159-794: Club Representative Overall Graham Vivian "Polly" Farmer MBE (10 March 1935 – 14 August 2019) was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Geelong Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and the East Perth Football Club and West Perth Football Club in the Western Australian National Football League (WANFL). Born in Western Australia and of indigenous heritage through his Noongar mother, Farmer
318-534: A 68-point loss at the hands of St Kilda in Round 5). This included wins over the then-reigning premiers, Port Adelaide , and over then-runners up, the Brisbane Lions . Sitting pretty at 7 wins and 2 losses, and 3rd on the ladder, the impossible prospect of finals football loomed large. However, in the Round 10 match against Melbourne , star player Nathan Brown suffered a horrible leg injury, that would sideline him for
477-527: A GBE (in recognition of his role as chairman of the Scottish War Savings Committee) and the award of medal of the order to Lizzie Robinson, a munitions worker. The order had been established primarily as a civilian award; in August 1918, however, not long after its foundation, a number of awards were made to serving naval and military personnel. Four months later, a 'Military Division' was added to
636-404: A broad riband or sash, passing from the right shoulder to the left hip. Knights Commander and male Commanders wear the badge from a ribbon around the neck; male Officers and Members wear the badge from a ribbon on the left chest; female recipients other than Dames Grand Cross (unless in military uniform) normally wear it from a bow on the left shoulder. An oval eight-pointed star is worn, pinned to
795-440: A broken jaw. Another premiership came in 1934, this time against South Melbourne's famed "Foreign Legion", avenging Richmond's loss in the 1933 VFL Grand Final . Prior to the commencement of the 1940 season, internal problems were brewing between the key personalities at the club. Some felt that the uneven performance of the team was due to Percy Bentley 's coaching methods, and that he should be replaced. Jack Dyer walked out on
954-538: A burning building containing explosives. In December 1922 the statutes of the order were amended; there having been a large number of awards for war work prior to this date, these amended statutes placed the order on more of a peacetime footing. For the first time numbers of appointments were limited, with the stipulation that senior awards in the Civil Division were to outnumber those in the Military Division by
1113-449: A circlet bearing the motto of the Order; the reverse bears George V's Royal and Imperial Cypher. (Prior to 1937 Britannia was shown within the circlet.) The size of the badges varies according to rank: the higher classes have slightly larger badges. The badges of Knights and Dames Grand Cross, Knights and Dames Commander, and Commanders are enamelled, with pale blue crosses, crimson circlets and
1272-466: A citizen of a Commonwealth realm can convert their appointment from honorary to substantive, and they then enjoy all privileges of membership of the order, including use of the title of Sir and Dame for the senior two ranks of the Order. (An example of the latter is Irish broadcaster Terry Wogan , who was appointed an honorary Knight Commander of the Order in 2005, and on successful application for British citizenship, held alongside his Irish citizenship,
1431-426: A crushing win to pinch the premiership. Richmond had been out-thought by their old mentor Frank 'Checker' Hughes , who had assigned a tagger to negate Dyer. Dyer was furious that Bentley had done nothing to prevent his opponent taking him out of the game. The Richmond committee agreed with this assessment, so when Bentley (after retiring as a player) attempted to negotiate a higher fee to continue his coaching tenure, he
1590-442: A disappointment, with a sixth-placed finish in 1974 their best result. One issue was that he assumed his players would adhere to all training instructions and be disciplined in their preparation, just as he was in his playing days. He also found it difficult to relate to players who were less naturally gifted. Farmer and the club's committee had an increasingly strained relationship and Farmer quit in 1975. A six-game losing streak in
1749-416: A first flag in the big league. This was followed by an even better performance the next year. The only club that continued to beat Richmond on a regular basis was Carlton. Finishing minor premier with only one loss for the season in 1921, Carlton were the hottest premiership favourite, yet Richmond managed to beat them in two classic finals matches played over successive weeks to go back-to-back. The rest of
SECTION 10
#17330850834831908-443: A gold central medallion. Officers' badges are plain silver-gilt, while those of Members are plain silver. From 1917 until 1937, the badge of the order was suspended on a purple ribbon, with a red central stripe being added for the military division in 1918. Since 1937, the ribbon has been rose-pink with pearl-grey edges (with the addition of a pearl-grey central stripe for the military division). Knights and Dames Grand Cross wear it on
2067-471: A normal life. I owe her and all her dedicated helpers everything – for giving me the chance to make something of myself. I was one of the lucky ones." A bout of poliomyelitis left Farmer with his left leg shorter than his right leg. According to Farmer, he was nicknamed "Polly the Parrot" as a six-year-old because people thought he chattered away like a parrot. At high school, Farmer was spotted by talent scouts for
2226-406: A number of poor choices—notably, the number one pick in 1987 was used on a player who had only four games with Richmond. Finally, with the economy in serious recession and interest rates touching seventeen per cent, Richmond's creditors came knocking. At one point, an attempt was made to seize the club's 1973 and 1974 premiership trophies as securities for unpaid debts, an embarrassing situation. For
2385-491: A number of years, the exact amount that the club owed was not publicly known. After Bartlett came Allan Jeans, who then passed the job to ex-Richmond premiership player John Northey for 1993. Northey returned the team to the simple long-kicking style of the halcyon days under the legendary Tom Hafey. Along with some draft concessions granted by the AFL, Northey's efforts gradually improved Richmond. The team fumbled an opportunity to make
2544-484: A place in WA sporting folklore and it is fitting that a showpiece of the city's transport network should bear his name… The northern traffic bypass system links West Perth and East Perth which are, coincidentally, the two districts which Graham Farmer represented with distinction on the football arena". He was inducted into the inaugural Australian Football Hall of Fame in 1996 as one of the twelve official "Legends" and then into
2703-549: A potential bonanza from a premiership play-off, the VFA decided to emulate the VFL and introduce a finals series in 1903, a fateful decision for the Tigers. After recruiting the competition's leading goalkicker, Jack Hutchinson , and finishing the season as minor premier , Richmond lost both finals and were runner-up . The following season, the club became embroiled in a feud with umpire Allen, whom
2862-506: A premiership with Geelong and coming equal-second in the Brownlow Medal behind Bob Skilton . Farmer played 101 games for Geelong from 1962 to 1968, won the team's fairest and best award in 1963 and 1964 and captained the team from 1965 until 1967 . On 6 July 1963 he was a member of the Geelong team that were comprehensively and unexpectedly beaten by Fitzroy, 9.13 (67) to 3.13 (31) in
3021-537: A previous Richmond assistant coach. Brendon Gale was also appointed CEO of the Tigers. Richmond was not expected to be competitive in 2010, with many commentators predicting the team would win no more than four games. From the 2009 AFL Draft , the Tigers drafted seven new players, which included midfielder Dustin Martin . At the 2010 Pre-season Draft, Richmond recruited young key defender Dylan Grimes , brother of Melbourne defender Jack Grimes . Damien Hardwick selected
3180-488: A proportion of six to one. Furthermore appointments in the civil division were to be divided equally between UK and overseas awards. With regard to the Medal of the Order (but not the order itself), a distinction was made in 1922 between awards 'for gallantry' and awards 'for meritorious service' (each being appropriately inscribed, and the former having laurel leaves decorating the clasp, the latter oak leaves). In 1933 holders of
3339-515: A record until broken by Kevin Murray in Round 2 of the 1974 VFL season (Murray retired at the end of that season with 377 games in the VFL and WANFL). Farmer also played 31 games for Western Australia and five games for Victoria in interstate football, and four International Rules matches on the 1968 Australian Football World Tour (which are counted as senior by the VFL/AFL); if these are included, he played
