Richo [merged]

[one-eyed]

Here's the audio of 3aw talkback last night .....

http://www.3aw.com.au/displayPopUpPlayerAction.action?&url=http://media.mytalk.com.au/3AW/AUDIO/121109_Calls3.mp3

[Moi]

Hope all the injuries he's received over the years don't creep up on him in later years like it did with his dad.  He's had a few :-(

[one-eyed]

Richo a giant of the game: Hardwick
richmondfc.com.au
By Mic Cullen 1:29 PM Fri 13 November, 2009

NEW RICHMOND coach Damien Hardwick might not have been at Tigerland for long, but the legend of Matthew Richardson extends far beyond the boundaries of Punt Rd.

Hardwick has seen Richardson almost exclusively as an opponent in his time in the game, and said the competition as a whole would be the poorer for losing him.

"There's no doubt that he was a giant of the game, and I reckon it'd be fair to say there'd be 15 other AFL coaches who are happy he's retired," Hardwick said in the Tiger gym on Friday morning.

"He's had a stellar career, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed watching from afar.

"It's disappointing from a selfish point of view - I would have loved to coach the great man - but it wasn't to be.

"He'll go down as one of the greats of this club, and more importantly, one of the greats of the game - although it's a sad day for the Richmond Football Club, a very sad day; it's a sad day for the wider football community.

"He's one of those guys people love to watch."

Hardwick said the focus was always on the Tiger star, both from the opposition in the planning and playing phases of a game, and from the stands for the football-watching public.

"There's no doubt - even on the field, it was always 'where's Richo?' when you played against him.

"When people come through the gates to watch a certain player, that is the mark of a champion as far as I'm concerned, and that's what he'll always be remembered to be."

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/87066/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

You can leave a farewell/thank you message for Richo on the RFC site

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/blogarticle/tabid/14215/newsid/87024/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

A treasured Tiger: what they said
richmondfc.com.au
By Mic Cullen and Luke Holmesby 
Fri 13 November, 2009

"For the past 17 years, 'Richo' has been the Richmond Football Club. A champion player, but even more than that - a champion bloke. To say we'll miss him would be a massive understatement."
- Richmond president Gary March

"He's just been a consistent shining light through 17 years. He's an extraordinarily inspirational competitor, incredibly tough - mentally tough - in his ability to come back from injury and to compete while carrying an injury. But as good as he's been as a player, he's twice as good again as a human being and as a fella. The people who know him love him."
- Richmond chief executive and former teammate Brendon Gale

"I believe that Matthew will be recognised more in retirement than he was during his playing days. Only on reflection will we realise the magnitude and the quality of the player and the person."
- recently-retired teammate Joel Bowden

"I think the measure of Matthew is that for people at other clubs, and other clubs' supporters, there's a universal admiration for him. And I'm not sure that there's another player in the league that's had that in the time that I've been in footy. Even in my time following footy, I can't remember that with anyone else."
- Richmond head of football Craig Cameron

"I was lucky enough to play with him in his first year in 1993. Now I've been back at the club for 10 years and I know that he works on the same theory as I do: that all he does is play footy a bit better than someone else and that doesn't make him better than anyone else. He's been Richmond for a long period of time. I think it would have been a pretty hard decision for the big fella but, as usual, he's put the footy club ahead of himself. [He's had] a great career, and I think he's going to be even bigger and better now, because he'll be a superstar in the media."
- Richmond Team of the Century member Dale Weightman

"Matthew has put his heart and soul into the Richmond Football Club through more than 280 games since his debut in 1993 and has always maintained the highest standards as both a player and a sportsman for our game."
- AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou

"Everything he's got he deserves because he put himself through absolute torture week in, week out to be the player he was. This is his time and he should get all the accolades he does."
- former Richmond general manager Brian Waldron

"The great thing about Matthew Richardson when you went out there with him, you knew what you were going to get. He was a work machine. His effort and attitude was always sensational on the ground."
- Essendon coach and former teammate Matthew Knights

[Penelope]

Richo, well what can be said that hasn't already be said? Like many Richmond supporters I've bagged him and I've cheered him. I've looked on in frustration and I've looked on in awe. He's made me groan with despair and shout with joy. Through countless years of pure crap he has been both the whipping boy and the only shining light. I'm sure through some of those dark years of despair it was Richo, and Richo alone, that brought many of the long suffering yellow and black through the turnstiles.

