Dusty or Royce? | PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
  • 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.

Dusty or Royce?

Streak

Tiger Legend
Aug 31, 2007
37,213
6,216
Western Australia
In terms of number 4s there is Royce and Dusty but there was also a pretty handy type in Geoff Raines as well wearing that number. Not quite in that company but not far off !!

A West Aussie called Dave Cuzens wore it with distinction before any of these guys. Played 69 games from 1957 to 1961 and won 2 best and fairests, playing mainly fullback and back pocket. Also played 4 games for Victoria.
 

Wellfullness

Tiger Cub
Oct 19, 2019
19
9
75
I have had the pleasure of seeing both play. Clearly both truely magnificent Tigers, but if I had to pick I’d go Dusty every time.
Royce would beat Dusty in the air but in all other respects, left foot apart, Dusty has him covered.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

Sintiger

Tiger Legend
Aug 11, 2010
18,205
17,605
Camberwell
A West Aussie called Dave Cuzens wore it with distinction before any of these guys. Played 69 games from 1957 to 1961 and won 2 best and fairests, playing mainly fullback and back pocket. Also played 4 games for Victoria.
Yes, before my time. Not sure why he played only a few years, maybe he went home.
I also loved Craig Lambert as a footballer. Great hands and creativity, terrific stoppage player.I was really disappointed when he left
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

Bernie

Tiger Superstar
Aug 19, 2008
1,787
977
Tura Beach
Yes, before my time. Not sure why he played only a few years, maybe he went home.
I also loved Craig Lambert as a footballer. Great hands and creativity, terrific stoppage player.I was really disappointed when he left
So was I when he departed.

but not of the calibre of the Royce or even Martin.

yes, my vote goes to Royce.

sorry Geoff.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

Streak

Tiger Legend
Aug 31, 2007
37,213
6,216
Western Australia
Yes, before my time. Not sure why he played only a few years, maybe he went home.
I also loved Craig Lambert as a footballer. Great hands and creativity, terrific stoppage player.I was really disappointed when he left

I think Cuzens didn't come over until he was 24, then had to wait a season for a clearance so he played in a local Melbourne league. Richmond can't say that they recruited him either. He wrote to the club asking about the possibility of getting a game, and they invited him over for a trial. So he was around 30 when he left, which is probably (my assumption) why he played a relatively low number of games.

And ditto on Lambert. Great player in some dark times and was a real fav of mine. I always felt he had a great passion for the club too. I remember being at a game at Subiaco one day in the late 80s, early 90s, and we predictably copped a bit of a belting. I was near the race as the players walked off and most of them looked like they didn't really care. But not Lambert, he was absolutely filthy. As he was walking down the race, he looked up through the mesh straight at me and just shook his head as if to say "what more can I bloody do?". At that moment I couldn't have agreed with him more.

The other interesting thing about that day was I was at the game as a guest of Geoff Brown, the legendary club supporter and later life member who despite living in WA, didn't miss a home game for years. He had a squillion dollars back then, and used to travel over to Melbourne for every Richmond home game then go home to WA until the next home game.

I also remember being proud of the club when they let Lambert go to Brisbane for nothing rather than trade him to Carlton who thought they had us over a barrel. But I have since found out that they had offered a young Brett Ratten as a trade for him, so maybe not as smart as I thought.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

Stig

Tiger Superstar
Mar 2, 2020
1,474
1,747
63
Royce
KB
Then Dusty
Although at the end of his career . Dusty could leap frog those two.
Royce was one of a kind . The 1973 Preliminary Final proved that . Played on one leg and still starred .Royce had the same output even when injured
KB 1980 Finals series was awesome . Unstoppable . They had to change the rules to kerb the brilliance of hungry
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

Baloo

Delisted Free Agent
Nov 8, 2005
44,116
18,926
It will always be a tough debate. But looking at 2017, Dusty had the best season of any player ever when it comes to the accolades and rewards he received. Even Leigh Matthews, one of the games greatest, declared Dusty to have had the best individual season ever.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

waiting

Tiger Legend
Apr 15, 2007
14,058
9,171
Victoria
It will always be a tough debate. But looking at 2017, Dusty had the best season of any player ever when it comes to the accolades and rewards he received. Even Leigh Matthews, one of the games greatest, declared Dusty to have had the best individual season ever.

