Another milestone looms for Richo
4:49:37 PM Wed 10 May, 2006
Chris Riches
richmondfc.com.au
Star Richmond forward Matthew Richardson is set to achieve another major career milestone this Saturday when the Tigers take on reigning premier Sydney at Telstra Dome.
Richardson needs four goals to move into the top 20 VFL/AFL goalkickers of all time.
He is currently three behind legendary Fitzroy goalsneak Jack Moriarty, who kicked 662 goals.
With Richardson’s career goals-per-game average hovering around the three mark, he is a strong chance to at least draw level with Moriarty on the weekend.
Last year, ‘Richo’ moved past fellow Tasmanian sharpshooter Michael Roach and into third place on Richmond’s all-time goalkicking list. Only Kevin Bartlett (774 goals) and Jack “Skinny” Titus (970 goals) are ahead of Richardson in terms of the Tigers’ greatest goalkickers.
Richo has the third highest number of goals among current AFL players, with only Matthew Lloyd (767 goals) and Saverio Rocca (735 goals) ahead of him.
Here’s the list of the league’s all-time leading goalkickers . . .
Goals Player Team/s, Debut Year/s, Goals Kicked
1 1360 Tony Lockett STK (1983, 898); SYD (1995, 462)
2 1299 Gordon Coventry COLL (1920, 1299)
3 1254 Jason Dunstall HAW (1985, 1254)
4 1057 Doug Wade GEEL (1961, 834); NM (1973, 223)
5 1030 Gary Ablett HAW (1982, 9); GEEL (1984, 1021)
6 970 Jack Titus RICH (1926, 970)
7 915 Leigh Matthews HAW (1969, 915)
8 874 Peter McKenna COLL (1965, 838); CAR (1977, 36)
9 817 Bernie Quinlan FOOT (1969, 241); FIT (1978, 576)
10 778 Kevin Bartlett RICH (1965, 778)
11 767* Matthew Lloyd ESS (1995, 767)
12 738 Stephen Kernahan CARL (1986, 738)
= 13 735 Bill Mohr STK (1929, 735)
= 13 735* Saverio Rocca COLL (1992, 514); NM (2001, 221)
= 15 727 Wayne Carey NM (1989, 671); ADEL (2003, 56)
= 15 727 Peter Hudson HAW (1967, 727)
17 722 Harry Vallence CARL (1926, 722)
18 707 Dick Lee COLL (1906, 707)
19 681 Bob Pratt SOUTH (1930, 681)
20 662 Jack Moriarty ESS (1922, 36); FITZ (1924, 626)
21 659* Matthew Richardson RICH (1993, 659)Source:
http://stats.rleague.com/afl/stats/alltime/highs1.htmlRichardson also is a chance to reach the 700-goal mark later this year – form and injuries permitting. This would make him only the 18th player in league football history, of more than 11,400 who have competed at the game’s highest level since 1897, to do so.
Richo’s effort is even more impressive when you consider that he – unlike almost all of the other players on the Top 20 all-time goalkicking list – has suffered through serious injuries that have seen him lose significant chunks of two seasons – in 1995 and 2000.
But as he enjoys some continuing good form, passing Kevin Bartlett’s 778 goals to move into second place on Richmond’s all-time goalkicking list, or even entering the top 10 on the AFL’s greatest goalkickers list, are far from out of the question.
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