Bourke ideal role model for Tigers
25 March 2005
Herald Sun
Mike Sheahan
HISTORY is lost on the young. Understandably so, too. They are far more interested in what they are doing rather than who did what before them.
More so at Richmond, where 26 of the 40 listed players weren't born when the Tigers won their most recent premiership (1980).
Yet, if the past is ever going to influence the future at Punt Rd, the club's season launch on Thursday night at the Regent Theatre will be the catalyst.
The 2004 playing group witnessed the induction of three predecessors to the club's Hall of Fame and Francis Bourke to the status of "Immortal".
Two of those honoured were there in person: Bourke and Mervyn Keane, and there could not be two better examples of the foundations for a great football team.
Two model citizens who always put the club first, who went to war for Richmond and wore their wounds proudly and defiantly.
More than 500 games between them, yet they caused not five seconds of concern for their coaches.
As good as Bourke was, as decorated as he is, he was genuinely humbled to be elevated to the company of Jack Dyer, Kevin Bartlett and Tom Hafey.
It was revealing that when he trotted out the old line that there were so many others who were equally deserving of the honour, if not more so, he named a host of unsung heroes – long-serving staff rather than players.
Bourke said he'd received much more from football and Richmond than he'd given. With Bourke, you know it's sincere. He later presented jumpers to all listed players, including sons of former teammates Alan Richardson, Geoff Raines and Michael Roach.
He was in his element. It was old Richmond back together.
Brian Taylor and Rex Hunt handled the formalities on stage, and even Kevin Sheedy dropped in.
Sheeds was thrilled to hear of Bourke's elevation to Immortal status.
Almost as thrilled as Hafey.
When Hunt announced Bourke as the new Immortal, he had Hafey standing beside him. The four-time premiership coach responded like a hyperactive seal, clapping furiously for more than a minute.
He might be 73, yet he wore the smile of a boy watching his hero.
Earlier, Hunt and his close friend and Richmond premiership teammate Graeme Bond addressed the playing group at Punt Rd about their football club.
The Hunt theme, reiterated that night, was of the lifelong memories and friendships born of successful premiership campaigns.
Richmond did it well. It was an upmarket function that has to be good for morale. For self-esteem.
In a message for all other clubs, the highlights of the night unfolded earlier rather than later, the show over by 11 o'clock.
There was just the one blemish. Steve Price, a South Australian living in Sydney, was given the honour of launching Richmond's year.
He soon had officials and guests cringing during a high-handed, pompous and often crass attack on other clubs and their players and officials, and the media.
It seems the Price isn't always right.
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,%255E20123,00.html
