Yeah I think we've been around since 1860-odd, then in the VFA sometime in the 1880s and then VFL 1908.
IIRC the 1860 version of the RFC died several years later and then the current RFC was formed as MT says in 1885 with little or no link to the previous one, but I could be wrong.
Nah you're right Jake. Established in February 1885.
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In 1905 Richmond won the premiership despite being the outcasts of the VFA. In 1906 they were third, and in 1907 had no friends in the VFA. Richmond's habit of playing practice matches against VFL clubs had infuriated the VFA and they issued a ban on such games, which Richmond defied. The VFA did not act on their threat to expel Richmond knowing that Richmond would be accepted immediately into the VFL and the VFA would lose its highest drawing club. On October 22 1907, Richmond applied to join the VFL, and on October 31st, Richmond accepted the VFL's invitation.
http://oneeyed-richmond.com/history.htm