SECTION 20
#17330850834833498-466: A second go at the job. Jewell later commented on the destruction wrought on the club during his four-year absence: "the supporters were gone, the members were gone, the money was gone, ... a real shame." With the competition set to expand, Richmond made a number of misguided moves in 1986. To fill the vacancy left by Richardson, Richmond wooed high-flying West Australian entrepreneur Alan Bond to become president. Bond came with an agenda to raise money for
3657-598: A testimonial to retired Royal teammate "Square" Kilmurray , Farmer accepted the role of captain/coach with the West Perth Football Club , rivals to his former club, East Perth. He led West Perth to premierships in 1969 and 1971, both times defeating East Perth in the grand final. In 1969, Farmer received his fourth Simpson Medal during the AFC Championships in Adelaide , and also played his 300th career game during
3816-409: A thrilling Grand Final by five points, a win that the club dedicated to ex-player Bill Cosgrove, an RAF pilot who had been killed in action a few weeks before the match. But another Grand Final loss followed in 1944 , when Dyer's team failed against Fitzroy on a very hot day. In the immediate post-war era, despite an influx of excellent new players, Richmond struggled to make the four, appearing in
3975-515: A total of 396 career senior games, which remained a record until broken by Murray in either of Round 12 of 1974 (using the VFL/AFL's totals), Round 13 of 1973 (excluding Farmer's International Rules matches) or Round 17 of 1973 (including Farmer's International Rules matches). Not involved in top-level football in 1972, Farmer returned to the VFL as coach of the Geelong Football Club in time for
4134-527: A whopping 157 points). Their first premiership points came in a draw against the Brisbane Lions in Round 10, and their first win of the season didn't come until Round 12 against fellow straggler Melbourne . After Round 18 of the season, the Tigers had registered a mere 1 win, 1 draw, and 16 losses, and were looking like recording their worst ever recorded season. However, late-season victories over old rivals Collingwood in Round 19, and Essendon in Round 21, saved them from this fate. They would eventually finish
4293-492: A young team at the start of the season, with four debutants, and only three players ( Ben Cousins , Chris Newman and Troy Simmonds ) over 25 in the Round 1 loss against Carlton . Richmond was winless after nine games, before a scrappy win over Port Adelaide in Round 10. This was the start of a turnaround in Richmond's form, with the team winning six out of eight games, to sit with a record of 6–12 after eighteen rounds. After losing
4452-512: Is an image of Britannia surrounded by the motto, with the words "For Meritorious Service" at the bottom; on the reverse is George V's Imperial and Royal Cypher, with the words "Instituted by King George V" at the bottom. The name of the recipient is engraved on the rim. This medal is nicknamed "the Gong", and comes in both full-sized and miniature versions – the latter for formal white-tie and semi-formal black-tie occasions. A lapel pin for everyday wear
4611-696: Is coached by former Melbourne assistant coach Adem Yze, and is captained by Toby Nankervis . Five Richmond players have been inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame as " Legends " of the sport: Kevin Bartlett , Jack Dyer , Royce Hart , Kevin Sheedy and Ian Stewart A short-lived football club named Richmond formed in 1860 with Tom Wills , one of the founders of Australian rules football , serving as its inaugural secretary and captain. Wills' cousin H. C. A. Harrison captained Richmond briefly in
4770-409: Is considered one of the greatest footballers in the game's history; when the Australian Football Hall of Fame was established in 1996, Farmer was among the 12 inaugural players given "legend" status. He is primarily recognised for the way he revolutionised ruckwork and handballing . After retiring as a player, Farmer returned to Geelong to become the VFL's first coach of indigenous background, and he
4929-931: Is not a member of the College of Arms , as are many other heraldic officers; and the Lady Usher of the Purple Rod does not – unlike the Order of the Garter equivalent, the Lady Usher of the Black Rod – perform any duties related to the House of Lords . Since the Second World War, several Commonwealth realms have established their own national system of honours and awards and have created their own unique orders, decorations and medals. A number, though, continue to make recommendations for appointments to
Polly Farmer - Misplaced Pages Continue
5088-404: The 1963 Miracle Match . Farmer practised handballing through car windows at the car yard where he worked and one of his football legacies is changing handballing from a last-resort option to a "dangerous offensive weapon". According to Geelong player Sam Newman , "without speaking one word he [Farmer] taught me everything I know. I watched how a man overcomes not the physical, not the mental, but
5247-423: The 1972 VFL Grand Final against Carlton. However, Carlton stunned Richmond in a game of ridiculous high scoring. Even Richmond equalled the then record highest score in a Grand Final of 22.18 (150), but Carlton beat it with 28.9 (177). Richmond got their revenge in an intensely physical clash in the 1973 VFL Grand Final and went back-to-back in 1974 with a strong win against a resurgent North Melbourne. By now,
5406-461: The 1973 VFL season . Shortly after taking up the position, Farmer travelled to Canberra in an attempt to personally persuade Manuka Football Club 's star rover Edney Blackaby to join Geelong. Blackaby had signed a Form Four with the Cats, but not even Farmer's star power and a lucrative contract were enough to convince Blackaby to leave Canberra. Farmer's tenure as Geelong coach was generally regarded as
5565-623: The Brisbane Bears . Richmond, caught short, appointed the Bears' ex-coach Robert Walls for 1996. After several humiliating thrashings in 1997, Robert Walls became the first Richmond coach to be sacked mid-season. After two-and-a-half seasons under Jeff Gieschen , the club appointed ex-St Kilda captain Danny Frawley . After a Preliminary Final appearance in Frawley's second season, Richmond overestimated
5724-541: The Order of Canada . On the other hand, the Australian Honours System unilaterally created in 1975 did not achieve bi-partisan support until 1992, which was when Australian federal and state governments agreed to cease Australian recommendations for British honours; the last Australian recommended Order of the British Empire appointments were in the 1989 Queen's Birthday Honours . New Zealand continued to use
5883-914: The Tigers or colloquially the Tig(e)s , is a professional Australian rules football team competing in the Australian Football League (AFL). Founded in 1885 in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond , the club competed in the Victorian Football Association (VFA) from 1885 to 1907, winning two premierships. Richmond then joined the Victorian Football League (now known as the AFL) from the 1908 season and has since won 13 premierships , most recently in 2020. From 1885 to 1964, Richmond's home ground
6042-697: The West Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2004. He has been nominated as the first ruckman in every Team of the Century for each of the two leagues and three clubs for which he participated, plus the Indigenous Team of the Century , in which he was the captain. In 2008, Farmer was named at number 5 in The Age ' s top football players of all time. Farmer is depicted contesting a boundary throw-in with Carlton ruckman John Nicholls (the other ruckman in
6201-621: The Western Bulldogs , after which followed losses to St Kilda and West Coast . By the end of Round 3, things were looking grim for the Tigers once again. However, just as they did in 2005, the Tigers would respond to their poor start by winning 8 of their next 11 matches, and by the end of Round 14, the Tigers were in the Top 8 by a game and percentage. However, their spot in the Top 8 would be short lived, as 4 straight losses between Rounds 15 and 18 would effectively end their finals chances. They finished
6360-670: The 1960s, former Geelong player Neil Trezise approached Farmer about representing the Australian Labor Party in the seat of Corio . Farmer declined. The couple sold their house in 1992 and ran a two-star Southway Auto Lodge motel in South Perth until 1998. Farmer said the business failed due to the downturn in the Asian economy and a 40% drop in tourist numbers. It left him with no money or assets. He said, "We have nothing and we are back to square one. But we didn't borrow money to keep
