Royce Hart ignited Richmond and the crowd in 1973 prelim against CollingwoodMICHAEL MANLEY
Herald-Sun
21 Sep 2018THIS week has been dominated by talk of Dustin Martin’s knee as the Tigers prepare to face Collingwood in a preliminary final.
Amazingly, there’s a parallel from 45 years ago when Richmond last played Collingwood in a prelim featuring the then No.4 Royce Hart.
On that occasion there was a huge doubt about the Tigers superstar and captain not being able to play due to a mystery injury.
In those days, that’s exactly what it was – a reserves bench. If you were in the starting 18 and you came off, you couldn’t go back on.
Imagine Richmond facing the same situation this year and Martin, with his injury, having to be selected on the bench.
Now further imagine Richmond being 46 points down at the 20-minute mark of the second quarter of tonight’s match with their superstar Martin sitting on the sidelines in a dressing gown.
That’s the scenario the Tigers faced in 1973 as a berth in the Grand Final looked to be slipping away.
As an 11-year-old Tiger fan, I was sitting in the outer with my family and my (feral) Tiger brethren, and what transpired that afternoon has lived long in my memory.
Richmond supporters were getting grumpier and grumpier as they were getting well beaten with Royce on the bench. The talk of getting Royce on dominated every conversation and there were plaintiff cries of “Get Hart on”, but still he sat there.
Deep in the second quarter, Hart started to warm up in his dressing gown on the boundary line, and although he didn’t come on that was enough to send the crowd into a frenzy.
It seemed to have an effect on the game as Neil Balme kicked the last goal kicked before halftime to reduce the margin to 37 points.
During the halftime break the Tiger fans awaited their saviour and he appeared when the Tigers emerged from the race, leading his team on to the MCG.
Hart recounted to colleague Glenn McFarlane last week about what happened in the rooms.
“I can’t remember anything coaches have said to me in the finals, but I do remember what was said in the rooms at halftime of the 1973 preliminary final.
“Graeme Richmond (club secretary and powerbroker), Tom Hafey and the club doctor took me into a room at halftime. Graeme said ‘We’ve got to put Royce on.’
The doctor said “He won’t play in the Grand Final if he plays here.”
Graeme said: “There won’t be a f----ing Grand Final if he doesn’t.”
To the massive cheers of the crowd, Royce led the Tigers team on to the ground and the fans went delirious.
But for 11 minutes the match still hung in the balance. Hart was struggling to get into the match as Collingwood maintained a 40-point lead.
Then Hart received a down-the-field free kick and managed to kick a goal with his first kick. The crowd went ballistic and the infamous Colliwobbles began.
That was the official start of the comeback and by three-quarter time Richmond was eight points down.
As the Tigers made inroads, the crowd built to a fever pitch as Collingwood succumbed to the pressure.
Two years later, there was another memorable final between Richmond and Collingwood, an elimination final at VFL Park, when the Tigers again had to get off the canvas again to defeat the Magpies.
Collingwood went out to a big lead at Waverley and led by 32 points at halftime.
Again the Tigers ran over the top of them with and the unlikely hero was a former St Kevins boy Bill Nettlefold, who kicked two late goals including the matchwinner.
The next Richmond and Collingwood final was the 1980 Grand Final massacre — no need for comebacks in that match.
https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/richmond/royce-hart-ignited-richmond-and-the-crowd-in-1973-prelim-against-collingwood/news-story/8aedf5542c183a5c347c31dd78264fcd