But still tough.

Royce was something else.
Not old enough to see him when he first started and memory fading at the end.
Seen Dusty from the start.

Different eras . Hard.

Royce for mine. Just.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users

Bullarto Tiger

Tiger Legend
Mar 17, 2012
10,015
4,363
Along the lines of the heading, how about the best number 3 , Flea an Prestia best two I’ve seen , though Kellaway is one of my all time faves , no doubt the older generation will put a case forward for Dean

Really liked The Glove. Thought he was a ripping player with enormous endeavour.
Dion is a dual premiership player and B&F winner in a flag year. Is a real beauty for the Yellow and Black and so important to the engine room.
Flea Weightman was, in my opinion, a mighty player. Would be a champion in any era. So courageous, so skilled and his use of handball almost unmatched. One of my all-time favourite players and a true legend of the club, on and off the field.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users

Tenacious

Tiger Legend
May 19, 2008
5,696
4,077
But still tough.

Royce was something else.
Not old enough to see him when he first started and memory fading at the end.
Seen Dusty from the start.

Different eras . Hard.

Royce for mine. Just.

Agree
But won’t it be a great thing one day to have Dusty so far out in front of Royce’s record that the question doesn’t even need to be asked.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

waiting

Tiger Legend
Apr 15, 2007
14,058
9,171
Victoria
Agree
But won’t it be a great thing one day to have Dusty so far out in front of Royce’s record that the question doesn’t even need to be asked.

I don’t want to be in spot where I get asked who.

I just want to see Dusty finish his career where he may be spoken as the ‘ Greatest’.

That’s still a fair way off.

To me Royce will always be the Greatest CHF in history and that’s good enough for me considering was cut down in his prime.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users

bigwow

Tiger Legend
Jul 24, 2003
8,453
6,049
Melbourne
Along the lines of the heading, how about the best number 3 , Flea an Prestia best two I’ve seen , though Kellaway is one of my all time faves , no doubt the older generation will put a case forward for Dean
No. 3 is about the only number I can remember not having a dud or whipping boy wear it since I followed the club.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

FitenFitenWin

Listen to the thunder RFC
Jul 30, 2009
3,228
1,439
Brisbane
I have had the pleasure of seeing both play. Clearly both truely magnificent Tigers, but if I had to pick I’d go Dusty every time.
Royce would beat Dusty in the air but in all other respects, left foot apart, Dusty has him covered.
Me too - have seen both play and I would agree with this.
 

CarnTheTiges

This is a REAL tiger
Mar 8, 2004
25,349
11,181
Victoria
Me too - have seen both play and I would agree with this.
I only saw the end of Royce, but I’ve read stories and heard my Dad talk about Royce (I think he was his favourite Tiger, although he said Stewart was the best player he’d ever seen), but I agree with Fiten. They’re both guns and have multiple flags.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

tigerman

It's Tiger Time
Mar 17, 2003
24,156
19,624
The conversation has to begin. Not only the best No. 4. Who's better? You probably have to be over 55 to meaningfully discuss. But Dusty is being compared alongside Leigh Matthews and Gary Snr as GOAT. I don't rate Carey, because Royce was better: the greatest CHF. Dusty has now serious claims. Not only is he the best player of his generation, but is he the best player of the televised era?
I think the better comparison is Dusty and KB. Both are/were outstanding midfielders and forwards.
I find it very difficult to choose the better midfielder/forward out of the two of them.
Push comes to shove I'd pick Hungry at the moment, but I think Dusty is a very good chance to go past KB before he's done.
 

graystar1

Tiger Legend
Apr 28, 2004
6,879
1,801
Both have been and in Dusty's case, champions beyond compare.

It is not a case of choosing between the two as they both played and play different positions and roles. If there was any doubt of Dusty's skill and championship qualities have a look at this.

Scroll down to Richmond.