The ghosts of Richmond past
I was very privileged to attend the Grand Final in the MCC members’ area on Saturday, but I had no idea the connection which would be made in the next few minutes after I sat down before the start of the game.
I have attended Richmond games all my life and was attending my first Richmond grand final since 1974 (I wasn't able to get tickets to 1980 or 1982).
I sat down and the man next to me, and the woman next to him, introduced themselves. They were a very friendly and engaging pair and I had a bit of a chat about who they were supporting. The man next to me, David Morgan, said he lived near Geelong and had been supporting the Cats for some time, but his Uncle had played for Richmond.
Being interested in the history of Richmond Football Club, I asked who his Uncle was. He said “Max Hislop” and I nearly fell off my seat. He seemed surprised that I knew who he was, and I said that his Uncle Max had played for Richmond with my grandfather in the 1920s. I even had a photograph of Max Hislop and my grandfather, Frank Huggard, in the Richmond team from 1924.
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David was at the game with his daughter Jo and her husband Dave. I showed them the photograph and David described how Max was one of the saviours of Richmond’s 1921 premiership when he took a diving mark in the last quarter to save the game to help the Tigers win their second premiership against Carlton.
I showed David and his daughter Jo, a photograph of a premiership medal from 1920 which my grandfather Frank was awarded having played most of the 1920 season. Unfortunately Frank was suspended for the finals in 1920 and missed out on playing in their first ever premiership.
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I have heard a number of stories about my grandfather and his friendships with various Richmond players over the years including Donald Don, Dan Minogue, Jack “Skinny” Titus and Frank “Checker” Hughes, but haven’t heard if he was friends with Max Hislop. Hislop was a champion player who formed a very strong backline in the early 1920s with Frank Huggard and Jimmy Smith.
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So having watched the Grand Final and Richmond win the premiership sitting next to Max Hislop’s nephew and great niece, I feel that some of the ghosts of the past have been exorcised and I’m so happy - along with all those other 77,000 Richmond members (and many more who aren’t) - that our team has finally moved on and can celebrate the modern Tiger dynasty. I’m so glad the Cheer Squad banner still included 1920 and 1921 on the list of premierships. Go Tigers!
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Footnotes
1. Editor's note: Simon Huggard thought this might be Ernie Taylor but Richmond FC historian Rhett Bartlett believes it's more likely Rueben Reid.
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