6519-462: The 1967 season, running out winners in a classic Grand Final against Geelong. In his first two years, the team lost only seven games and Hafey had gone from an unknown coach in the bush to the toast of the football world. In hindsight, the 1967 premiership marked a turning point for the game. The Tigers were fitter than any team that had gone before and were the highest scoring team since 1950. Australian football, after two decades of defensive-based play,
Polly Farmer - Misplaced Pages Continue
6678-474: The 1994 finals, then opened 1995 with its best start to a season in 75 years and eventually made it to the preliminary final. With a talented playing list and a strong administration led by Leon Daphne (Richmond's first president from the corporate world, the Alan Bond farce aside), Richmond looked set to become regular finalists again. The anticipated success failed to materialise, partly because Richmond allowed
6837-448: The 2005 pre-season brought renewed optimism at the club. The Tigers held the no. 1 draft pick, selecting Brett Deledio who was touted as a future star and leader. However, the Tigers' first match of the season (against Geelong ), quickly dashed that hope, as they were thrashed by 62 points. However, this loss would spark a change in the Tigers, and in the next 8 weeks of the season, they would go on to win 7 matches (the one exception being
6996-412: The 2006 season in 9th place, with 11 wins and 11 losses. After promising seasons in 2005 and 2006, it was expected that the Tigers would take the next step in 2007, and play finals football. After massive hype in the off-season, the Tigers had a terrible start to the 2007 season, losing their first 9 matches (this included suffering their biggest ever defeat, at the hands of eventual premiers Geelong , by
7155-464: The 21st century quotas were introduced to ensure consistent representation among recipients across nine categories of eligibility: with the largest proportion of awards being reserved for community, voluntary and local service. Non-military awards of the British Empire Medal resumed in 2012, starting with 293 BEMs awarded for Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee . In 2017 the centenary of
7314-731: The AFL Team of the Century) in Jamie Cooper's painting The Game That Made Australia , commissioned by the AFL in 2008 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the sport. Farmer is also depicted in the rare 1963 Scanlens football card series, which, due to production problems during the printing process, is now considered one of the rarest and most valuable trading cards in Australia. Upon Farmer's death, tributes came flowing in from his contemporaries. Carlton legend John Nicholls , whose ruck rivalry with Farmer
7473-788: The British Empire . Rather than using this chapel, the Order now holds its great services upstairs in the nave of the cathedral. In addition to the Chapel of the Order of the British Empire, St Paul's Cathedral also houses the Chapel of the Order of St Michael and St George . Religious services for the whole Order are held every four years; new Knights and Dames Grand Cross are installed at these services. Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commander prefix Sir , and Dames Grand Cross and Dames Commander prefix Dame , to their forenames. Wives of Knights may prefix Lady to their surnames, but no equivalent privilege exists for husbands of Knights or spouses of Dames. Such forms are not used by peers and princes, except when
7632-490: The British Empire for Gallantry. Any individual made a member of the order for gallantry after 14 January 1958 wears an emblem of two crossed silver oak leaves on the same ribbon as the badge, with a miniature version on the ribbon bar when worn alone. When the ribbon only is worn the emblem is worn in miniature. It could not be awarded posthumously , and was replaced in 1974 with the Queen's Gallantry Medal (QGM). If recipients of
7791-670: The East Perth Football Club and joined the team. Farmer began his top-level career in the West Australian Football League (WAFL), known then as the West Australian National Football League (WANFL), with the East Perth Football Club in 1953. He played 176 games from 1953 to 1961 with East Perth. During this time he won the club's fairest and best award seven times and was a member of their 1956, 1958 and 1959 premiership teams. In 1956, he
7950-504: The Goulburn Valley came Dick Clay from Kyabram and Francis Bourke from Nathalia. Further afield were Doug Strang and John Perry from Albury and Wodonga. On his return to Richmond, Hafey found the team had acquired a number of young, high quality players, Kevin Bartlett was a skinny 17 year old who lived locally and had walked in and asked for a tryout. Mike Green followed Kevin a year later. Even so, he quickly put his stamp on
8109-785: The Military Division of the order from the UK and across the Empire. Recommendations for all appointments to the Order of the British Empire were originally made on the nomination of the King's United Kingdom ministers (recommendations for overseas awards were made by the Foreign Office , the Colonial Office , the India Office and the Dominions Office ); but in the early 1940s the system was changed to enable
SECTION 50
#17330850834838268-436: The Order of the British Empire for Gallantry received promotion within the order, whether for gallantry or otherwise, they continued to wear also the insignia of the lower grade with the oak leaves; however, they used only the post-nominal letters of the higher grade. When the order was founded in 1917, badges, ribands and stars were appointed for wear by recipients. In 1929 mantles, hats and collars were added for recipients of
8427-513: The Order of the British Empire. In 2024 appointments to the order were made by the governments of: Most members of the order are citizens of the United Kingdom or Commonwealth realms that use the UK system of honours and awards. In addition, honorary awards may be made to citizens of nations where the monarch is not head of state ; these permit use of post-nominal letters, but not the title of Sir or Dame . Honorary appointees who later become
8586-404: The Order, however, are not assigned any special precedence. As a general rule, only wives and children of male recipients are afforded privileges. Knights and Dames Grand Cross are also entitled to be granted heraldic supporters . They may, furthermore, encircle their arms with a depiction of the circlet (a circle bearing the motto) and the collar; the former is shown either outside or on top of
8745-523: The Polly Farmer Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting indigenous children in their sporting and academic endeavours. Farmer explained, "I want the foundation to be of practical assistance to young Aboriginal people with potential to do something with their lives … Not just sport, but in the professions and business. We want to develop links with the tertiary institutions and make sure Aboriginal people become leaders." Hawke enlisted
8904-697: The Richmond Football Club was officially formed at the Royal Hotel in Richmond on 20 February 1885. A successful application for immediate admission to the Victorian Football Association (VFA) followed. The club shared the Punt Road Oval with the Richmond Cricket Club , one of the strongest cricket clubs in Australia which had been playing on the ground since 1856. At first the team wore blue guernseys and caps with yellow and black stripes in
9063-460: The Richmond board bickering had flared into the public domain. It took a majority vote for Hafey to be reappointed for 1977, but not unanimously (he had no contract with Richmond, instead being appointed on a year-to-year basis). When it leaked that Graeme Richmond , the club's powerbroker, had voted against Hafey's reappointment Hafey immediately resigned. The club appointed dual premiership player Barry Richardson as coach for two seasons before he
9222-490: The Tigers accused of failing to curb field invasions and, in particular, the dubious tactics of arch-rival North Melbourne . In the 10 September 1904 match, during which a significant number of Richmond players sustained serious gashes, and despite the earnest requests of the Richmond players, field umpire Allen refused to exercise his legitimate, official power to check the boots of the North Melbourne players for "spikes" on
9381-460: The United Kingdom; those who would formerly have met the criteria for the medal were instead made eligible for the MBE. In 2004, a report entitled A Matter of Honour: Reforming Our Honours System by a Commons select committee recommended phasing out the Order of the British Empire, as its title was "now considered to be unacceptable, being thought to embody values that are no longer shared by many of
