Strategy Forty year anniversary of 1983 when tough times commenced for RFC!!!!

[Mr Magic]

May we never go back to those times.

As Brendan Gale said it starts with a vision, so what is that vision??

I look at the Panthers glorious premiership and three peat. Apart from the entertainment at the start of the AFL GF the rugby league showed up the AFL grand final and Collingwood's shallow victory after GWS was screwed over let alone the Maynard episode, despite the margin only being 4 points.

Nevertheless the three peat of Penrith, and nearly four-peat has valuable lessons. Despite the success of the Storm we have to go youth like Penrith did and KB wanted to all those years ago for sustained success.

We do not want a short term direction, like with Dan Andrews, we want something strong, viable and sustainable for the long haul so fans and members can confidently invest their time and support into the club regularly forging great achievements along the way!!!!

Above all we want something real that players, fans and new recruits can believe in that allow comebacks like Penrith to be possible!!

What can we do to kickstart our resurgence in the years ahead?? 1983 was three years since our 1980 premiership like 2023, we do not want history repeating and another big long drought facing our fans and supporters

 

[Harrison Bergeron]

Anyone have the heart to tell him the NRL doesn't have a draft, Penrith and Brisbane have unfettered access to the two biggest pools of junior talent in the country and that NRL players change clubs like AFL players change boots?

 

[Mr Magic]

Anyone have the heart to tell him the NRL doesn't have a draft, Penrith and Brisbane have unfettered access to the two biggest pools of junior talent in the country and that NRL players change clubs like AFL players change boots?

They move around and Penrith still won from youth

 

[Harrison Bergeron]

They move around and Penrith still won from youth

So you only read the last part of the post then?

 

[Mr Magic]

So you only read the last part of the post then?

Don't know why??

It is all relevant.

If we kept KB and went longer into youth who knows what would have happened??

After 1980, the club went into some dark places after a successful period. We would be smart to adjust and avoid any potential pitfalls reoccurring. If the draft helps us build for the future to assure our success down the track unlike the NRL why not take advantage of what we can utilise to help us survive and succeed?

 

[Harrison Bergeron]

 

[beema limapep]

 

[Frustrated Tiger]

Quality thread, would read again.

 

[Harrison Bergeron]

Quality thread, would read again.

I wouldn't and I was in it....

 

[Football Tragic]

I read the title and thought that this was going to be a good thread to discuss the lessons we've learned over the past 40 odd years ...

...but then I saw you wanted to talk about NRL

 

[beema limapep]

Thread needs more Balmain Tigers

 

[Masotiger]

RFC is a totally different club today than the 1983 version.

Back then every club had its ar$e hanging out of its pants financially.

There were senior, reserves and U19 lists. Recruiting was based on zones, interstate players, and raiding other VFL clubs. We shot ourselves in the foot and were left behind.

Today, the RFC is a well run, well resourced, financially viable entity that just banked 3 premierships in a totally different player access environment. Transition is something that was inevitably awaiting us.

I don't think we have to do anything extraordinary to get back into contention; other than as supporters we accept transition, buy our memberships and trust those with the task of steering this great club in the right direction.

 

[Danw0w]

We do not want a short term direction, like with Dan Andrews, we want something strong, viable and sustainable for the long haul so fans and members can confidently invest their time and support into the club regularly forging great achievements along the way!!!!

Wtf

 

[Mr Magic]

RFC is a totally different club today than the 1983 version.

Back then every club had its ar$e hanging out of its pants financially.

There were senior, reserves and U19 lists. Recruiting was based on zones, interstate players, and raiding other VFL clubs. We shot ourselves in the foot and were left behind.

Today, the RFC is a well run, well resourced, financially viable entity that just banked 3 premierships in a totally different player access environment. Transition is something that was inevitably awaiting us.

I don't think we have to do anything extraordinary to get back into contention; other than as supporters we accept transition, buy our memberships and trust those with the task of steering this great club in the right direction.

KB retired in 1983 by the looks of it at 36. Some reckon who could have gone around for a few more, he was lightish.

It is interesting the 1984 list, that is, younger by today's standards in some regards but different times. Hawks where getting strong along with Essendon and I guess RFC had trouble trying to replenish the talent. I think Carlton where targeting Bradley and Sticks in coming years. We where still sorting out Roach and BT and how that could work going forward maybe

 

[Masotiger]

KB retired in 1983 by the looks of it at 36. Some reckon who could have gone around for a few more, he was lightish.

It is interesting the 1984 list, that is, younger by today's standards in some regards but different times. Hawks where getting strong along with Essendon and I guess RFC had trouble trying to replenish the talent. I think Carlton where targeting Bradley and Sticks in coming years. We where still sorting out Roach and BT and how that could work going forward maybe

KB was pretty much done by the end of 1983.

The soul was ripped out of the club after losing the 1982 GF when Cloke, Raines and Wood all left. That's our Captain, Vice Captain and Deputy Vice Captain!! Largely because of Francis Bourke's inability to relate to his players and the powerbrokers of the club's refusal to pay its players full tote odds. We win the '82 GF with Tony Jewell coaching - no doubt.

Rather than licking our wounds we went tit for tat with Collingwood and subsequently went broke.

You mentioned Essendon, Carlton and Hawthorn. They were well run clubs that recruited and looked after their players back then (probably even under the table).

If you haven't already seen it, Mike Sheahan's doco "Richmond. The Lost Years" outlines what a shambles of a club we were. As I said previously, a far cry from the well oiled machine today.

 

[Turka]

It might be nicer feels to celebrate 50 years since the ‘73 flag…?

 

[Mr Magic]

It might be nicer feels to celebrate 50 years since the ‘73 flag…?

