Richmond Football Club facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Richmond Football Club |
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| Names | ||||
| Full name | Richmond Football Club Limited | |||
| Nickname(s) | Tigers, Tiges, "Fighting Fury" | |||
| 2024 season | ||||
| Home-and-away season | 18th | |||
| Leading goalkicker | Shai Bolton (34 goals) | |||
| Jack Dyer Medal | Daniel Rioli | |||
| Club details | ||||
| Founded | 1885 | |||
| Colours | Black Yellow | |||
| Competition | AFL: Senior men AFLW: Senior women VFL: Reserves men VWFL: Wheelchair (mixed) |
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| President | John O'Rourke | |||
| CEO | Shane Dunne | |||
| Coach | AFL: Adem Yze AFLW: Ryan Ferguson VFL: Jake Batchelor |
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| Captain(s) | AFL: Toby Nankervis AFLW: Katie Brennan VFL: Lachlan Street |
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| Premierships | VFL/AFL (13)
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| Ground(s) | AFL: Melbourne Cricket Ground (100,024) AFLW/VFL: Punt Road Oval (2,800) |
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| Training ground(s) | Punt Road Oval | |||
| Uniforms | ||||
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| Other information | ||||
| Official website | richmondfc.com.au | |||
The Richmond Football Club, also known as the Tigers, is a professional Australian rules football team. They play in the Australian Football League (AFL). The club started in 1885 in Richmond, a suburb of Melbourne.
Richmond first played in the Victorian Football Association (VFA) from 1885 to 1907, winning two championships. Then, they joined the Victorian Football League (VFL), which is now called the AFL, in 1908. Since then, they have won 13 premierships, with their most recent win in 2020. In 2024, they finished last in the AFL.
The Tigers' home ground from 1885 to 1964 was the Punt Road Oval. This ground is still used as their main office, training area, and for AFL Women's (AFLW) and reserves games. Since 1965, their main home ground has been the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Richmond's traditional uniform is a black jumper with a yellow sash. Their club song, "We're From Tigerland", is famous for its "yellow and black" part.
The current AFL coach for the Tigers is Adem Yze, and the captain is Toby Nankervis. Five Richmond players are considered "Legends" in the Australian Football Hall of Fame. These are Kevin Bartlett, Jack Dyer, Royce Hart, Kevin Sheedy, and Ian Stewart.
Contents
Club History
Early Years and VFA (1885–1907)
The Richmond Football Club officially began on February 20, 1885, at the Royal Hotel in Richmond. They quickly joined the Victorian Football Association (VFA). The club shared the Punt Road Oval with the Richmond Cricket Club.
At first, the team wore blue jumpers with yellow and black stripes. Soon, yellow and black became their official colors. People started calling them "Tigers" around 1908–1910.
In the late 1880s, Richmond struggled in the VFA. In 1896, they even finished last. In October 1896, six strong clubs left the VFA to form the Victorian Football League (VFL). Richmond, being a struggling club, was not invited to join the new league at that time.
Things started to get better for Richmond around 1901. With star player George "Mallee" Johnson, they won their first VFA championship in 1902. In 1905, they won another VFA premiership, beating their rivals North Melbourne.
Richmond often disagreed with the VFA about rules and sportsmanship. They wanted to join the VFL. On October 18, 1907, Richmond was finally accepted into the VFL.
Joining the VFL (1908–1944)
Richmond's first few years in the VFL were not great. In 1916, they finished last for the first time. However, they also played in the finals that year because World War I meant only four clubs were competing.
In 1919, Richmond reached their first Grand Final but lost to Collingwood. The next year, they beat Collingwood in the 1920 VFL Grand Final to win their first VFL premiership. They won again in 1921, beating Carlton in two exciting finals matches.
The Tigers played in four more Grand Finals in the 1920s but lost all of them. From 1927 to 1929, they lost three Grand Finals in a row to Collingwood.
Richmond won their next VFL premiership in 1932 against Carlton. Another win came in 1934 against South Melbourne.
During World War II, Richmond continued to play well. Jack Dyer was a strong player and coach. In 1943, Richmond won a thrilling Grand Final against Essendon by five points. This win was dedicated to a former player, Bill Cosgrove, who had died in the war. They lost another Grand Final in 1944.
Tough Times (1945–1965)
After the war, Richmond struggled to make the finals. They only appeared once, in 1947. The club didn't spend enough money to get new star players, and the team's performance dropped. In 1960, they finished last again.