9540-428: The VFA's strongest clubs began to agitate for a reform of the competition. Richmond was not considered part of this elite group, which usually voted as a bloc at VFA meetings. In 1896, Richmond walked off the field in a match against South Melbourne to protest the umpiring, and later in the season, the Tigers had their half-time score annulled against Essendon when it was discovered that they had too many men on
9699-518: The VFL and injury hit the club hard. In 1906–07, the Tigers played finals without looking likely to win the flag. The club earned a rebuke from the VFA for scheduling a practice match against Geelong before the 1907 season, then went ahead with the commitment and earned further censure. Later in the year it became clear that the VFL wanted to expand its competition and Richmond won a place ahead of North Melbourne, which had been strengthened by an amalgamation with
SECTION 60
#17330850834839858-615: The WAFL awarded retrospective medals for those who missed out on countbacks. In 1959, he was awarded the Simpson Medal for being best on ground in the grand final. He was awarded another Simpson Medal in 1961 for his game against Victoria at the Brisbane Carnival . Farmer had clear ambitions to play football in Victoria, and had attracted interest from Victorian clubs; at the end of 1955 he
10017-450: The addition of a vertical pearl grey stripe in the centre for awards in the military division). From time to time the order was expanded: there was an increase in the maximum permitted number of recipients in 1933, and a further increase in 1937. During the Second World War, as had been the case during and after World War I, the number of military awards was greatly increased; between 1939 and 1946 there were more than 33,000 appointments to
10176-561: The aggressive attitude of the club both on and off the field had created resentment toward the club. A number of incidents during the 1973 Grand Final – the Windy Hill brawl, the attempted recruitment of John Pitura from South Melbourne and a poor reaction to Kevin Bartlett's failure to win the Brownlow medal – all focussed negative attention on the club. Hafey, however, used the resentment to his advantage, telling his players "it's Richmond against
10335-487: The art of handballing. He was very good at it. He was a brilliant footballer, I learnt a lot from him, he made me a better player and I respected him. He was a good friend of mine, a very good friend. Fellow Western Australian indigenous football legend Barry Cable , whose career overlapped with Farmer, reflected on his unique style of ruck play: I don’t think there’s any doubt he was the greatest ruckman in Aussie rules – he led
10494-417: The bankrupt West Melbourne as part of their bid. Richmond were granted admission to the VFL on 18 October 1907. The first few seasons in the VFL were less than spectacular. Although the club turned up some star players, it let a lot of talent leave and the administration was unstable after George Bennett 's death at the end of the 1908 season. In 1916, the side won its first wooden spoon while also playing in
10653-412: The best grounds in the competition, where they remained unbeaten for five years. In 1905, Richmond confirmed their status with a second premiership, this time overcoming bitter rivals North Melbourne , "Mallee" Johnson had moved to Carlton, but youngster Charlie Ricketts dominated the season and won plaudits among the pressmen, who voted him the best player in the VFA. However, Ricketts was also lost to
10812-440: The business going. All my life I have helped myself and there is no reason why I can't still do that." Farmer and Marlene were given temporary accommodation at the caretaker's flat in the Main Roads building. Two fundraising events were organised in Perth and Melbourne by John Watts , Bob Davis and Sam Newman, raising $ 120,000. A trust fund was established with the money and a small villa was bought in Innaloo . In 1999, Farmer
10971-413: The cathedral. That year, Commonwealth awards made up 40% of all OBEs and MBEs awarded (and 35% of all living recipients of the higher awards). Gradually that proportion reduced as independent states within the Commonwealth established their own systems of honours . The last Canadian recommendation for the Order of the British Empire was an MBE for gallantry gazetted in 1966, a year before the creation of
11130-418: The circlet. In 1929, to bring the order into line with the other orders of chivalry, members of the first class of the order (GBE) were provided with mantles, hats and collars. Only Knights/Dames Grand Cross wear these elaborate vestments; the hat is now rarely, if ever, worn. Use of the mantle is limited to important occasions (such as quadrennial services and coronations ). The mantle is always worn with
11289-468: The club and threatened to play in the VFA after his father, a committeeman who was involved with the anti-Bentley faction, lost his position at the board elections. Finally, the matter was resolved and Bentley kept his job, while Dyer returned to training on the eve of the season. The problems appeared to have been solved when Richmond won the semi-final against Melbourne to go straight into the 1940 VFL Grand Final . However, Melbourne reversed this result with
11448-480: The club by listing on the stockmarket and relocating to Brisbane . When the latter plan was revealed in the media, a furious reaction from supporters and high-profile club personalities buried the proposal almost immediately. Early in 1987, Bond's tenure at the club ended in farce when he resigned without presiding over a single game. The off-field confusion was reflected in the players' performance as Richmond slumped to only its second wooden spoon in 70 years. Although
11607-454: The club was beaten by 83 points in Round 1 by Carlton, and did not register a win until Round 5, against North Melbourne . With a record of 2–9 after eleven weeks, Terry Wallace stepped down as coach, having announced his intention during the previous week. Jade Rawlings was announced as caretaker senior coach; he adopted a youth policy for the remainder of the year, which saw experienced players Joel Bowden and Matthew Richardson retire by
11766-415: The club, bringing intensity and desire to reach the top. Although he acknowledged the ideas and tactical approach of Len Smith (who remained at the club as a selector and consultant), Hafey opted for what became his trademark style: kick the ball long and quickly into the forward line. He raised the bar for fitness among his players,[4] extending pre-season training and introducing a third training night during
11925-403: The coaching position to again become unstable. With over a year still to run on his contract, John Northey demanded a contract extension that the club refused. This was because of a rumour that some people with an association with the club were pursuing Essendon coach and former Richmond premiership player Kevin Sheedy . So Northey walked out on Richmond and accepted a longer-term contract to coach
12084-444: The collar. Although the mantle was introduced in 1929, very few mantles would have been produced prior to the 1937 design changes, as there were few occasions for wearing them in the intervening years. On certain days designated by the sovereign, known as " collar days ", members attending formal events may wear the order's collar over their military uniform, formal day dress, evening wear or robes of office. Collars are returned upon
12243-475: The costs of an expensive court action as well. Richmond also signed a number of mediocre players on big contracts, and the club's financial situation took a battering. With the team failing to improve, a challenge to the committee was brewing and Richmond's traditional political stability threatened. The rebel group, organised by long-time servant Bill Durham, convinced former player and coach Barry Richardson to be leader. An election in late 1984 failed to clarify
12402-479: The country's population". The committee further suggested changing the name of the award to the Order of British Excellence, and changing the rank of Commander to Companion (as the former was said to have a "militaristic ring"), as well as advocating for the abolition of knighthoods and damehoods; the government, however, was not of the opinion that a case for change had been made, and the aforementioned suggestions and recommendations were not, therefore, pursued. In
12561-403: The death of their owners, but other insignia may be retained. The six office-holders of the order wear pearl-grey mantles lined with rose-pink, having on the right side a purple shield charged with the roundel from the badge. Each of these office-holders wears a unique badge of office, suspended from a gold chain worn around the neck. The British Empire Medal is made of silver. On the obverse