Na, I do not live in the past, I am focusing on our next premiership and the reflection is only in the context of righting any wrongs so we are as strong as possible in the future ahead

 

[Mr Magic]

KB was pretty much done by the end of 1983.

The soul was ripped out of the club after losing the 1982 GF when Cloke, Raines and Wood all left. That's our Captain, Vice Captain and Deputy Vice Captain!! Largely because of Francis Bourke's inability to relate to his players and the powerbrokers of the club's refusal to pay its players full tote odds. We win the '82 GF with Tony Jewell coaching - no doubt.

Rather than licking our wounds we went tit for tat with Collingwood and subsequently went broke.

You mentioned Essendon, Carlton and Hawthorn. They were well run clubs that recruited and looked after their players back then (probably even under the table).

If you haven't already seen it, Mike Sheahan's doco "Richmond. The Lost Years" outlines what a shambles of a club we were. As I said previously, a far cry from the well oiled machine today.

Yeah, I watched that.

Dunno, KB could have played on a little more, I think even Rex Hunt said that, but I think some were over confident and frankly Essendon, Carlton and Hawthorn where more hungry in terms of recruitment the next gen

 

[lllscroatlll]

Na, I do not live in the past, I am focusing on our next premiership and the reflection is only in the context of righting any wrongs so we are as strong as possible in the future ahead

makes a thread somthin somthin 40 years hahahaaa

 

[Masotiger]

Yeah, I watched that.

Dunno, KB could have played on a little more, I think even Rex Hunt said that, but I think some were over confident and frankly Essendon, Carlton and Hawthorn where more hungry in terms of recruitment the next gen

I lived through that era and remember it well.

KB playing another season wouldn't have made any difference. As for Rex Hunt, he wouldn't know what day it is.

Essendon appointed Kevin Sheedy as coach in 1981 back in the day when the coach was pretty much the whole football department. Sheedy came from a successful club and knew what was required for success, and had an overwhelming determination to achieve that. Essendon supported him with the resources he needed because they could.

Carlton were one of the main beneficiaries of the method of acquiring players back in those days. Country and metropolitan zoning gave them some guns combined with recruiting top interstate players prior to the VFL expanding. Apart from the messy board upheaval at the end of 1979 which saw their reigning premiership captain/coach Alex Jesaulenko back president George Harris in the board room battle, only to have to resign when Harris lost; Carlton were a well run club.

Hawthorn too were much like Carlton. A stable and supportive environment led to success.

Then you look at us at the time. Eat our own. Tony Jewell coached us to a premiership in his 2nd year in 1980 only to be sacked at the end of 1981 after we just missed the finals with a 13/9 H&A season.

We then lurched from one disaster to another and went broke. If it wasn't for our huge supporter base we were finished in 1990.

It's not well known at all, but back in 1992 Richmond, Melbourne and North Melbourne were well advanced down the secret path of a three-way merge under the title "Operation Alloy". The new entity was to be called Melbourne North Tigers. Fortunately, it all fell apart for various reasons, but that's how pathetic this great club had become back then.

The RFC emerged from this self-inflicted dark period bigger and stronger than ever before. This little transition period will be a drop in the ocean compared to 40 years ago.

 

[Mr Magic]

I lived through that era and remember it well.

KB playing another season wouldn't have made any difference. As for Rex Hunt, he wouldn't know what day it is.

Essendon appointed Kevin Sheedy as coach in 1981 back in the day when the coach was pretty much the whole football department. Sheedy came from a successful club and knew what was required for success, and had an overwhelming determination to achieve that. Essendon supported him with the resources he needed because they could.

Carlton were one of the main beneficiaries of the method of acquiring players back in those days. Country and metropolitan zoning gave them some guns combined with recruiting top interstate players prior to the VFL expanding. Apart from the messy board upheaval at the end of 1979 which saw their reigning premiership captain/coach Alex Jesaulenko back president George Harris in the board room battle, only to have to resign when Harris lost; Carlton were a well run club.

Hawthorn too were much like Carlton. A stable and supportive environment led to success.

Then you look at us at the time. Eat our own. Tony Jewell coached us to a premiership in his 2nd year in 1980 only to be sacked at the end of 1981 after we just missed the finals with a 13/9 H&A season.

We then lurched from one disaster to another and went broke. If it wasn't for our huge supporter base we were finished in 1990.

It's not well known at all, but back in 1992 Richmond, Melbourne and North Melbourne were well advanced down the secret path of a three-way merge under the title "Operation Alloy". The new entity was to be called Melbourne North Tigers. Fortunately, it all fell apart for various reasons, but that's how pathetic this great club had become back then.

The RFC emerged from this self-inflicted dark period bigger and stronger than ever before. This little transition period will be a drop in the ocean compared to 40 years ago.

Another way to look a it was ignorance was a key weakness in the decision making process and complacency.

1983 was the final year of Graeme Richmond being our Vice President in a century where he was 'named servant of the century'. It was interesting listening some of the stories he would try and get young talent to the club for us

People talk about Hawthorn's rise in the 1980's due to zoning, and that was a part of it, but they also got T Hall, and Platten from SA while Dunstall was from Queensland. In the 1980's the Sydney Swans formed where the Danihers where from NSW ending up at Essendon, apart from other players from interstate, while Carey was plucked from NSW via SA for North later on. So although we got Maurice earlier, arguably we may have ignored the young interstate talent to a degree in a expanding market leading to our downfall

 

[rfctigerarmy]

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

Next week

 

[Sir_Loin]

Next week


View attachment 1820593

Faaark I thought my brain had scrubbed that from its RAM. Clearly not I’m now in the foetal position

 

[Downtown06]

Collingwood will copy this now too!!!