In 1962, Graeme Richmond became the club's Secretary. He was good at finding young players for low prices, like Royce Hart and Kevin Bartlett. In 1965, Tom Hafey was appointed coach for the 1966 season.
The Hafey Era of Success (1966–1982)
The Tom Hafey era began in 1966. Hafey, a former player, brought a lot of energy and a strong desire to win. He focused on kicking the ball long and fast into the forward line. He also made sure his players were very fit, with longer training sessions. Richmond became known as the fittest team.
Richmond had a great 1967 season, winning the Grand Final against Geelong. This ended a 24-year wait for a premiership. The Tigers were fitter and scored more points than any team before them.
In 1969, Richmond won another premiership, beating Carlton in the 1969 VFL Grand Final. They missed the finals in 1970 but returned strong, playing in the finals for the next five years.
In the 1972 VFL Grand Final, Carlton surprised Richmond in a very high-scoring game. Richmond scored a lot of points, but Carlton scored even more to win. Richmond got their revenge in a tough game in the 1973 VFL Grand Final and won again in 1974 against North Melbourne.
By 1975, the team started to show its age. Many players left, and the Tigers finished seventh in 1976, Hafey's worst result. In 1977, Hafey resigned.
Barry Richardson coached for two seasons, then Tony Jewell took over. Richmond won their next premiership under Jewell in 1980, beating Collingwood by a record 81 points. After losing the 1982 VFL Grand Final, Richmond faced challenges adapting to new league rules like the draft and salary cap.
Challenges and Rebuilding (1983–2016)
In the mid-1980s, Richmond faced financial problems due to expensive player contracts. The club went through a period of political instability. In 1985, Paul Sproule became coach, but he was sacked at the end of the year. Tony Jewell returned as coach.
In 1986, Alan Bond became president, but his plan to move the club to Brisbane was quickly stopped by angry supporters. Bond resigned in 1987, and Richmond finished last for only the second time in 70 years.
The club struggled financially in the late 1980s. In 1990, supporters launched the "Save Our Skins" campaign to pay off a huge debt and keep the club from closing. This campaign was successful.
Under coach John Northey, Richmond slowly improved. In 1995, they had their best start to a season in 75 years and reached the preliminary final. However, success didn't last. Coaches changed often, and the team struggled.
From 2005 to 2007, under coach Terry Wallace, Richmond tried to rebuild. They drafted Brett Deledio in 2005, who was seen as a future star. After a promising start in 2005 and 2006, the Tigers had a terrible 2007 season, losing their first nine games and finishing last.
In 2008, Richmond had a better second half of the season but missed the finals. In 2009, after a poor start, Terry Wallace stepped down as coach. Jade Rawlings took over as caretaker coach, focusing on young players. Damien Hardwick was appointed senior coach for 2010.
Richmond was not expected to do well in 2010, but they showed improvement. Young forward Jack Riewoldt won the Coleman Medal for kicking the most goals in the league. In 2011, they finished 12th. In 2012, Trent Cotchin won the Brownlow Medal, sharing the award with Sam Mitchell.
In 2013, Richmond made the finals for the first time in over ten years. However, they lost to Carlton in the first elimination final. That year, Peggy O'Neal became the AFL's first female club president at Richmond.
In 2014, after a tough start, Richmond won nine games in a row to make the finals again. They lost in the first week. In 2015, they made the finals for the third year in a row but lost again in the first week. In 2016, Richmond missed the finals.
Premiership Success (2017–2020)
Richmond made some big changes before the 2017 season, bringing in new players like Dion Prestia, Josh Caddy, and Toby Nankervis.
| 2017 AFL Grand Final | G | B | Total |
| Richmond | 16 | 12 | 108 |
| Adelaide | 8 | 12 | 60 |
| Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground | Crowd: 100,021 | ||
Richmond started 2017 with five straight wins. They finished 3rd on the ladder. They won their first two finals games, reaching the Grand Final against Adelaide. Richmond won by 48 points, ending a 37-year wait for a premiership! Dustin Martin became the first player to win a Premiership medal, the Brownlow Medal, and the Norm Smith Medal in the same season.
In 2018, the Tigers were very strong, winning the minor premiership. They won all 17 of their games in Victoria and set a new record for most consecutive wins at the MCG. However, they lost to Collingwood in the preliminary final and missed the Grand Final. Jack Riewoldt had a great year, winning his third Coleman Medal.
