2007 RICHMOND HALL OF FAME INDUCTEESBy Greg Lange, for Richmond Football Club
March 27, 2007
Alec Edmond: Instrumental in Richmond’s rise from VFA power through to its admission to the VFL in 1908. He played as a defender for most of his nine-season, 126-game career from 1899 to 1907. Edmond was Richmond’s first great on-field leader, captaining the side into five successive VFA grand finals from 1901 and taking the premiership in 1905 and 1907. In his seven years as captain the club never finished lower than third.
Allan Geddes: One of Richmond’s finest wingmen and toughest leaders. His polish, stab-kicking and evasive skills made him a stand-out player of his era. He came to the club from Williamstown and was best and fairest in his second season. The next year, 1927, he took over as captain. He played in a total of 18 finals, including six grand finals and two premierships, in 1932 and 1934. Geddes represented Victoria nine times.
Bill Barrot: Supremely fit and superbly built, he was one of the key players in Richmond’s rise from obscurity in the 60s to become a powerhouse. Bugsy’s ability to break the game open and dash from the centre and pepper the goals with his raking drop kicks became an integral part of Tommy Hafey’s premiership formula. Barrot was best on ground in the drought-breaking premiership season of 1967, and starred again two years later against Carlton on the biggest stage of all. Barrot played 120 games from 1961 to 1970, won the Tigers’ best and fairest in 1965, represented the Big V 11 times and is a Richmond Team of the Century member.
David Cloke: Followed big brother Peter to Tigerland and was best first-year player in the Tigers’ premiership year of 1974. The man-mountain started on the half-forward flank but as he matured, took over at centre half- forward from Royce Hart. In the 1980 Grand Final, Cloke kicked half a dozen goals and, along with KB, ensured the winning margin against Collingwood would be a Grand Final record. In 1982 Cloke captained the Tigers into another Grand Final before heading to Collingwood. He came back and played his final two years with Richmond, ending a magnificent 219-game career (1974-82, 1990-91) with an eight-goal performance against Carlton in his farewell game. Cloke won All-Australian honours in 1979 and slipped on the Victorian jumper eight times.
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