But time waits for no man and Richos time has come. The game will go without him, after all the game is bigger than the individual. It is though, the individuals that make the game and there is no doubt that the individual known as Richo has left a mark on the game bigger than most. Some say the game will be  poorer without him, but I say the game is richer that he was ever there to start with.

I have only ever attended one Richmond jumper presentation. I was there that evening at Punt Rd, all those years ago when Bull Richardson presented his gangly long haired son with the number twelve. I remember thinking how proud he must be. Well, how proud must he be now?

If as expected, there is a farewell given round 1 next year, I will have witnessed the start and the end of a remarkable career, as well as much of in between. For that I feel privileged.

Another chapter in the history of the Richmond Football Club has closed and new one will open, hopefully one that will bring more to cheer about than efforts of one remarkable individual. While its easy to say we should look forward and not to dwell on the past, or what could have been, I feel comfortable in saying...

Richo, thanks for the ride!!!!
 

[1965]

"Le Roi est mort. Vive le Roi!"

Trouble is we don't have a "nouveau Roi".

  Richo

[one-eyed]

Let's keep discussion to only about the big fella shall we! Leave the personal stuff to PMs and off the forum

[jackstar is back again]

He has been back for nearly a week now..
Interesting to see whats happens in the next week

Well come on then Jackstar give us the scoop before the press does, you do know don't you??....

Well I do know actually, will know more today as well
You can read it in the press smarty

Well looks like they beat you too it again JS, really starting to doubt your sources or you..... What was your thoughts when you read it in the press.... smarty

You have trouble reading do you.
As I have said, he will try and get through the pre season ( As Nixon has said )
And it was in the press the following day after I said it.
He wants to play, but a decision will be made after  the pre season.
Richo does have doubts,
Keep this in mind.
He was supposely right to at Coburg but was sore in the warm ups.
Personally , I would love him to play on.
From a clubs perception, he should retire.

Hey Jacko me old mate are you any closer to breaking this story or what.......

WA , your boring.
Told you 3 weeks ago,

[jackstar is back again]

From BF

.... heard on SEN that the big fella is rumoured to be pulling the pin tomorrow.

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showpost.php?p=16102045&postcount=1



Yet the SEN twitter page says "No. he's going to train for a month before deciding on his future."

http://twitter.com/SENNEWS

He has tried to run but is struggling,  he wont get through a season

 

[jackstar is back again]

Fair dinkum, its like talking to a brick, so, I give up! I will say though that, of course I wouldnt have wanted more out of him if he had nothing left to give, I was HOPING he would get up, but given his age and injuries probably knew he never would. I now wish him all the best and am looking forward to the future of the club, doesnt mean I cant have a sooky moment though!

Ps, there are people like you in pretty much every workplace in the world, bignoting themselves and knowing everything...they are called bores!

Sorry to bore you 2JD l was adding to my post when you posted,
Hey l'm not having a go at you l'm just stating some things that l said along time ago & even last year but some posters are always having a shot at me & Jackstar for saying what is fact
l know Richo well, the family loves the big fella & l could show you heaps of photos with him & the kids at home. l'm not bagging him out His a champion.
l'm speaking more about the way the club runs itself & why its suffering & will continue to suffer & us frustrated supporters who will be buried with our colors,  well l will be for sure 
Once again the club has stuffed things up simply because they played Richo against Sydney when everyone knew he was never going to come up 30% & to play him ruined his career & now the supporters will never get to send him off the way a big hearted champion should be, but who will carry him off after a game down there cause most of them are frail  kidding

Dont take everything to heart, this is a forum not everyone agrees & some is tongue in cheek 
l promise 2010 l will write all positives about Tigerland  oh maybe 2011 after McMahon & Simmonds are gone

Hey Monk, I might just post lies from now on, enough with the truth

[Tigermonk]

 

[jackstar is back again]

Hey Monk, seen the great man himself last night at the Albert Park Hotel having a few beers with his manager

[Tigermonk]

my source the bionic fly  told me mid season he was finished

[jackstar is back again]

my source the bionic fly  told me mid season he was finished

Your correct