Richmond bounced back in 2019. Despite many key players being injured, they won their last nine games of the regular season and finished third.
| 2019 AFL Grand Final | G | B | Total |
| Richmond | 17 | 12 | 114 |
| Greater Western Sydney | 3 | 7 | 25 |
| Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground | Crowd: 100,014 | ||
They beat Brisbane and Geelong in the finals to reach their second Grand Final in three years. On September 28, they crushed Greater Western Sydney by 89 points in the 2019 AFL Grand Final. This was their biggest Grand Final win ever. Dustin Martin won his second Norm Smith Medal.
| 2020 AFL Grand Final | G | B | Total |
| Richmond | 12 | 9 | 81 |
| Geelong | 7 | 8 | 50 |
| Venue: The Gabba | Crowd: 29,707 | ||
In the 2020 season, which was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Richmond played most of their games away from home. They still finished in the top four. They reached their third Grand Final in four years, playing against Geelong at The Gabba (the first VFL/AFL Grand Final outside Victoria). Richmond won by 31 points, making them back-to-back premiers. Dustin Martin became the first player to win three Norm Smith Medals.
End of an Era (2021–Present)
Richmond's successful run ended in 2021. They finished 12th and missed the finals for the first time since 2016. At the end of the season, captain Trent Cotchin stepped down, and Dylan Grimes and Toby Nankervis became co-captains for 2022.
In 2022, Richmond made the finals again, finishing seventh. However, they lost a close game to Brisbane in the elimination final.
The 2023 season marked the true end of their winning era. Coach Damien Hardwick resigned mid-season, saying he was "burnt out." Andrew McQualter took over as interim coach. Richmond finished 13th and missed the finals. Club legends Trent Cotchin and Jack Riewoldt retired at the end of the season. Adem Yze was announced as the new Senior Coach on September 21.
In 2024, Richmond finished last in the AFL. Premiership players Dylan Grimes, Dustin Martin, and Marlion Pickett retired after the season.
Club Identity and Culture
Richmond started as a club that valued good sportsmanship. After World War I, they became more focused on winning. The "Hafey era" (1966-1976) made Richmond a very strong team, known for its "win at all costs" attitude. This led to five premierships between 1967 and 1980.
The club also runs the Korin Gamadji Institute (KGI) at Punt Road. This institute offers leadership and well-being programs for young Indigenous boys and girls. In 2018, Richmond was the first sports club to speak at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
Guernseys (Uniforms)
Richmond's home uniform is black with a yellow sash going from the top left to the bottom right. For away games against teams with dark uniforms, they wear a yellow uniform with a black sash.
Uniform Evolution
Here's how Richmond's uniform has changed over the years:
    1885–86
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  1887–1900
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 1900–06
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 1907
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1908–09
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  1910–13
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 1914–18
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1919–23
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1924–28
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1929–77
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 1978–2000
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  2001–03
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2004–2016
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2017–present
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Club Song
Before 1962, Richmond didn't have an official club song. In 1962, a singer named Jack Malcomson wrote "We're From Tigerland." He adapted it from an old show tune called "Row, Row, Row." The current version of the song includes voices of famous Richmond players Kevin Bartlett and Matthew Richardson. The Herald Sun newspaper named it the best club song in the AFL in 2014.
- Oh, we're from Tigerland
- A fighting fury, we're from Tigerland
- In any weather, you will see us with a grin
- Risking head and shin
- If we're behind, then never mind
- We'll fight and fight and win
- For we're from Tigerland
- We never weaken 'till the final siren's gone
- Like the tiger of old
- We're strong and we're bold
- For we're from Tiger
- Yellow and black
- We're from Tigerland
Stadiums
Richmond's main home ground is the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). It can hold over 100,000 people. They often have large crowds when playing against rival Victorian clubs like Essendon and Collingwood.
The club also plays some home games at the smaller Docklands Stadium.
Richmond's training ground and main office is at the Punt Road Oval, also known as the Swinburne Centre. It's very close to the MCG.
Club Administration
Richmond is currently led by President John O'Rourke and CEO Shane Dunne. The club has a long history of dedicated leaders. One notable figure was Peggy O'Neal, who became the AFL's first female club president at Richmond in 2013.
Supporter Base
Richmond has a very large and loyal fan base. In 1990, when the club faced serious financial trouble, supporters raised millions of dollars through the "Save Our Skins" campaign to keep the club going.