12720-408: The decade saw four more Grand Final appearances, all of which would end in frustration. From 1927 to 1929 Richmond became the first club in the VFL to lose three consecutive Grand Finals, all of which were to neighbouring archrivals, Collingwood. The next VFL flag came in 1932, with Richmond's triumph over Carlton in a tough encounter which saw Richmond wingman Alan Geddes play the second half with
12879-502: The depleted VFA until the turn of the century. The Tigers were boosted by a significant country recruit in 1901. George "Mallee" Johnson was an instant sensation and the first true star player at the club. Richmond leapt to third place and then in 1902, with Johnson dominating the ruck, Richmond entered the closing weeks of the season neck and neck with Port Melbourne at the head of the ladder, but Port Melbourne faltered against Williamstown to hand Richmond its first flag. Having missed
13038-607: The distinction between ranks in military operational gallantry awards will cease'. The reforms affected the order at various levels: for example the automatic award each year of a GBE to the Lord Mayor of London ceased; the OBE replaced the Imperial Service Order as an award for civil servants and the number of MBEs awarded each year was significantly increased. As part of these reforms the British Empire Medal stopped being awarded by
13197-400: The early 1860s before moving to Geelong . This club was disbanded in 1871 and has no continuity to the present club. A number of teams formed in Richmond during the game's rapid expansion in the 1870s and early 1880s. However, all played at a junior level and it was considered an anomaly that Richmond, one of Melbourne's most prominent suburbs, did not boast a senior side. The wait ended when
13356-423: The early 1980s were bought at high financial cost through expensive recruiting, and were followed by severe cut backs that saw several top players depart. Still smarting from the loss of star players to Collingwood, Richmond set themselves for war with Collingwood in 1984 by signing three of their players: John Annear , Craig Stewart and Phil Walsh . Not only were there big contracts and transfer fees to pay, but
13515-473: The end of the year. Rawlings led Richmond to three wins and a draw from eleven games. Richmond finished fifteenth with a record of 5–16–1. On 25 August, Damien Hardwick was appointed to be the senior coach from 2010. As Jade Rawlings, Craig McRae and Brian Royal left the Tigers assistant coaching panel, Brendon Lade and Justin Leppitsch were appointed as assistant coaches, leaving only Wayne Campbell as
13674-410: The field against him, deferred to Polly. Our game has always started in the centre square, with a contest between two big men, and Polly was the greatest of all the big men who seek to set the standard of competitiveness for their teams, lead from the front at every contest and compel their teammates to match their skills and commitment in the pursuit of victory. Beyond football, as a proud Noongar man, he
13833-548: The field, thanks largely to his dominance that built a record that few players could ever hope to match. Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry , rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service . It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions,
13992-537: The final four matches, Richmond finished fifteenth out of sixteen with a record of 6–16. Young key forward Jack Riewoldt finished the season with 78 goals, to win the Coleman Medal . Very early in the season, Richmond were criticised for "partying too much" in the wake of its winless start to the season; after the Round 3 loss to the Sydney Swans , Richmond players were reported to be at the bar drinking and acting in
14151-422: The finals for the first time – World War I having reduced the competition to just four clubs, finals qualification was automatic. Finally, in 1919, Richmond made their first Grand Final appearance, losing to Collingwood . Richmond stoked a rivalry with Collingwood by recruiting their former skipper Dan Minogue as playing coach and gained vengeance by beating Collingwood in the 1920 VFL Grand Final to secure
14310-514: The finals only once, in 1947. Dyer continued on as coach for three years after his playing retirement at the end of 1949, but was asked to retire by the committee who felt the club needed a shake up. Under a succession of coaches in the 1950s, With the demands of potential players increasing with each passing year, the club refused to allocate sufficient funds to recruit and they failed to replace star players as they retired. When stalwarts such as Des Rowe and dual- Brownlow Medallist Roy Wright left,
14469-543: The finals, as Richmond finished two premiership points short (and percentage) of 8th placed Collingwood . At the start of 2009, Richmond was said to be rising as a team, and they would be in the eight . They had recruited former Brownlow Medal winner Ben Cousins – who had previously been released by the West Coast Eagles due to drug trouble – and they had rising stars in Brett Deledio and Trent Cotchin . However,
14628-515: The former was to be responsible for recording all proceedings connected with the order, issuing warrants under the seal of the order and making arrangements for investitures, while the latter (at that time the Permanent Secretary to the Treasury ) was responsible for collecting and tabulating the names of those who were to receive an award. The office of Dean was added in 1957. The King of Arms
14787-506: The going gets tough a club should stick together and fight to beat it. But some people chip and chip at the ground underneath you in trying to find someone to blame. I do my best in football and I have no time to protect my back, so it's left wide open. Maybe that's a lot of my trouble." In 1956, Farmer met Marlene Gray, a Tasmanian woman holidaying in Perth. They married in 1957 and had three children: two sons, Brett and Dean, and daughter Kim. In
14946-401: The governments of overseas dominions to make their own nominations; Canada and South Africa began doing so in 1942, followed by Australia, New Zealand and other Commonwealth realms. In May 1957, forty years after the foundation of the order, it was announced that St Paul's Cathedral was to serve as the church of the order, and in 1960 a chapel was dedicated for its use within the crypt of
15105-441: The ground. In the closing three weeks of the season, Richmond's cut of the gate takings amounted to just five pounds, and they finished the season with the wooden spoon. In October 1896, the cabal of six strong clubs broke with the association to form the Victorian Football League (VFL). As a struggling club with a poor following, Richmond was not invited to join the new league. Richmond's performances did not immediately improve in
15264-503: The help of recently retired federal politicians Ron Edwards and Fred Chaney to establish the foundation, and was joined by Sir Ronald Wilson , a former High Court judge; and Greg Durham, chief executive of the Geelong Football Club. On 6 October 1997, Western Australian Transport Minister Eric Charlton announced that the $ 400 m Northern City Bypass would be named the Graham Farmer Freeway . Charlton said, "He already has
15423-450: The highest class of the order (GBE). The designs of all these items underwent major changes in 1937. The badge is worn by all members of the order; the size, colour and design depends on the class of award. The badge for all classes is in the form of a cross patonce (having the arms growing broader and floriated toward the end) with a medallion in the centre, the obverse of which bears a crowned image of George V and Queen Mary within
15582-613: The honours system, calling it "a preposterous charade". The order has attracted some criticism for its naming having connection with the idea of the now-extinct British Empire . Benjamin Zephaniah , a British poet of Jamaican and Barbadian descent, publicly rejected appointment as an Officer in 2003 because, he asserted, it reminded him of "thousands of years of brutality". He also said that "it reminds me of how my foremothers were raped and my forefathers brutalised". Richmond Football Club The Richmond Football Club , nicknamed
15741-446: The insignia to Buckingham Palace and by ceasing to make reference to their honour, but they still hold the honour unless and until annulled by the monarch. In 2003, The Sunday Times published a list of the people who had rejected the Order of the British Empire, including David Bowie , John Cleese , Nigella Lawson , Elgar Howarth , L. S. Lowry , George Melly , and J. G. Ballard . In addition, Ballard voiced his opposition to
