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

[Masotiger]

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

Graeme Richmond was the Secretary.

Lots of players were recruited by various clubs, lots of trades amongst clubs occurred.

BUT, understand this: we were f'kn broke!! We couldn't buy anyone of note. KB may well have been one of our greatest coaches, but the poor bastard had to contend with a club that was on the verge of bankruptcy with the bank about to foreclose!!

 

[Al Heimer]

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.

This thread was going great guns till you come along and put some relevant sense into it

On SM-A426B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Tigerandy63]

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.

The stupid fact in a lot of this, is Geoff Raines asked for a pay rise to bring him into line with Maurice Rioli’s contract & GR knocked him back. Raines accepted a big contract at Collingwood, then the vindictive GR raided some 2nd rate Collingwood players in retaliation AND paid them more than Raines wanted in the first place. GR certainly was very good for RFC over a long period of time, but this set us back 20 years.

 

[Mr Magic]

The stupid fact in a lot of this, is Geoff Raines asked for a pay rise to bring him into line with Maurice Rioli’s contract & GR knocked him back. Raines accepted a big contract at Collingwood, then the vindictive GR raided some 2nd rate Collingwood players in retaliation AND paid them more than Raines wanted in the first place. GR certainly was very good for RFC over a long period of time, but this set us back 20 years.

that is stupid if true

 

[Tigerandy63]

that is stupid if true

Yes, it is true. Click on the link below "Richmond - The Lost Years", which Foxtel did and hosted by Mike Sheahan, he interviews Geoff Raines & David Cloke amongst others and that was their claim on what went on.

 

[fleabitten]

I was 9 years old. The perfect time to start a 33 year nightmare run as a footy fan!

 

[sandeano]

David Palm! Geoff Ablett! Wally Lovett!

Exciting times ahead!

 

[dean33]

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.

Great post and spot on. Sir Francis as good a player he was made a terrible coach and we not only lost a flag from his appointment but slid down a slippery slope of mediocrity that took 30 years to rectify. Obviously not all bourses doing.
The Tot for tat with the pies with them getting our great players and us taking their average ones set us back years while our big 4 rivals all won flags.
Totally different run club these days thank god.

 

[dean33]

I was 9 years old. The perfect time to start a 33 year nightmare run as a footy fan!

I was 8! What a time to jump on board!

 

[Mr Magic]

I was 9 years old. The perfect time to start a 33 year nightmare run as a footy fan!

tell me about it, I have a similar story

 

[TigerTough 65]

Yes, it is true. Click on the link below "Richmond - The Lost Years", which Foxtel did and hosted by Mike Sheahan, he interviews Geoff Raines & David Cloke amongst others and that was their claim on what went on.

Thanks Tigerandy63 for putting up the link for this doco.
Having lived & supported the club through this painful era (was at the Save Our Skins rally back in the day), it was a sobering reminder that the club can never return to those dark days and what incredible leadership, vision & stability that Benny, Peggy & Dimma (amongst many others) have provided to the club to restore us back as a powerhouse in the competition both on & off the field.
The next chapter will be interesting to see what Benny, John O’Rourke & Adam Yze can achieve for the club.
The club now has great stability and us as supporters just need to be patient & put our trust in the people running the club on a day to day basis that the ultimate success of a Premeirship will be within our grasp once again.

Go Tigers…Raise The Fight…Eat Em Alive