AFL 1998 – Twenty Years On: Richmond Tigers (9th)

The 1998 season was as almost as good as it got for the LSPRF (thanks Wrap) apart from a couple of prelim finals along the way. It was almost as if the Final 8 was brought in specifically to further poke fun at them (but who’s laughing now?).

 

This era throws up many fond memories of this team of good honest toilers. Cultish figures abounded as those representing Tigerland resembled a sashed Soundgarden mosh pit (but occasionally played with the consistency of Oasis or the hardness of Matchbox Twenty).

 

So if you’ve bought real estate from a swarthy small forward, lunched at another’s Clarendon St café or filled the hole in front of a temperamental local league full forward from this list, drop us a line. (Who’s your favourite spoonerism? Mine started at West Torrens originally).

 

(And that’s not Greg Tivendale’s photo either)

 

 

AFL Debuts 1998: Andrew Kelleway, Steven McKee, Brad Ottens, Justin Plapp, Lionel Proctor, Greg Tivendale

Kept Under Wraps 1998: Chris Bossong, David Bourke, Paul Greenham, Ben Hollands, Jason Ramsey, Pat Steinfort

Never Heard of Him: Jason Ramsey

Delisted at end of 1998: Nathan Bower, Paul Bulluss, Justin Charles, Daniel Donati, Matthew Manfield, Trent Nicholls, Ashley Prescott, Damien Ryan

Traded at end of 1998: nil

Retirements at end of 1998: Michael Gale

 

Thanks to australianfootball.com , draftguru.com.au , afltables.com

This entire series is available here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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About Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt

Saw my first SANFL game in 1967 - Dogs v Peckers. Have only ever seen the Dogs win 1 final in the flesh (1972 1st Semi) Mediocre forward pocket for the AUFC Blacks (1982-89) Life member - Ormond Netball Club -That's me on the right

Comments

  1. Aaron James, Ashley Blurton, Justin Plapp,haven’t heard those names for many a long year.

    Two of those players, the ruckmen, both tasted grand final experience. Ottens being part of a premiership team with Geelong, McKee i’m fairly sure played in the Pies losing 2002 team.

    Did Damian Ryan play full back on Jason Dunstall, to hold him goalless: or am i dreaming?

    Glen!

  2. The swarthy small forward was a fellow coach at the Swanny Tigers JFC.
    Can be spotted at the North St store on a Saturday morning chatting to a certain dairy product.

  3. Mick Jeffrey says

    Pretty sure Jason Ramsay was an ex-Roy Boy from their last season.

  4. Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt says

    Correct on both Grand Final counts Glen! – thanks

    Cheese mate, that team obviously had a surfeit of swarthe (sounds like an early Dire Straits demo) as I was referring to my local agent J Rombotis not your almost-sounds-like-a-70s-orange-soft-drink cobber.

    You’ve come through with the goods again Mick, ta.

  5. My bad although Mark “Choco” Merenda was a small forward who also sells Real Estate so going to cut myself some slack this time around. ??

  6. Scott Turner ended up coaching Warrnambool for a few years

  7. Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt says

    On the contrary Mr Lactose person, if there was any “bad” involved, it was mine for not knowing about MM’s occupation, given my like of multiple entendres.

  8. Graeme Graham says

    Justin Plapp is an assistant coach.

    Have a look at the In A Glance bit
    Richmond did not lose 2 Games in a Row for the year.
    Won 12 Lost 10
    They also beat the 1998 Grand Finallists North Melbourne and Adelaide in Adelaide, yet they finished 9th.
    So frustrating

  9. Featuring Ben Hollands as Greg Tivendale.

  10. Hmm, i think i was a tad of the mark re Des Ryan.

    On debut his Tigers played an in form Sydney. The Tigers score an upset win, but Des’s debut saw him playing on Warwick Capper who kicked 10 on him.

    Glen!

  11. Peter Warrington says

    this was the year i lament. momentum after the walls sacking and big finish to 97. a young and united team.

    in the end we needed Bond to show us the way in the big games

    and Northey, we needed Northey

    yet we managed to be abysmal in the final game when 5th was up for grabs. it was soul-destroying.

    yet i saw us with Birdman and Plappy and others going great places. didn’t happen.

    when we finally cashed in on the talent in 01, we were too old already and another dud coach was in charge.

  12. Daniel Donati played 1 senior game for the Tigs in ’97 I think and was a member of the ’97 reserves premiership side. Had a very successful stint coaching Balwyn in the Eastern Footy League.

    Ben Holland was spotted on the train to the Richmond-Hawthorn final last week.

    Big No. 25 goes all right in sports admin.

    It was a bizarre year. We won all our home games at the G but lost all our away games (including those at the G) with the exception of beating the Crows at Footy Park – a game made famous by Malcolm Blight’s early exit from the coach’s box and very public walk round the boundary line when he knew the game was up.

    I’m with you, Peter. A very frustrating season

  13. Mark 'Swish' Schwerdt says

    Thanks everyone for confirming that it was a very Richmondy year.

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