When it was announced that Jack Riewoldt will be inducted into the Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame, it got me thinking about such a fantastic achievement by the Richmond champion on a much deeper level- ‘Gee there’s been some Tasmanians don the yellow and black’. Out of pride for my Island home and from sheer spite at the fact that the State constantly gets overlooked at a national level, I began doodling. ‘I could nearly get a couple of teams of Tasmanian Tigers on the page’, I thought. A spur of the moment idea then became a reality and – in the mould of Phil Dimitriades – I made another Almanac team.
Brian Shinners (right) and Cape Barren Island’s Derek Peardon await action at the ‘G. Picture: Football Life, June 1969.
The criteria for selection is simple – come from Tasmania and play for Richmond, with the more distinct players or those who’ve come from the more remote areas of the State getting the nod – We’re often referred to as the ‘arse-end’ of the world, so the further away from ‘civilisation’ you are the better in my book. For example – Derek Peardon’s sad tale of forced removal from Cape Barren Island to Launceston earns him a spot, while Ian Stewart’s (born Ian Cervi) journey to Richmond from the small mining community of Queenstown (home of the well-known gravel oval) has earned him the captaincy of the team.
Imagine some of the scenes; Michael Gale, with long blonde locks a-flowing and grandfather Jack watching, gets on to a thumping kick-in, which is marked by his brother, Brendon. He then proceeds to handball off to his former neighbour, Ray Stokes, who kicks long to a leading Royce Hart – To channel my inner Sandy Roberts, ‘What more CAN. YOU. SAY?!?’.
Can you add more? Feel free to suggest more names in the comment!
N.B. Clubs/teams listed are those in which the player was recruited from and not the place in which they were born.
That’s a good team.Tigers have done well outa Tassie.
I know he didn’t play for Richmond, but Jade Rawlings (Devonport) could get a gig as an assistant coach perhaps on the back of his short stint at the Tigers in 2009.
Yes, Jade Rawlings could well and truly get a gig as an assistant. I liked the Verdun Howell story, taking over for Tommy Hafey when he was on Victorian duties. Another assistant could be Sam Lonergan (two games in 2013), now senior coach of home club Launceston.