Four into Tiger Hall of Fame
9:46:11 PM Mon 27 March, 2006
Paul Gough
Sportal for afl.com.au
Bryan Wood, a key member in three Richmond premierships in the Tigers' golden era, was one of four inductees into the club's Hall of Fame on Monday night.
The champion wingman was joined by former captain Ron Branton, former player and chairman of selectors Allan Cooke and 1920's legend Clarrie Hall in this year's four inductees as the Tigers again honoured players from different eras.
Wood is the best known of the four and was a star in the club's 1973, 74 and 80 premiership sides in an era when the club won five premierships in 13 years.
Originally recruited from Blackburn in Melbourne's eastern suburbs, Wood made an immediate impact and was the club's best first year player in 1972.
He would go on to play 209 games over the next decade and was captain in 1981, the year in which he was awarded life membership of the Tigers.
Wood, who would later go on to play in another premiership for Essendon under the coaching of his former Richmond teammate Kevin Sheedy, also represented Victoria on two occasions.
Branton was a three-time Richmond best and fairest winner - winning the award in three consecutive years (1960-62) - and wore the club's famous number 29 jumper - later worn by the club's games' record holder Kevin Bartlett - with distinction in 171 matches.
Originally recruited from Myrtleford in country Victoria, he was also captain of the Tigers from 1960-62 and was the club's best first year player in 1953 and twice leading goalkicker in 1953 and 1954.
Cooke gave the Tigers more than three decades of service on and off the field after playing the first of his 116 games in 1949.
The ruckman would play until 1958 and a decade later joined the club's match committee.
The following year in 1969 he would become Richmond's chairman of selectors, a position he would hold until 1985.
During his time in that role, the Tigers would win four premierships under the coaching of Tom Hafey and Tony Jewell.
Hall was one of the Tigers' first champion players after the club joined the league in 1908.
A rover from Prahran he played 150 games from 1912-22 and 1924 and played in the Tigers' first two VFL premierships in 1920-21.
He would later become the club's vice-president in 1935 and then helped form Richmond's past players association in 1951.
http://richmondfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=253056
