Save Our Skins

[Rosy]

I've just been reading "Tigerland" by Brian Hansen and thought this little piece was worth typing out for those who haven't read it or weren't around at the time.

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The hairs bristled on the back of the neck when the legend himself, Jack "Captain Blood" Dyer stalked to the rostrum to stir the emotions and put his heart and soul behind the crusade declaring:

"SAVE OUR SKINS!"

There were tears, there were cheers, there was a swell of emotion and the sport's greatest orator poured his heart into the appeal.

The Richmond Football Club prepared well for the big day. They had topped up the well of emotion. They had the club's greatest personalities on parade and the entire sporting populace behind them. Jack Dyer personified the spirit of the day.

He stormed at the big fat cats of the League declaring they were sitting and smirking in their super boxes while they plotted the death of the club that belonged to the people.

"They don't care about history. They don't care about you who have stood in the outer year in and year out and made the game the game it is today. It's you who have built their stadiums and made them rich.

"Yet they would kill our club . . . Like hell they will."

The Captain told me he had never felt so emotionally fired up.

"It just tears at me to think that these people get into high office and don't bother to understand the mentality of the people. The game was made by the people and belongs tot he people yet they would sell it to corporate bodies and television. God...there is a time when you down tools, pick up rocks and fight."

He stirred the crowd as he recalled the greats of the past who were spinning in their graves at the threat to their club.

"There's no way we will let them kill this club . . .we’ll fight them to the death."

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Richmond-Forever.

 

[CarnTheTiges]

If we, God forbid, had to start another Save Our Skins type appeal who would we use to generate the sort of support Captain Blood did back then? We've got nothing like the living legend old Jack was. Bartlett would generate a lot of support, but he'll never come back to the club and is likely to tell them that they got themselves into this mess, told ya so, yadda, yadda, yadda. The only guy I can think of is Tommy Hafey. This club is fast running out of legends unless we can create some new ones.

 

[Skills]

Hope we never have to return to another "Save Our Skins".

The best donation I ever made that year, was purchasing a $5 jar of Punt Road soil. I opened it many many years later and it stunk!!!

I took it to the CSL laboratories in Carlton and they performed an analysis for traces of blood. DNA testing revealed, "Captain Blood" was present !

 

[mb64]

With the losses we've had in the past 5 years we nearly reached our next save our skins.

 

[newyorktiger]

Thinking about Jack's speech still gives me goosebumps...

 

[tigeronaharley]

Remember that time to well.. felt as though I was about to be gutted, I love the game but without Tigers it just would not be the same.. could never align with another club, hell I've never even tipped against them, that's betrayal!!
                                                                  'Go Tiges' :thumbsup :tigerhead

 

[Tigers of Old]

Fitzroy. Heaven forbid the Tigers ever go that way.

 

[Gordietiger]

Fitzroy. Heaven forbid the Tigers ever go that way.

Save our Skins was special-it consumed me for months-and Captain Jack!!!! Nothing really needs to said-the soul of the club.
As for Fitzroy - I remember putting money into tins for them and I was in tears at the "G" for their last Melbourne appearance-and our club was fantastic that day.
As for the AFL...who sent Fitzroy to Fremantle for their last game........that was disgracefull!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DragicevicFan]

I was only 6 or 7 at the time and living interstate, but remember seeing this banner in the Sunday papers:

'If you drink, then drive,
you're a bloody idiot'
'If you think we're merging,
you're a complete and utter moron'

 

[tigersnake]

My Save Our Skins legends game windcheater finally died a couple of weeks ago. RIP.

 

[tiggytam]

Rosy do you know where I can get a copy of 'Tigerland'. I have been after one for ages and can't find a copy.

 

[tiggytam]

   He stormed at the big fat cats of the League declaring they were sitting and smirking in their super boxes while they plotted the death of the club that belonged to the people.

   "They don't care about history.  They don't care about you who have stood in the outer year in and year out and made the game the game it is today.  It's you who have built their stadiums and made them rich.

  "Yet they would kill our club . . . Like hell they will."

  The Captain told me he had never felt so emotionally fired up.

  "It just tears at me to think that these people get into high office and don't bother to understand the mentality of the people.  The game was made by the people and belongs tot he people yet they would sell it to corporate bodies and television.  God...there is a  time when you down tools, pick up rocks and fight."

 

The club should take heed of these words.  Supporters are their lifeblood, treat them with disdain at your own peril.

 

[Rosy]

It's out of print Tiggy. I contacted Brian Hansen a couple of years ago and he said Richmond have requested he wait until we have some regular finals success before doing a re-print of it.

 

[tiggytam]

Thanks, I thought it was.

I always keep an eye out in second hand bookshops for it, one day I might strike it lucky.

 

[23.21.159]

It's out of print Tiggy.  I contacted Brian Hansen a couple of years ago and he said Richmond have requested he wait until we have some regular finals success before doing a re-print of it. 

Don't hold your breath.

 

[craig]

With the losses we've had in the past 5 years we nearly reached our next save our skins.

Theres a fair few players at RFC this year whose skins i dont wanna see saved hahahahah 8) :hihi

 

[craig]

On a serious note i i was in my early teens i think during this campaign,and was taken there by my sister. I coughed up about 60 bucks  which i saved for ages and got the Great Jack Dyers autograph. It was a fantastic dat with so many greats in attendance and the feverish tiger army going beserk. I think Rex Hunt was there too going nuts hahahahaha great great day for the tiger army when the claws were bared and the tigers came out to fight.

 

[mk33]

Rosy do you know where I can get a copy of 'Tigerland'.  I have been after one for ages and can't find a copy.

Hi Tiggy maybe try Melbourne Sports Books
80 Flinders St (near the Duke Wellington)
96621085

 

[BOOF]

I remember being devastated. I was 9, and still remember the ads with the tiger in the target thing with blood splattered everywhere. Still got a sticker somewhere. The week we came out with the SOS, i was at the 'G with only 17,000 to see us play Geelong, still dissapointed with that crowd considering it could have been one of our last! The legends day at Windy Hill was great. Went with my family, the only time i saw a match at Windy Hill, still got the video at home, in which unfortunatly Rex Hunts live and spontaneous commentary is droned over by a couple of ABC commentaters. You can still pick up bits, including to Johnny Ronaldson when the ball was near the boundry "go for the ball, not the hot dog stand!"
I remember my mate, who didn't really like footy, calling me when he heard on the news that Richmond had been saved, just to let me know. What a sense of relief! Remember it well.

 

[Kelv]

Still got the badge at home, and remember going to the Legends match they put on to raise money.
What i remember most though was the rally at the MCG (with Russell Morris singing), i was behind John Northey (who was Melbourne coach at that point) and talked to him a little later, to my embarrasment i said i had his number on my guernsey as a kid (as i could only fit a single digit number on my small jumper) and when he retired turned it upside for Craig McKellar (well i thought i did memory must have been vague or maybe just emotion) but of course they were both number 9 !!.