In 2013, Richmond reached 60,000 members for the first time. After winning the 2017 premiership, their membership grew even more. In 2018, Richmond became the first Australian sports team to have over 100,000 members. They have kept over 100,000 members for six years in a row.
Club Achievements
Premiership Teams
Richmond has won many premierships throughout its history.
- VFL/AFL Seniors: 13 premierships (1920, 1921, 1932, 1934, 1943, 1967, 1969, 1973, 1974, 1980, 2017, 2019, 2020)
- VFA Seniors: 2 premierships (1902, 1905)
- Reserves/VFL: 10 premierships (1929, 1946, 1954, 1955, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1977, 1997, 2019)
- Under 19s: 11 premierships (1958, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1980, 1985, 1989)
Richmond Team of the Century
In 1998, Richmond announced its Team of the 20th Century, honoring the best players from the club's history. Four players from this team are also in the AFL Team of the Century: Francis Bourke, Royce Hart, Jack Dyer, and Ian Stewart.
| B: | Kevin Sheedy
1967–79, 251 games 91 goals |
Vic Thorp
1910–25, 263 games 7 goals |
Michael Green
1966–75, 146 games 83 goals |
| HB: | Basil McCormack
1925–36, 199 games 1 goal |
Gordon Strang
1931–38, 116 games 108 goals |
Mervyn Keane
1972–84, 238 games 36 goals |
| C: | Francis Bourke *
1967–81, 300 games 71 goals |
Bill Barrot
1961–70, 120 games 91 goals |
Dick Clay
1966–76, 213 games 80 goals |
| HF: | Matthew Richardson
1993–2009 , 282 games 800 goals |
Royce Hart *
1967–77, 187 games 369 goals |
Roger Dean
1957–73, 245 games 204 goals |
| F: | Dale Weightman
1978–93, 274 games 344 goals |
Jack Titus
1926–43, 294 games 970 goals |
Bill Morris
1942–51, 140 games 98 goals |
| Foll: | Roy Wright
1946–59, 195 games 127 goals |
Jack Dyer * (capt)
1931–49, 312 games 443 goals |
Kevin Bartlett
1965–83, 403 games 778 goals |
| Int: | Des Rowe
1946–57, 175 games 24 goals |
Geoff Raines
1976–82, 134 games 53 goals |
Ian Stewart *
1971–75, 78 games 55 goals |
| Coach: | Tom Hafey
Coached 248 games – Won 173, lost 73, Drawn 2 |
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Australian Football Hall of Fame Members
Several Richmond players and coaches have been inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.
- Legends: Jack Dyer, Kevin Bartlett, Ian Stewart, Royce Hart, Kevin Sheedy
- Players: Percy Bentley, Francis Bourke, Dan Minogue, Bill Morris, Charlie Pannam, Vic Thorp, Jack Titus, Dale Weightman, Roy Wright, Matthew Richardson, Maurice Rioli
- Coaches: Tom Hafey, Frank 'Checker' Hughes
Richmond Hall of Fame
The Richmond 'Hall of Fame' started in 2002. It honors players and people who have made a huge difference to the club. The highest honor is being named an Immortal.
- Immortals: Jack Dyer, Kevin Bartlett, Francis Bourke, Dick Clay, Roger Dean, Royce Hart, Vic Thorp, Jack Titus, Tom Hafey
Club Records
- Most Games Played: 403 by Kevin Bartlett (1965–1983)
- Most Goals Kicked: 970 by Jack Titus (1926–1943)
- Most Brownlow Medals: 2 by Roy Wright (1952, 1954)
- Most Coleman Medals (Leading Goalkicker): 3 by Jack Riewoldt (2010, 2012, 2018)
- Most Norm Smith Medals (Grand Final Best): 3 by Dustin Martin (2017, 2019, 2020)
Current Squad
| Senior list | Rookie list | Coaching staff | |||||||
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Head coach
Assistant coaches
Updated: 24 July 2025 |
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Reserves Team
The Richmond Football Club also has a reserves team that plays in the Victorian Football League (VFL). This team helps develop younger players and those not playing in the main AFL team.
Reserves History
Richmond's junior team started in 1902. They won their first premiership in 1929. The reserves team has won 10 premierships in total, including a VFL premiership in 2019.
From 2001 to 2013, Richmond's reserves players played for the Coburg Football Club. In 2013, Richmond decided to have its own stand-alone reserves team again. This team has played in the VFL since 2014, often playing before the main AFL games at Punt Road Oval.
