also something that wouldn't be tolerated now, but it added to his theatre and made him so watchable.

To go onto the wing in basically his last year and nearly pull off a brownlow as a tall wingman at his age just showcases the ridiculous talent he was.

Interesting stat this one. He did miss a few games to injury during his career.

 

[j09948772]

Omg the hair haha

I also loved when he rocked the glove later. Just oozed coolness. I don’t think players do it anymore, reckon they should.

Yeah not enough oozing these days.

 

[Andyy]

He was an extraordinary player.

Incredible speed, endurance and aerial ability, great set of hands etc.

He clearly would have played 300+ and kicked 1,000+ if he was in a decent team and hadn't been shoved into a fence.

Beautiful human being also. Always had time for fans and kids especially.

 

[Lunchtime]

He was an extraordinary player.

Incredible speed, endurance and aerial ability, great set of hands etc.

He clearly would have played 300+ and kicked 1,000+ if he was in a decent team and hadn't been shoved into a fence.

Beautiful human being also. Always had time for fans and kids especially.

Goals per season

 

[SuperSteele22]

One of my absolute favourite favourite opposition players to watch in a great era of footy.

Horrendous commentator though

 

[SSSSSS]

His greatest achievement in footy is displacing Andrew Walker's hat as the greatest footy news story.

My GOAT.

 

[Kappa]

Great player but jeez he is a terrible commentator.

has never added anything interesting to commentary, and will regularly whinge about stuff during exciting moments and kill the buzz.

 

[Freomaniac]

Wayne Campbell may have played soft (also very smart) footy for at the start of his career, but his back half was not soft at all. Became quite an in and under footballer and deserve his 4 best and fairest and 2 All Australian honours. Misunderstood and under-rated player.

Richmonds 1990s squad under achieved. should of made finals in 1994-6, 1998, 2000-01.

He had some pretty good players delivering the ball at times - Knights, Campbell, Broderick, Bowden, Cameron, Brown, Deledio. Not a "victim" as such, but there's no question he was very unlucky to play in a team that for 17 years was no better than "decent", and sometimes much worse. Could've done a Brad Ottens and stamped himself as a successful player; instead he's remembered for striving mightily against odds stacked against him by events that occurred long before he arrived, much like a Robert Flower or a Garry Wilson. His career is tainted by his club's failure, not the other way around.

He led the club's Brownlow voting in his final year from a handful of games FFS.

Matthew Richardsons playing career spanned from 1993 to 2008.

during that time Richmond played finals in 1995 and 2001. Richardson didnt play in the 1995 finals series due to injury. so he only played finals in 2001 , 1 year of finals out of a 16 or 17 year career.


Richmond finished 9th in 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2006 and 2008. Turn those 9th placed finishes into 8th placed finals spots and thats at least 6 more games or 6 more finals Richardson would of played. probably add another 20-25 goals if he played at least 4 or 5 more finals.

Again, A team with Knights, Campbell, Broderick, Bowden, Brendon gale and nick daffy should of made finals in 1994-6, 1998, 2000-1.


And you wonder why I savored every final Matty Pavlich played at freo between 2003-15. Yeah it was 14 or 15 finals with 6 finals wins but I savoured every final pav played in.

 

[SuperSteele22]

Great player but jeez he is a terrible commentator.

has never added anything interesting to commentary, and will regularly whinge about stuff during exciting moments and kill the buzz.

I don't think he's ever given an original opinion in his commentary role. Always waits to hear what the general consensus is amoung other commentators before putting his two cents in

 

[Cyclops]

He never scared me as an opposition player. He seemed to burn as a flat track bully and junk time superstar.

I realize he did have one good year where he belted great opponents, and it still takes class to annihilate bad sides, but I feel he was not a champion and his immaturity (all that flouncing and sooking) cost his side. I've never seen a player so easily derailed by a bit of bad luck.

Obviously a very good player but I feel Riewoldt is far better.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Tidbit - one of the great returns from an ACL ever. Came back early, he did it mid-year in 1995 and was back for Round 1 1996.

In 96 he finished third in the league for marks - back when marks were marks, not little sideways catches for HBFs to accumulate.

Kicked 91 goals, was a man mountain who ran around like a gazelle. He was still only 21yo.

 

[Daka]

He is a champion & loved by even opposition supporters, one of the best blokes in footy.

Great endurance, highly athletic, one of the best markers.

Not sure why this thread got bumped but even with the lack of success you would have to name him in the Top 5 of Tigers at least since the 1990 - Present AFL era. People went to the footy just to see this guy.