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Richmond: The Lost Years
- Thread starter TigerForce
- Start date
I managed to watch the program in full, a week after it was first shown.
One of the key messages re iterated was, 'the tigers ate their own' and 'if you didn't win, you were sacked'
So on that note, lets look at TJ & Bourke in isolation.
Both TJ & Bourke were sacked as coaches... treated unfairly? Well, that's open for debate.
But if the 'tigers ate their own... by sacking coaches... and creating a culture of blood spilling' why did TJ return back to Richmond as coach in 1986?
And when TJ was sacked for a 2nd time, why did he return to the club (again) taking on a role as Chairman of Selectors?
Bourke in similar fashion was sacked as coach in 1983, but he too returned back to the club in a similar capacity as TJ.
The question begs, why?
Personally, I think the answer is the missing piece to 'The Lost Years' and one in which Sheehan failed to report.
Identities like TJ & Bourke had too much pride. After all, they led Richmond to success in the better years, and felt they still owned the right to be important figures at the club. They struggled to put their pride aside.
Just like when Leon Daphne sacked Walls. Again, Richmond (that once famous & proud football club) could not openly admit (or put their pride aside) and say, we stuffed up... we made a mistake... let's learn from this and move on!
When Bartlett was sacked, he put that Richmond pride aside and moved on. Some may argue he was sulking for many years and that was his reason for not returning... but no, KB recognised his job as a Richmond man was complete. Sure he eventually returned (after many requests) but this was only in a public relation capacity.
Similarly, Tom Hafey had no inclination for an important position back at the club. He too has spent many years promoting the club off field, but has not entrenched himself in the football inner sanctum.
Richmond failed to recognise, your past success gurantee's you nothing... they were blinded by the success in the 60's, 70's and 80's... and many figures (including the likes of GR) could not admit to their mistakes, because they had too much pride in themselves.
One of the key messages re iterated was, 'the tigers ate their own' and 'if you didn't win, you were sacked'
So on that note, lets look at TJ & Bourke in isolation.
Both TJ & Bourke were sacked as coaches... treated unfairly? Well, that's open for debate.
But if the 'tigers ate their own... by sacking coaches... and creating a culture of blood spilling' why did TJ return back to Richmond as coach in 1986?
And when TJ was sacked for a 2nd time, why did he return to the club (again) taking on a role as Chairman of Selectors?
Bourke in similar fashion was sacked as coach in 1983, but he too returned back to the club in a similar capacity as TJ.
The question begs, why?
Personally, I think the answer is the missing piece to 'The Lost Years' and one in which Sheehan failed to report.
Identities like TJ & Bourke had too much pride. After all, they led Richmond to success in the better years, and felt they still owned the right to be important figures at the club. They struggled to put their pride aside.
Just like when Leon Daphne sacked Walls. Again, Richmond (that once famous & proud football club) could not openly admit (or put their pride aside) and say, we stuffed up... we made a mistake... let's learn from this and move on!
When Bartlett was sacked, he put that Richmond pride aside and moved on. Some may argue he was sulking for many years and that was his reason for not returning... but no, KB recognised his job as a Richmond man was complete. Sure he eventually returned (after many requests) but this was only in a public relation capacity.
Similarly, Tom Hafey had no inclination for an important position back at the club. He too has spent many years promoting the club off field, but has not entrenched himself in the football inner sanctum.
Richmond failed to recognise, your past success gurantee's you nothing... they were blinded by the success in the 60's, 70's and 80's... and many figures (including the likes of GR) could not admit to their mistakes, because they had too much pride in themselves.
LeeToRainesToRoach said:
For some reason, I seem to remember that bond wanted to play our away games in Brisbane, not home ones. I was thinking at the time, why would opposition clubs give up a home game to promote us up there.
Skills said:
I think your giving a bit too much to Bartlett there. He would not return until all of the board members that had sacked him had left. Or at least that was what i was told growing up. Bartlett may have left the club alone but he did not help in terms of the perpetuating idea that we eat our own. He wanted board members gone before returning.