Reserves Premierships
| Year | Competition | Opponent | Score | Venue |
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| 1929 | VFL reserves | Geelong | 12.8 (80) – 7.15 (57) | MCG |
| 1946 | VFL reserves | Fitzroy | 7.15 (57) – 7.14 (56) | MCG |
| 1954 | VFL reserves | Melbourne | 10.20 (80) – 4.9 (33) | MCG |
| 1955 | VFL reserves | Footscray | 13.18 (96) – 9.12 (66) | MCG |
| 1966 | VFL reserves | Collingwood | 14.11 (95) – 13.12 (90) | MCG |
| 1971 | VFL reserves | Essendon | 14.14 (98) – 8.18 (66) | MCG |
| 1973 | VFL reserves | Geelong | 17.18 (120) – 8.12 (60) | MCG |
| 1977 | VFL reserves | Footscray | 19.18 (132) – 10.15 (75) | MCG |
| 1997 | AFL reserves | Hawthorn | 17.12 (114) – 10.10 (70) | MCG |
| 2019 | VFL | Williamstown | 8.10 (58) – 7.13 (55) | Ikon Park |
Women's Teams
Richmond has teams in both the national AFL Women's (AFLW) competition and used to have a team in the state-level VFL Women's competition.
AFL Women's Team
Richmond joined the AFL Women's league in 2020. Their first player signed was Katie Brennan, who became the team's first captain.
Current AFLW Squad
| Senior list | Inactive list | Coaching staff | |||||||
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Head coach
Assistant coaches
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AFLW Season Summaries
| Season | Ladder | W–L–D | Finals | Coach | Captain(s) | Best and Fairest | Leading Goalkicker |
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| 2020 | 14th ^ | 0–6–0 | DNQ | Tom Hunter | Katie Brennan | Monique Conti | Courtney Wakefield (4) |
| 2021 | 10th | 3–6–0 | DNQ | Ryan Ferguson | Katie Brennan | Monique Conti | Katie Brennan (14) |
| 2022 (S6) | 11th | 3–7–0 | DNQ | Ryan Ferguson | Katie Brennan | Monique Conti | Katie Brennan (14) |
| 2022 (S7) | 4th | Sem-finalists | Ryan Ferguson | Katie Brennan | Monique Conti | Courtney Wakefield (14) | |
| 2023 | 10th | 5–5–0 | DNQ | Ryan Ferguson | Katie Brennan | Monique Conti | Katie Brennan (14) |
^ The ladder was split into two conferences. Figure refers to the club's overall finishing in the home-and-away season.
VFL Women's Team (Former)
Richmond had a team in the VFL Women's competition in 2018 and 2019. After two seasons, the club stopped having its own VFLW team and partnered with the Port Melbourne Football Club.
Wheelchair Football
Richmond has a team in the Victorian Wheelchair Football League. They were runners-up in 2018 and won the league premiership in 2019. After a break due to the COVID pandemic, Richmond won their second league premiership in 2022, and also the development league premiership. They won again in 2024.
| Year | Competition | Opponent | Score | Venue |
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| 2019 | Victorian Wheelchair Football League | Collingwood | 9.7 (61) – 7.5 (47) | Boroondara Sports Complex |
| 2022 | Victorian Wheelchair Football League | Essendon | 17.8 (110) – 12.8 (80) | Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre |
| 2024 | Victorian Wheelchair Football League | Collingwood | 13.4 (82) – 9.5 (59) | Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre |
| Year | Competition | Opponent | Score | Venue |
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| 2022 | VWFL Development League | Essendon | 12.4 (76) – 9.4 (58) | Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre |
Images for kids
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The Royal Hotel in Richmond where the club was formed in 1885.
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Alec Edmond captained Richmond from 1901 to 1907.
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Frank Tudor was president of Richmond during World War I.
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The Richmond team that won its first VFL premiership in 1920.
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Chart of yearly ladder positions for Richmond in VFL/AFL.
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Richmond legend Jack Dyer played 19 consecutive seasons for the club.
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Statue of Kevin Bartlett outside the MCG.
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Damien Hardwick coached Richmond from 2010 to 2023.
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Captain Trent Cotchin leads Richmond out onto the ground in 2013.
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Richmond Football Club Win % by Season (including Finals).
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Matthew Richardson became one of the league's leading goal kickers.
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The MCG, Richmond's home ground since 1965.
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The David Mandie building at Punt Road Oval.
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RFC commemorative football 2013.
See also
In Spanish: Richmond Football Club para niños