15900-624: The junior post-nominal letters. The British sovereign is the sovereign of the order and appoints all other officers of the order (by convention, on the advice of the governments of the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth realms ). The second-most senior officer is the Grand Master (a 'Prince of the Blood Royal, or other exalted personage' appointed by the sovereign, who, by virtue of their appointment, becomes 'the First or Principal Knight Grand Cross of
16059-519: The latter. Knights and Dames Commander and Commanders may display the circlet, but not the collar, surrounding their arms. The badge is depicted suspended from the collar or circlet. See List of current honorary knights and dames of the Order of the British Empire Only the monarch can annul an honour. The Honours Forfeiture Committee considers cases and makes recommendations for forfeiture. An individual can renounce their honour by returning
16218-463: The left breast, by Knights and Dames Grand Cross; Knights and Dames Commander wear a smaller star composed of 'four equal points and four lesser'. The star is not worn by the more junior classes. Prior to 1937 each star had in the centre a gold medallion with a figure of Britannia, surrounded by a crimson circlet inscribed with the motto of the order ('For God and the Empire'); since 1937 the effigies of King George V and Queen Mary have been shown within
16377-569: The medal 'for gallantry', which had come to be known as the Empire Gallantry Medal , were given permission to use the postnominal letters EGM (and at the same time to add a laurel branch emblem to the ribbon of the medal); however, in 1940, awards of the EGM ceased and all holders of the medal were instructed to exchange it for a new and more prestigious gallantry award: the George Cross . In 1941,
16536-547: The medal of the order 'for meritorious service' was renamed the British Empire Medal , and the following year its recipients were granted the right to use the postnominal letters BEM. During the war, the BEM came to be used to recognise acts of bravery which did not merit the award of a George Cross or George Medal , a use which continued until the introduction of the Queen's Gallantry Medal in 1974. The designs of insignia of
16695-449: The medal. The colour of the riband was also changed: twenty years earlier, prior to the order's establishment, Queen Mary had made it known that pink would be her preferred colour for the riband of the proposed new order, but, in the event, purple was chosen. Following her appointment as Grand Master of the order in 1936 a change was duly made and since 9 March 1937 the riband of the order has been 'rose pink edged with pearl grey’ (with
16854-446: The most senior two of which make the recipient either a knight if male or a dame if female. There is also the related British Empire Medal , whose recipients are affiliated with, but not members of, the order. The order was established on 4 June 1917 by King George V , who created the order to recognise 'such persons, male or female, as may have rendered or shall hereafter render important services to Our Empire'. Equal recognition
17013-469: The names of the former are written out in their fullest forms. Male clergy of the Church of England or the Church of Scotland do not use the title Sir (unless they were knighted before being ordained) as they do not receive the accolade (they are not dubbed "knight" with a sword), although they do append the post-nominal letters ; dames do not receive the accolade, and therefore female clergy are free to use
17172-485: The new president, ex-captain Neville Crowe , had stabilised the club and scored a coup by persuading club legend Kevin Bartlett to coach, the club managed to stay solvent by cutting expenses to the bone and paying only two-thirds of the allowable salary cap. But there was no money for recruiting to improve an impoverished playing list. The club struggled to come to terms with the draft after its inception in 1986, and made
17331-411: The newspapers Punch and The Richmond Guardian . During the late 1880s, Richmond struggled to make an impression in the VFA, and after a promising season in 1888 (when they finished fifth with eleven wins), the club slipped backwards, in the process losing players to more successful sides. As the local economy slipped into severe depression in the early 1890s and the crowds began to dwindle, some of
17490-432: The next few years. The club was campaigning against violence (both on-field and among the crowd), ungentlemanly conduct and poor sportsmanship, issues that plagued the VFA to a far greater extent than the rival VFL since the 1896 split. Richmond cultivated links with some VFL clubs by playing practice matches against them. Richmond knew that they were a major asset to the VFA, had built up a large following and played on one of
17649-449: The numbers restricted to the order as full members do. Although the Order of the British Empire has by far the highest number of members of the British orders of chivalry, with more than 100,000 living members worldwide, there are fewer appointments to knighthoods than in other orders. From time to time, individuals may be promoted to a higher grade within the Order, thereby ceasing usage of
17808-605: The order alongside its own honours until the establishment of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 1996. Other Commonwealth realms have continued to use the Order of the British Empire alongside their own honours. In 1993 the Prime Minister, John Major , instituted a reform of the honours system with the aim 'that exceptional service or achievement will be more widely recognised; that greater importance will be given to voluntary service; that automatic honours will end; that
17967-408: The order and medal were altered in 1937, prior to the coronation of King George VI , 'in commemoration of the reign of King George V and Queen Mary, during which the Order was founded'. The figure of Britannia at the centre of the badge of the order was replaced with an image of the crowned heads of the late King and Queen Mary, and the words 'Instituted by King George V' were added to the reverse of
18126-409: The order was celebrated with a service at St Paul's Cathedral. The order is limited to 300 Knights and Dames Grand Cross, 845 Knights and Dames Commander, and 8,960 Commanders. There are no limits applied to the total number of members of the fourth and fifth classes, but no more than 858 officers and 1,464 members may be appointed per year. Foreign appointees, as honorary members, do not contribute to
18285-426: The order, to which serving personnel would in future be appointed. The classes were the same as for the Civil Division (as it was now termed), but military awards were distinguished by the addition of a central vertical red stripe to the purple riband of the civil awards. In 1920 appointment as an MBE 'for an act of gallantry' was granted for the first time, to Sydney Frank Blanck Esq, who had rescued an injured man from
18444-407: The pair of us used to take two or three steps - never a long run. At centre bounces he jumped early and umpires like Jeff Crouch used to let him get away with it. I gave away height to ‘Polly’ and I realized that if I jumped at the same time as him I was gone, so I jumped into him early, body on body, and I was successful at it because I had a good spring. [...] He was one of the first to really perfect
18603-433: The rest of the season. They went on to lose the match by 57 points, and would only register 3 more wins for the season (one of those was against eventual premiers the Sydney Swans by one point, who had a one-point win against Collingwood the round before), eventually finishing 12th. 2006, a year which many experts predicted continued improvement for the Tigers, saw them lose their first H&A match by 115 points, against
18762-450: The rookie list. Next up came the 2007 AFL Draft , in which the Tigers recruited highly rated midfielder Trent Cotchin with their first pick (No. 2 overall), backman Alex Rance (pick No. 18 overall) and ruckman Dean Putt (pick No. 51 overall). Then, in the pre-season draft, they elected to pick David Gourdis with the number one pick. The Tigers also picked Clayton Collard , Jarrod Silvester , Tristan Cartledge and Cameron Howat for
18921-473: The rookie list. Cam Howat had previously been on the rookie list but was delisted then picked up again. Richmond began the 2008 season with a surprise win over Carlton, but from Rounds 2 to 11, registered only two more wins (and a controversial draw against the Western Bulldogs). The club fought back in the latter half of the season, winning eight of its last 11 matches. However, this was not enough to reach
19080-586: The same Order'). The position of Grand Master has been held by the following people: In addition to the sovereign and the grand master , the order has six further officers: At its foundation the order was served by three officers: the King of Arms, the Registrar & Secretary and the Gentleman Usher of the Purple Rod. In 1922 the Prelate was added, and the office of Registrar was separated from that of Secretary:
19239-412: The season progressed with Richmond still struggling, Sproule came under pressure. Richardson guaranteed his position, but at the end of the year, the committee overruled Richardson and sacked Sproule. Incensed, Richardson walked out of Punt Road, which was in turmoil again. Desperately, Richmond turned back to Tony Jewell , who was appointed coach for a second time, the only man in the club's history to get
19398-501: The season. In 1971, he played his 346th career game in Round 11 (245th in the WANFL) to break David "Dolly" Christy's long-standing elite Australian rules football games record, and also became the first player in elite Australian rules football to play 350 career games. Farmer retired after the Grand Final aged 36, after 79 games with West Perth and a career total of 356 games, which remained
19557-521: The second half of the season spelled the end of Farmer's time as coach. Geelong ensured that he bowed out on a positive note with a surprise 26-point win over Fitzroy at VFL Park. Farmer returned to the WANFL, coaching East Perth from 1976 to 1977 with some success and he coached the first Western Australian state of origin team in 1977. Farmer was sacked as coach of East Perth in 1977 due to conflict and replaced by Barry Cable in 1978. Farmer said, "When
19716-456: The situation. Ian Wilson held on to the presidency into the new year. When the one hundredth birthday of the club arrived in February 1985, there was too much dissension to mark the moment fittingly. Eventually, Wilson handed over to Richardson, who had selected his former premiership teammate Paul Sproule to return from Tasmania and take over the coaching position on a guaranteed contract. As
19875-422: The soles of their boots. When the two clubs were scheduled to meet in the 1904 VFA Grand Final , Richmond announced that they wouldn't play with Allen as umpire. The VFA called Richmond's bluff, and appointed Allen as umpire for the match, meaning that the Grand Final was scratched and North Melbourne won the premiership on forfeit. Richmond were now openly at odds with the VFA, and matters failed to improve in
20034-412: The spiritual – that's the most important – he was an absolute star, about one decade, one century ahead of his time". One tactic opposition players tried in order to distract Farmer was racial abuse, but to no avail, as he related to historian Sean Gorman: I never took any notice of it. I think anything that was said out on the field was to put people off, but it didn’t break my concentration and when I
20193-455: The standard of the George Medal (even though, as appointments to an order of chivalry, they were listed before it on the Order of Wear . In contrast to awards for meritorious service, which usually appear without a citation, there were often citations for gallantry awards, some detailed and graphic. From 14 January 1958, these awards were designated Commander, Officer or Member of the Order of
20352-589: The strength of the list and settled for trading for established players rather than drafting youth. Over the next three seasons, the team managed just 18 wins. The administration continued to support Frawley and ensured that he would see out his contract, a far cry from the way many of his predecessors were treated. However, midway through the 2004 season (a season in which Richmond only managed 4 wins, and lost their last 14 H&A matches), Frawley announced he would be relinquishing his role as Richmond coach at seasons' end. Under newly appointed head coach, Terry Wallace ,
20511-510: The style of the Richmond Cricket Club. The football club soon adopted yellow and black as its official colours. From the 1890s the supporters and players were often referred to as "Richmondites" and, according to The Age in 1890, The Leader in 1899 and former club secretary William Maybury the team were occasionally called "Wasps." The moniker by which they are now known, the "Tigers", was first adopted around 1908–10 period through
20670-412: The team slumped dramatically and finished with a wooden spoon in 1960. In 1962 Graeme Richmond was appointed Secretary of the club, Richmond was the under 19's coach who had been around the club since the early 1950s as a junior player until knee injury stopped him from playing so he took on coaching. Graeme understood that for Richmond to improve so would the recruiting. A shrewd businessman, Richmond
20829-506: The title Dame . Knights and Dames Grand Cross use the post-nominal GBE; Knights Commander, KBE; Dames Commander, DBE; Commanders, CBE; Officers, OBE; and Members, MBE. The post-nominal for the British Empire Medal is BEM. Members of all classes of the order are assigned positions in the order of precedence . Wives of male members of all classes also feature on the order of precedence, as do sons, daughters and daughters-in-law of Knights Grand Cross and Knights Commander; relatives of Ladies of
20988-577: The titles Sir for men and Dame for women before their forenames, except with honorary awards. King George V founded the order to fill gaps in the British honours system : In particular, George V wished to create an order to honour the many thousands of individuals from across the Empire who had served in a variety of non-combat roles during the First World War . From its foundation the order consisted of five classes (GBE, KBE/DBE, CBE, OBE and MBE) and
21147-471: The way in that area, he had a very unique game. People say he changed the style of ruckman but I feel he was the only one who could do what he could do. He had a special game and ruck play all of his own, and no one has ever been able to follow it. There was no one who did it before him and no one’s ever done it after him. On behalf of the AFL, chief executive Gillon McLachlan issued this statement: When discussing ruckmen, every player who saw him play or took
21306-534: The week. Richmond quickly became known for being the fittest team in the competition. Richmond began 1966 strongly. A month before the finals, they hit the top of the ladder for the first time since 1951 and seemed certain to play in September. However, two losses dropped the Tigers to fifth place with thirteen wins and a draw. Richmond dismissed a number of players, replacing them with new players such as Royce Hart , Kevin Sheedy and Francis Bourke . Richmond dominated
21465-506: The world". Richmond showed signs of ageing in 1975, when they lost in the preliminary final. Triple Brownlow medallist, Ian Stewart retired, Paul Sproule returned to Hobart, Brian Roberts and two others were part of the John Pitura trade. A raft of other player departures made for a poor 1976 season, Hart spent most of the year nursing a knee and Dick Clay opted to retire. The Tigers finishing seventh, Hafey's worst ever result. Internally
21624-420: The year as wooden-spooners, with 3 wins, 1 draw, and 18 losses. After the end of the 2007 season , Richmond elected to delist Patrick Bowden , Brent Hartigan , Andrew Krakouer and Carl Peterson . These four joined another four players in leaving Punt Road—veteran Darren Gaspar , Kent Kingsley , Trent Knobel and Ray Hall . While these players left the club Jake King and Angus Graham were elevated off
21783-587: Was Western Australia's Chief Protector of Aborigines . In December 1936, Farmer was voluntarily placed in the care of Sister Kate's orphanage in Queens Park, Western Australia , a home for "half-caste" children. Farmer never found out why he had been put there, though it is presumed that Farmer's unmarried mother did not have the means to provide for him. Nonetheless, Farmer was grateful to Sister Kate's for his upbringing: "If it had not been for Sister Kate's, I would have had an ice block's hope in hell of ever leading
21942-438: Was a fearsome presence in his role as playing coach, but he was unable to improve Richmond's ability to win finals matches. A loss in the 1942 VFL Grand Final to Essendon (after starting as favourite) meant that over the previous 18 years, Richmond had won two flags but been runner-up eight times. Jack Titus set a still unbeaten record of playing in six losing Grand Final teams. In 1943, Richmond broke through to beat Essendon in
22101-466: Was a leader for the Aboriginal community and his standing in the game and in society enabled his people to believe that they too could reach the peaks and achieve their best potential. He laid the path for so many great footballers from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to come into the elite levels of the game and showcase their skills. At every point of his career, his teams found success on
