Kevin Bartlett returns to a Richmond function

[rbartlett]

Here is a brief report, as noted on www.rhettrospective.com   diary page:

  FRIDAY 30 MARCH 2007
At 12.34pm, Richmond Immortal Kevin Bartlett, walks into the Grand Hyatt Savoy Room, and into his first Richmond function in 16 years.  His appearance at the Tommy Hafey Club Function, kept a secret, co-incided with a celebration of the Tigers and Blues rivalry.

Bartlett, seated at Table 3 with Tom Hafey, was introduced by MC Rex Hunt, prior to the lunch break.  The 500+ audience gave him a 1 minute ovation, including some tables providing a standing ovation.  Bartlett respond by rising from his table and waving with his right hand.

He did not take the stage during the event, but was photographed during and after the event.

Rhett Bartlett
Author Richmond F.C History Book (due out Dec 2007)

[Jackstar]

Great to see.
Wish I could of been there.
The tom Hafey club functions are good and Rob Slade has done a terrific job

[Moi]

Nothing more to be said other than great stuff  

[julzqld]

Thanks for the report Rhett.

[mightytiges]

Cheers for that Rhett. Great stuff  . Good to hear he received such a great response from those there  .

[Fishfinger]

I hope he waved his hand in circles because he's Richmond royalty. 

Good stuff.

[one-eyed]

Finally: Kevin Bartlett and Tommy Hafey at yesterday's luncheon, Bartlett's first official club function in 16 years. Picture: Joe Mann
 
Bartlett returns to Tigers
31 March 2007   Herald-Sun
Daryl Timms

FOOTBALL'S longest-running stand off is finally over.

Former Richmond coach and champion player Kevin Bartlett yesterday attended his first official club function since being sacked as Tigers coach in 1991.

Bartlett received a standing ovation when he was introduced to guests at Richmond's Tommy Hafey Club luncheon at the Grand Hyatt.

He famously said after being sacked that he would not return to the club while any member of the Tigers' then board, as well as general manager Cameron Schwab, was still at the club.

While that particular board is long gone and Schwab is now with Fremantle, Bartlett had resisted all attempts to get him back to Punt Rd, but had attended premiership reunions that were not public.

At the time Bartlett said: "I will not step into the Richmond Football Club or attend any function of the Richmond Football Club whilst any member of the current board of management or the general manager are in office at the club.

"That means it could be 10 years, 20 years or even 30 years . . . I am a patient man."

Bartlett said at the time his dismissal, after four years, was a betrayal. He accused Tigers president Neville Crowe of being "disloyal and gutless".

The former champion Tiger was last night playing down his appearance at the Hafey Club luncheon, which featured the rivalry between Carlton and Richmond.

But he said last night he would attend other club functions if he had time and they appealed to him.

Asked whether it was the first official Tiger function he had attended since he coached the club, Bartlett said: "Yeah, I would say so.

"Don't make too much out of it. I was just going along to a luncheon -- no big deal.

"I can't go to everything, but from time to time I see myself, when it is suitable, going to certain things. I have no problem with that."

Bartlett, who described himself as a recluse, said he had a "great chat" to Crowe at last year's Grand Final reunion.

He said he was unaware that Crowe was not at yesterday's function.

The Tigers legend's only son Rhett made a speech on his father's behalf in 2003 when he was elevated to legend status.

Asked if he had time over again whether he would attend that function, Bartlett said he didn't want to go over "old ground".

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,21477589%255E20322,00.html

[one-eyed]

Bartlett's homecoming
Caroline Wilson | March 31, 2007
The Age

Kevin Bartlett's first attendance at an official Richmond function for 16 years was greeted by a standing ovation yesterday at the club's Tom Hafey Club season launch celebrating the Tigers' historic rivalry with Carlton.

The 403-game, five-time premiership player slipped unobtrusively into Melbourne's Grand Hyatt Hotel and sat between his old coach Hafey and former teammate Francis Bourke. Bartlett was spotted by master of ceremonies Rex Hunt, a long-time critic of the legendary footballer's Richmond boycott, who then publicly welcomed him back to the club.

Close to 500 guests stood and applauded. Bartlett has famously shunned the club he played for over four decades, winning five best-and-fairests, since the Tigers sacked him after four years as coach at the end of 1991.

When asked whether there was a special reason for his return yesterday, Bartlett said: "No special reason. I wanted to come." Bourke said: "I think I know why he's here. It's because it's where he belongs."

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/bartletts-homecoming/2007/03/30/1174761762526.html

[Bulluss]

Welcome back Hungry 

[cub]

Doesn't matter what I think - Can only be good for the RFC - About time 

[torch]

yeah about time Hungry ...

does this mean he has stopped having a cry !

[mightytiges]

It means the greatest living Tiger is back . He'd probably still get a game plonked in a FP with all our injuries lol.

[Moi]

Be hard to keep KB away from anything to do with Tommy.
Anyone ever heard a bad word about Hafey?
He certainly loved his players and it appears they loved him

[Ox]

We could get Geez to go to a function but we'd still be the same old,Tyges.......

[DallasCrane]

Anyone ever heard a bad word about Hafey?

I heard that when he was younger that he once put two sugars in a cup of tea, must've been a bit of a wildcat when he was young.