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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.
PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
No 17. A number synonymous with one of the greatest, if not the greatest Legend of the Game. Captain Blood, the Immortal Jack Dyer.
A man they have written songs about, a man who struck fear into the hearts of opposition, a man who is immortalised in the Yellow and Black, a man they have made statues of. Probably the only person who could ever be considered to be bigger than the club itself. A legend rivalled only by probably Mr Football himself, Teddy Whitten.
With recent criticism of our current skipper Kane Johnson, and I cast no judgerment on him or his leadership, has raised the question of the wisdom of awarding the number 17 to the captain regardless of who that maybe. Is this really what the number 17 is all about. Yes I know Jack was a great leader of men, a man who shyed away from nothing and never took a backward step, but I feel it was more about the man himself and the way he went about his football that really laid the foundation for the Legend that is "Captain Blood". I know to watch the video the "Fighting Fury" to see the swagger of Jack walking into Punt Road makes the hairs on the back of ones neck stand up and he true epitomises what the legend of the RFC has been built on. Hard, tough, ruthless, unforgiving and love of the jumper.
Richardson, Broderick and a few others will always be remember as being custodians of the number 17, none of whom have harmed the reputation of the legend of the No 17.
Wayne Campbell in his role as skipper has been a custodian of the Number 17 and now Kane Johnson has that honour.
For me Wayne Campbell will always be remembered as the No. 9 and Johnno to a lesser degree as the No. 28 simply because he has spent less time at Tigerland.
Campbell was a good Captain, who had respect, but could hardly be considered a hard man of the competition. I think Kane is struggling to emerge as true leader, but from the outside this judgement is hard to justify.
Under the current system a player gets to wear the No 17 for 1, 2 or maybe 3 season, although this is yet to happen then someone else takes over the mantle. My question is this. Is this a fitting tradition for probably one of the greatest legends of the game, and by saying that I take nothing away from Wayne Campbell or Kane Johnson, but I do wonder, that if given the choice would Cambo have preferred to continue to wear the No. 9. A number he had made his own.
Personally I would rather see the tradition of the No. 17 bestowed on a player who is more akin to the Legend created by Jack Dyer, a player who is a natural leader, a hard, unforgiving and naturally tough.
For mine I would rather see the jumper given to someone like young Jack who will wear the jumper for years to come. In my view, and I know this will be open to opinion, only few are worthy of the No 17, players like Mark Coughlan should be afforeded the privelidge of wearing the No. 17. I would rather see the No again become synonymous with another Richmond great rather than being rotated every couple of years.
Men of Jack Dyers stature are few and far between and it would be near impossible to live upto the reputation and legend created by the man himself, but I think we owe it to the man who gave his all for this club to pass his legacy on to someone we hope can be part of the legend of the No 17. A Legend that was built on a reputation of blood and guts and an unbridled passion for the yellow and black.
A man they have written songs about, a man who struck fear into the hearts of opposition, a man who is immortalised in the Yellow and Black, a man they have made statues of. Probably the only person who could ever be considered to be bigger than the club itself. A legend rivalled only by probably Mr Football himself, Teddy Whitten.
With recent criticism of our current skipper Kane Johnson, and I cast no judgerment on him or his leadership, has raised the question of the wisdom of awarding the number 17 to the captain regardless of who that maybe. Is this really what the number 17 is all about. Yes I know Jack was a great leader of men, a man who shyed away from nothing and never took a backward step, but I feel it was more about the man himself and the way he went about his football that really laid the foundation for the Legend that is "Captain Blood". I know to watch the video the "Fighting Fury" to see the swagger of Jack walking into Punt Road makes the hairs on the back of ones neck stand up and he true epitomises what the legend of the RFC has been built on. Hard, tough, ruthless, unforgiving and love of the jumper.
Richardson, Broderick and a few others will always be remember as being custodians of the number 17, none of whom have harmed the reputation of the legend of the No 17.
Wayne Campbell in his role as skipper has been a custodian of the Number 17 and now Kane Johnson has that honour.
For me Wayne Campbell will always be remembered as the No. 9 and Johnno to a lesser degree as the No. 28 simply because he has spent less time at Tigerland.
Campbell was a good Captain, who had respect, but could hardly be considered a hard man of the competition. I think Kane is struggling to emerge as true leader, but from the outside this judgement is hard to justify.
Under the current system a player gets to wear the No 17 for 1, 2 or maybe 3 season, although this is yet to happen then someone else takes over the mantle. My question is this. Is this a fitting tradition for probably one of the greatest legends of the game, and by saying that I take nothing away from Wayne Campbell or Kane Johnson, but I do wonder, that if given the choice would Cambo have preferred to continue to wear the No. 9. A number he had made his own.
Personally I would rather see the tradition of the No. 17 bestowed on a player who is more akin to the Legend created by Jack Dyer, a player who is a natural leader, a hard, unforgiving and naturally tough.
For mine I would rather see the jumper given to someone like young Jack who will wear the jumper for years to come. In my view, and I know this will be open to opinion, only few are worthy of the No 17, players like Mark Coughlan should be afforeded the privelidge of wearing the No. 17. I would rather see the No again become synonymous with another Richmond great rather than being rotated every couple of years.
Men of Jack Dyers stature are few and far between and it would be near impossible to live upto the reputation and legend created by the man himself, but I think we owe it to the man who gave his all for this club to pass his legacy on to someone we hope can be part of the legend of the No 17. A Legend that was built on a reputation of blood and guts and an unbridled passion for the yellow and black.