22260-504: Was able to sign young recruits for bargain like fees. Royce Hart was given a suit and six shirts, and Kevin Bartlett simply walked in off the street. Graeme kept a close eye on the success former player Tom Hafey was having with Shepparton in the Goulburn Valley Football League . When coach Len Smith had a heart attack in 1965, the club appointed Jack Titus to serve as interim coach until a replacement could be found. Hafey
22419-430: Was about to enter an era of high scoring, aided by rule changes, new tactics and better standards of fitness. They won the 1967 flag in a thrilling encounter with Geelong, ending a 24-year premiership drought. The Tigers started the 1968 season slowly. They rallied to win the last six games, but missed the finals. When the Tigers were again lethargic in mid-1969, accusations of under-achievement arose and rumours that Hafey
22578-596: Was also named coach of Western Australia 's first State of Origin team. The Graham Farmer Freeway in his hometown of Perth is named in his honour. Farmer was born at the Hillcrest Maternity Home in North Fremantle to an unknown man and 25-year-old Noongar woman from Katanning named Eva. At the time of Farmer's birth, Australia was slowly recovering from the Great Depression , and A. O. Neville
22737-589: Was awarded a Simpson Medal for his performance against South Australia at the Perth Carnival and later was also awarded the Tassie Medal for being judged best at the carnival overall. He was awarded the WANFL's highest individual honour, the Sandover Medal , in 1956 and 1960. He also tied for the medal in 1957 with East Fremantle's Jack Clarke but lost on a countback; he was awarded that medal in 1997 when
22896-447: Was called names I’d look at myself and say to myself well I can’t see it. It never worried me. I still was called ‘You boong, you nigger.’ That was understandable because you do anything to try and put people off their game. I didn’t go out of my way to chase people and thump them because they called me a boong. In 1968, Farmer desired to return home to Western Australia. Although he had trained briefly with East Perth during 1967 as part of
23055-536: Was compulsory viewing for football fans in the 1960s, reflected fondly on their on-field contests and enduring friendship: As a person, ‘Polly’ was a good man. He has been a friend of mine for the best part of 60 years. As a player he was talked about as ahead of his time . . . and he was a freak. ‘Polly’ and I probably played against each other 15 or 20 times. In all those times I can honestly say I don’t think he ever beat me - but then again, I don’t think I beat him either. We probably nullified each other. At ruck contests
23214-467: Was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease , but it was not until 2012 that his wife Marlene, who was battling breast cancer, decided to reveal it publicly. He died at the Fiona Stanley Hospital on 14 August 2019, aged 84. He was given a state funeral , held at Perth Stadium , on 26 August. He was survived by his three children, his wife Marlene having died in 2015. After his death, Farmer's brain
23373-546: Was donated to the Australian Sports Brain Bank . A study of his brain by researchers at the bank identified chronic traumatic encephalopathy . Farmer is the first former VFL/AFL player to be diagnosed with the condition. In 1971, Farmer became the first Australian footballer to receive a Queen's honour when he was named a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the New Year honours list . Farmer's name
23532-588: Was encouraged to apply, and the decision came down to Hafey and former club captain Ron Branton. Many expected Branton to get the job. However, Graeme Richmond saw something special in Hafey and he was appointed coach for the 1966 season. 1966 heralded the start of the Tom Hafey era. Hafey, a former player of the club, was appointed coach and brought with him a couple of quality young footballers from northern Victoria. Out of
23691-402: Was first announced at the end of December 2006, and is available to recipients of all levels of the order, as well as to holders of the British Empire Medal . The pin design is not unique to any level. The pin features the badge of the order, enclosed in a circle of ribbon of its colours of pink and grey. Lapel pins must be purchased separately by a member of the order. The creation of such a pin
23850-604: Was included in the 150 bronze tablets set into the footpath along St Georges Terrace that commemorate notable figures in Western Australia's history, as part of the WAY 1979 celebrations. He was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985. In 1994, Steve Hawke, author and son of former prime minister Bob Hawke , met with Farmer to discuss writing his biography. In return, Farmer asked for Hawke's help to create
24009-469: Was made a substantive member and subsequently styled as Sir Terry Wogan). Although initially intended to recognise meritorious service, the order began to also be awarded for gallantry. There were an increased number of cases in the Second World War for service personnel and civilians including the merchant navy, police, emergency services and civil defence, mostly MBEs but with a small number of OBEs and CBEs. Such awards were for gallantry that did not reach
24168-442: Was on the way out circulated. The players rallied behind Hafey and finished the season strong, taking fourth place. The team won all three finals, beat the much fancied Carlton in the 1969 VFL Grand Final by 25 points. After missing the playoffs in 1970, Hafey took the Tigers to the finals for the next five years. Basing the team's strategy around all-out attack had drawbacks. Richmond were dominant in 1972 and were hot favourites in
24327-508: Was open to both women and men; provision was also made for conferring honorary awards on foreign recipients. At the same time, alongside the order, the Medal of the Order of the British Empire was instituted, to serve as a lower award granting recipients affiliation but not membership. The first investiture took place at Ibrox Stadium , as part of a royal visit to the Glasgow shipyards, with the appointment of Alexander Ure, 1st Baron Strathclyde as
24486-543: Was rebuffed. Incensed, Bentley quit Punt Road and moved to Carlton as coach, adding further spice to an already fierce rivalry between the two clubs. Despite the tribulations created by the Second World War, Richmond was able to maintain a commendable level of consistency on the field. The club had quite a lot of players in reserved occupations who remained at home, while the administration became adept at securing star players who were temporarily in Melbourne on war service. Dyer
24645-566: Was recommended in Sir Hayden Phillips ' review of the honours system in 2004. The Chapel of the Order of the British Empire is in St Paul's Cathedral . It occupies the far eastern end of the cathedral crypt and was dedicated in 1960. The only heraldic banners normally on display in the chapel are those of the Sovereign of the Order of the British Empire and of the Grand Master of the Order of
24804-400: Was replaced by Tony Jewell. Richmond won its next premiership under Jewell with a then record-breaking margin of 81 points over arch-rivals Collingwood in 1980 . After reaching and losing the 1982 VFL Grand Final , it has been a rocky road for Richmond who have struggled to come to grips with the rules and regulations of a modernised VFL, including the draft and salary cap . The successes of
24963-498: Was signed by the Richmond Football Club for £200 (as was not uncommon at the time), but the move was blocked by East Perth, and he remained in Perth for the next six years. He was later recruited by Bob Davis to the Geelong Football Club in 1962 . In the opening moments of his debut for Geelong in 1962, Farmer severely injured a knee, causing ligament damage and missed the rest of the season. He returned in 1963 , winning
25122-523: Was the Punt Road Oval , (formerly named Richmond Cricket Ground), which is still utilised as their headquarters, training facility and hosting AFLW and Reserves matches. From the 1965 season to present, the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) has been the club's official home ground. Richmond traditionally wears a black guernsey with a yellow sash. The club song, " We're From Tigerland ", is well known for its "yellow and black" refrain. The club
25281-526: Was to be given for services rendered in the UK and overseas. Today the majority of recipients are UK citizens, though a number of Commonwealth realms outside the UK continue to make appointments to the order. Honorary awards may be made to citizens of other nations of which the order's sovereign is not the head of state. The five classes of appointment to the Order are, from highest grade to lowest grade: The senior two ranks of Knight or Dame Grand Cross and Knight or Dame Commander entitle their members to use
#482517