RICHO

[Tigers of Old]

Seeing Matthew Richardson on Footy Flashbacks today, made me think that the great man deserves his own thread in BFTP for PREnders to share their favourite memories of the Tiger champ.

There were many magic moments but my personal favourite was at the SCG round 7, 2004, in the pouring rain.
Richo kicked a magnificent bag of 7 that soggy day but it was his 6th goal that was unforgettable.

With the game on the line, in full flight Richardson broke away from the Swans & streamed down the far wing, having a slippery bounce before unleashing a long bomb from the square. It slid through and sent the Tiger fans into raptures and seemingly lifted the Tigers to an unlikely and memorable victory.

Grainy vision of the goal is at the start of this clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N9zHmU0MZE

Tigers upset Swans
Updated May 09, 2004 20:12:00

The 10.7 (67) to 8.6 (54) win saw the Tigers break a 12-match losing streak on road trips away from home.

Richardson kicked four goals in the first quarter to keep the Tigers in the game against a Swans outfit which had an eight-point lead at half-time.

Richardson then added another two goals in the third quarter, and made another, to help give his side a slender three-point margin heading into the final stanza.

His sixth goal was a stand-out, a drop punt off the boot on the run at 70 metres out.

The Tigers then took the third-quarter lead just minutes later through all-Australian back Darren Gaspar.

Richardson took a mark in front, and as he was being congratulated by his team-mates he spotted Gaspar lurking unmarked under the posts.

Richardson quickly kicked him the ball, and with the Swans caught by surprise Gaspar was handed an easy goal.

The Swans clawed back a three-point lead through a Barry Hall goal early in the fourth quarter, before Nathan Brown snapped a close range kick across his body to regain the lead for Richmond.

And Richardson's seventh goal opened up a crucial 12-point margin with a little over five minutes left on the clock.

The winning margin could have been bigger if Tigers' half forward Andrew Krakouer had scored either of his two chances in the final period.

Krakouer missed one goal kick from 20 metres out, then could only manage a behind from a penalty which had looked a sure six-pointer.

The Swans faded after a strong first quarter marked by two goals to pacy forward Jason Saddington.

After kicking five goals in the opening stanza, the home side managed just one six-pointer in each of the final three quarters.

But increasing rain and a swirling breeze at the MCG saw both sides struggling for fluency through long periods of play.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2004-05-09/tigers-upset-swans/1973398

Richo was at his absolute zenith during this purple patch kicking a bag of 10 a week later against the Bulldogs but it was that goal that I will always remember.
I hope others share their memories here.

 

[tigersnake]

Nice olden. I love richo. My all time favourite Richo moment was weirdly during a loss, but to me it sums him, and Richmond during his career, up. We were playing North in the last round 1999. As usual we had to win to make the 8. North were favourites for the flag and went on to win it. Richo (and Knighter) did all he could to get us over the line. Late in the game we got close or might have hit the front, Richo was on fire and unstoppable. North put 4 defenders on him. They virtually ignored all else, just stood in a circle watching Richo (Archer was one of them).

 

[Knighta]

Imagine what we would be with Richo on a Wing or CHF in todays team.

 

[JB11]

That Sydney game I was on the ground working as one of the trainers,

It was either Easter or Mother's Day and I was in the bad books with family as I would be away for the weekend

Was so good to come away with the win

After the game the players attended a fans function in the stand above the change rooms we used (behind the goals) the one that is being pulled down now, while we packed up everything and loaded it ,
Then we got on the bus for the airport,
We were all pretty tired, after leaving the SCG someone in the seat right in front of me had their mobile constantly ringing but were not answering it,
I lost my patience and said "FFS answer the bloody thing!"
Richo turned around and said " it's a blocked number , I don't know who it is "
Lol , I was embarrassed and said "oh ok "

I had no idea it the big fella lol

 

[BluesBloke]

How about when he kicked 10 goals against Footscray at the MCG - was either 2004 or 2005, I suspect the latter.

There was also a game against us in 2004 at the Dome where his kicking was terrible, missing from all angles. Usually when he'd play well against us, the Tigers generally got up. Round 1 2008 he ran amok, particularly in the second half as we got overran. In the return game (round 14), he was playing well with the Tigers in front on the scoreboard, until he went off injured. No coincidence that we got up in that game as the Tigers really missed his influence.

As a spectator, I loved it when he made a move further up the ground across the wings, just a pleasure to watch.

For a bloke who played almost 300 games and kicked 800 goals, he doesn't get the wider credit he deserves for mine.

Must be something in the Tasmanian water that produces champion footballers...got a great track record does Tazzie!

 

[Tigertool]

As a kid in 2004 some of the Tiges came down to have a small family day here in Traralgon. More then an hour after all the Tiges players had left, Richo was still running around with 15-20 of us, kicking the ball around and us chasing him about. He went above and beyond what most other players would do. Which would have been difficult considering there were ratbag kids from Morwell and Moe about!

Also that day I asked Danny Frawley for his signature and he said "If I had a dollar for everytime somebody asked me that" he then gave me a dollar, and signed my jumper.

I'm pretty sure he expected the dollar back but I just thanked him and walked away.

Cheers Danny!

 

[Knighta]

My favorite memory of Richo isn't a tangible one but it summed him and the team during his career perfectly. In the book by Flanagan Bowden says that people misunderstood Richo's anger as petulance or being egotistical. Rather it was frustration at losing and that if everyone else tried as hard as Richo we would have won more games. Richo gave his all. And I have no doubt he kept the RFC afloat by dragging people to games. I miss going to games and walking in and hearing a young boy say to his Dad "What is Richo gonna do today?" The answer was literally anything. He could win the game for us, possibly lose it, kick 10.3 or 3.10, miss a goal from 10m out and then take the mark from the kick in 50m out on the boundary and slot the goal, or bounce the ball in the rain whilst everyone is touching it to the ground, or simply give the bird to the camera.