Tigers dig in to spark fund-raiserMichael Gleeson
March 18, 2011ON A night to raise money to wipe out debt and create a war chest to give the club a fighting chance at success on the field, the players, coaches and board of Richmond last night reached into their pockets to prove their own bona fides with a donation of a quarter of a million dollars.
That donation was matched by a small group of benefactors, who had committed $1.25 million and thus ensured that before the night even begun, the Tigers had wiped out more than a quarter of their $4.5 million debt and were on the way to achieving the $6 million target they had set for the night.
On the back of the announcement of the Jeep sponsorship this week, which was understood to be worth about $850,000 a year and completes Richmond's suite of available premium sponsorships, the picture of the club now is one of strong and improving financial health.
It was a night of unity and goodwill almost unrivalled at Richmond in decades with every living ''immortal'' of the club - including the once disenfranchised but now happily returned face of the Tigers campaign, Kevin Bartlett, Francis Bourke and coach Tommy Hafey - attending with only the ill Royce Hart unable to make it.
In a gesture of the warmth prevailing now at Richmond, club president Gary March announced the club would host a testimonial dinner for Neville Crowe, the man who galvanised the club when at its nadir but who now confronts significant financial hardship after being a victim of an investment scam.
The club will thus be helping ''save the skin'' of the man who was the No. 1 tin-rattler for the ''Save our Skins'' campaign, with all proceeds of the testimonial on June 10 going to Crowe and his wife, Valy.
''At Richmond, we look after our own and we will be looking after Neville Crowe,'' March said.
As much as last night was about wiping out the remaining $4.5 million debt from the completion of the impressive new facilities at Punt Road, it was only really about doing so to help the players, and the hope to raise a further $1.5 million for a war chest on top of clearing the debt was precisely about being able to deliver for the players on the field.
So it was entirely appropriate, the team leaders said, that the players make a contribution of their own to show how seriously they took the commitment of the wealthy supporters who were being called upon to make donations.
The players' gesture to commit more than $100,000 equated to a donation of about $2500 per player.
Every player, bar captain Chris Newman who was required at the AFL official season launch, was present last night and in the captain's stead, full-forward Jack Riewoldt addressed the crowd, along with coach Damien Hardwick who spoke passionately of the task ahead for the players and how it was achievable.
Football manager Craig Cameron spoke frankly of why the money was needed, arguing that without football spending, the club could have no hope of serious clout as a football team.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/tigers-dig-in-to-spark-fundraiser-20110317-1byzj.html
