Goodbye Mr Crowe
By Tony Greenberg 5:15 PM Wed 17 March, 2010
Neville Crowe will finally “hang up his boots” this Friday (March 19), bringing to an end more than half a century of wonderful service to his beloved Richmond Football Club.
At age 72, Crowe bows out with the respect and admiration of all who have known him throughout his time at Punt Road - and the legion of Yellow and Black barrackers, who revere his devotion to the Tigers.
Here is a concise summary of Neville Crowe’s incredible Tigerland pilgrimage . . .
PLAYING CAREER
Neville Crowe’s career at Richmond started in 1957, when he was invited down to Punt Road, from the State Savings Bank amateur team, to join in pre-season training.
Crowe was to make his senior debut with the Tigers during the ’57 season and go on to become one of the finest players in the Club’s proud history.
In a career spanning 11 seasons, from 1957-67, Crowe played 151 games and kicked 84 goals. He won Richmond’s Best and Fairest award three times (in 1963, 1964 and 1966) and was runner-up twice.
During the Tigers’ lean years of the early-mid 1960s, Crowe stood out like a beacon, with his outstanding ruckwork, courage, and inspirational leadership qualities.
Crowe captained Richmond from 1963-66, and represented Victoria on nine occasions in State football.
In 1966, Crowe’s excellent form for Victoria in the interstate carnival, which was held in Hobart, earned him selection in the All-Australian side.
Sadly, Crowe’s final game of league football was to be the second semi-final of 1967, when he was reported and subsequently suspended for four matches for striking Carlton ruckman John Nicholls.
He was to miss Richmond’s drought-breaking premiership triumph over Geelong a couple of weeks later, but was one of the first out on the field to congratulate coach Tommy Hafey and his Tiger teammates when the final siren sounded.
Video footage showed that Crowe’s open-handed swipe at Nicholls had missed by a fair way - a fact ‘Big Nick’ admitted years later . . .
At the end of the ’67 season, Crowe was selected in Harry Beitzel’s inaugural ‘Galahs’ team, to represent Australia against Ireland in a Gaelic football series. He missed the tour of Ireland, however, due to a last-minute injury.
PRESIDENTIAL CAREER
As long as there is a Richmond Football Club, Neville Crowe will be remembered as the man who helped save it from extinction.
It was late August, 1990, when an uncharacteristically solemn Crowe announced to the football world that Richmond needed to raise $1 million by October 31 that year, or it would cease to exist.
Crowe had taken on the Richmond presidency in May 1987, at a time when the Tigers were struggling on the bottom of the ladder.
With his infectious enthusiasm and optimism, strong football background and deep love of the Club, Crowe was the ideal man for the monumental task of lifting Richmond out of the financial mire.
He restored confidence, pride and stability to the Club at all levels following several turbulent years of in-fighting and unrest.
When crunch came time in 1990, and Richmond was fighting for its life, Neville Crowe became the major architect and driving force of the successful Save Our Skins campaign.
Crowe galvanised the Yellow and Black forces and played an important role in the creation of the highly effective ‘Endangered Species’ TV promotion.
Images of ‘Crowey’ rattling tins and counting money as it poured into the Club, will live forever in the memories of the Tiger faithful . . .
By the time the October 31 deadline rolled around, Richmond had actually exceeded its $1 million target by more than $30,000.
The result was acclaimed as something of a minor miracle - and Neville Crowe’s part in it all had been enormous.
Crowe was to continue as Richmond’s president until August 1993, when he stood down from the role to concentrate on his business career.
COACHING CAREER
Of all his incarnations at Punt Road, the one Neville Crowe cherishes the most is the season he spent as the Tigers’ ruck coach.
It was 1980 - the year Richmond scored a record-breaking victory over Collingwood in the Grand Final.
Crowey had been asked by his former teammate, and then Tiger coach Tony Jewell, if he would be interested in assisting with some ruck coaching.
Given his passion for the Yellow and Black, it didn’t take Crowey long to agree.
He spent the season imparting his considerable knowledge of ruck play to the Tigers’ following division of Mark Lee, Dale Weightman, Barry Rowlings and co.
By season’s end, Crowey was to be justifiably proud of his teaching role as his pupils had responded in magnificent style . . .
ADMINISTRATIVE CAREER
Crowey rejoined the Richmond Football Club in February 2002 as a full-time staff member in the Sales/Marketing division.
For several years, he managed the longest-running Richmond coterie, the ‘Captains’ Club’. He hosted coterie lunches, dinners, etc.
Another key area of responsibility for Crowey at Tigerland was liaising with the Club’s country and interstate supporter groups and assisting them with their fund-raising activities.
Crowey also played a major role in the running of the Tommy Hafey Club, which he helped form. He’s a foundation member of the THC and an inaugural committee member.
His last official position at Tigerland has been the development of a bequest program for Richmond supporters, whereby they could bequeath an amount of money, or a proportion of their estate, to the Club on their passing. In typical Crowe fashion, he embraced this role with gusto.
HONORS
Crowey received Richmond Life Membership in 1964, he was an inaugural inductee into the Tigers’ Hall of Fame in 2002, and he’s currently a Vice Patron of the Club. He was made an AFL Life Member in 2007.
The overall contribution Neville Crowe has made to the Richmond Football Club has been enormous, and he will receive duel recognition at the Club’s 2010 season launch this Friday. Six days later, at the big season-opener against Carlton at the ‘G’, the Tiger faithful will get the opportunity to acknowledge him in a special way (stay tuned).
In the meantime, thanks for everything, Crowey. We wish you a very happy, healthy life, supporting the mighty Tigers in your retirement.
Eat ‘em Alive!!!
http://www.richmondfc.com.au/tabid/6301/default.aspx?newsid=90682