KB was once described as being like a serial killer, photos of the board members on his fridge & crossing them off one by one
The slight variation to that story I heard is that he was bitter about being lied too and hearing about his sacking from the media.
His version is that of the board was honest enough to tell him that was it, face to face, he could have accepted it, even if he didnt like it.
His version is that of the board was honest enough to tell him that was it, face to face, he could have accepted it, even if he didnt like it.
Wow we really did eat our own.
I work for a ruthless manager and his castle is crumbling around him too.
It is amazing the RFC has made it out the other side of those dark days, glad I only remember half of them, the 80's I was too young to care or understand.
I hope the culture has changed for good and we finally have become a proffessional outfit.
I work for a ruthless manager and his castle is crumbling around him too.
It is amazing the RFC has made it out the other side of those dark days, glad I only remember half of them, the 80's I was too young to care or understand.
I hope the culture has changed for good and we finally have become a proffessional outfit.
Legends of 1980 said:
Looking more closely, that's correct. The club wanted to play its other 11 games at the MCG.
Knighta said:
Have heard this from the great man at a function once - he served the club for 27 years as a player/coach and he felt that was enough regardless of how Neville Crowe and Scumbag Schwab tried to sack him. It was a horrible era when every time they were presented with 2 options they always chose the wrong one.
The big question is when did we come out of it? From the start of the Benny/March/Cameron/Dimma rein, we finally became a professional football club.
Ghost of 29 said:
I agree, Ghost.
The overlapping arrivals and contributions of each of the key players you mention (plus, the recent appointment of Dan Richardson) have definitely heralded a new and defining approach to professionalism and strong business governance at RFC, which ultimately seems to be reaping its rewards on the field.
All successful football clubs have strong and committed cultures on and off the field. It is no surprise that the culture of a successful footy club is derived from a myriad of avenues.
RFC seems to be a much more settled and focused organisation, hell-bent on achieving success. And, for the first time in decades, it seems that this possibility is actually a realistic one.
This article, in the midst of the 2010 Fitzroy comparisons, captures the spirit of Gale's new broom.
"We were in a pretty bad position last year and it required transformational change to go forward. Change, more often than not, doesn't come without hardship.
...
If we have a mantra between the senior people here, it is we take responsibility for the situation we are in right now. It's not about looking back, blaming people and making excuses. Once we take full responsibility, then we can take full responsibility for getting ourselves out if it."
http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-premiership/struggling-richmond-admit-there-is-no-easy-fix-vow-to-build-the-hard-way/story-e6frf3e3-1225919889825#.UgWBpT9-9jF
Three cheers for Benny (and Melbourne take note).
"We were in a pretty bad position last year and it required transformational change to go forward. Change, more often than not, doesn't come without hardship.
...
If we have a mantra between the senior people here, it is we take responsibility for the situation we are in right now. It's not about looking back, blaming people and making excuses. Once we take full responsibility, then we can take full responsibility for getting ourselves out if it."
http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-premiership/struggling-richmond-admit-there-is-no-easy-fix-vow-to-build-the-hard-way/story-e6frf3e3-1225919889825#.UgWBpT9-9jF
Three cheers for Benny (and Melbourne take note).
Wildcat said:
I can't absoloutely remember but I think there was one still there and he left however was replaced with another one of the board members that sacked him. Pretty comical really.
I think KB did the right thing to a degree but did have a desire for the club to sack their board for a while then I think it was just pride. You can't say he didn't stick to his word!
Bump.....(really?)
Apologies for my memory glitch...but just saw this earlier this morning on Fox Footy and thought it was done AFTER the 2017 GF??
It wasn't. Looks like Peggy and Benny used this as a motivator to get to where we are now.
Dimma & co's credit has definitely increased further.
Apologies for my memory glitch...but just saw this earlier this morning on Fox Footy and thought it was done AFTER the 2017 GF??
It wasn't. Looks like Peggy and Benny used this as a motivator to get to where we are now.
Dimma & co's credit has definitely increased further.
