KB went mental to maul Magpies
2:52 PM Tue 18 December, 2007
Tony Greenberg
for richmondfc.com.au
Richmond ‘Immortal’ Kevin Bartlett has revealed that the power of mind games helped him produce one of the greatest individual performances ever seen in a VFL/AFL Grand Final, back in 1980.
Bartlett booted seven goals in an outstanding display against Collingwood, which was the catalyst for the Tigers’ 10th premiership.
The five-time Richmond premiership player and 403-game champion divulged in the recently-published book, ‘The Tigers – a Century of League Football’, that the seeds for his magical ‘one day in September’, 1980, were sown the night before the big match . . .
“I used to love to visualize playing. The night before the 1980 Grand Final, I went out into the backyard, where I could kick the ball 40 metres. I had a big gum tree in the middle of the block with a fork in it, and I went out there on Friday evening and I played that Grand Final in the backyard,” Bartlett said.
“It was probably just a way of reinforcing to myself that I could actually play well on that day. I think the sports science gurus today call it ‘imagery’, a powerful motivating technique.
“I snapped goals, I threw the ball on the ground and picked it up as though I was roving off the packs. I took set shots. I just visualised scoring goals and being involved in passages of play.
“I would have done that for an hour, because I wanted to so badly play well in that Grand Final. It was in the back of my mind I had played well in the qualifying final and second semi-final and it would be disappointing to not play well in the Grand Final.
“It may sound strange, but some of the things I visualized the night before, happened in the Grand Final. Taking the ball off the pack, running into goals, shooting from angles, taking marks, they all took place.
“It turned out to be a great day for the Club and myself. I was able to kick seven goals in the Grand Final against Collingwood and experience this enormous thrill.
“Francis (Bourke) showed everyone how great he was, for he lined up at full-back. We had now played in five premierships together, winning Grand Finals in three different decades. It was a mighty thrill.”
* ‘The Tigers – a Century of League Football’ is available through the Tiger Den for $50 (RRP is $54.95) with a further 10% discount applying for 2008 RFC members. You can purchase in-store, order on-line, or call the Tiger Den on (03) 9426 4419 and have the book mailed out to you.http://www.richmondfc.com.au/tabid/6301/News/NewsArticle/Default.aspx?newsId=54379