Reginald Morris Richards (14 December 1917 – 7 September 1991) was an Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
| Reg Richards | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Reginald Morris Richards | ||
| Date of birth | 14 December 1917 | ||
| Place of birth | Blackwood, Victoria | ||
| Date of death | 7 September 1991 (aged 73) | ||
| Original team(s) | Clifton Hill CYMS | ||
| Height | 173 cm (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Weight | 79 kg (174 lb) | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1936–1947 | South Melbourne | 117 (57) | |
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1947. | |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Richards was recruited from Clifton Hill CYMS but came from the country town of Blackwood.[1] He started his career at South Melbourne as an 18-year-old in 1936 but wasn't a regular fixture in the team until 1940.[2]
He was a rover for South Melbourne in the 1945 VFL Grand Final "bloodbath", which they lost to Carlton.[3] After playing all 20 home and away games, he had missed the semi-final with influenza but recovered in time to be selected for the grand final, taking the place of Max Blumfield.[4]
In 1947, his final season, he missed eight games through suspension, following a fight with Fitzroy's Noel Price during their round six encounter. Price, who was also suspended for eight weeks, left Richards with a broken nose.[5] Once his VFL career ended he moved to the country and became playing coach of the Ballarat Football Club as playing coach.[6]
Reynolds also briefly served in the Australian Army during World War II.[7]
References
edit- ^ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. ISBN 978-1-920910-78-5.
- ^ AFL Tables: Reg Richards
- ^ "The Bloodbath Grand Final". Australian Football.
- ^ The Argus,"South's Two Changes", 28 September 1945, p. 15
- ^ The Argus,"Players reported", 26 May 1947, p. 14
- ^ The Argus,"Country Football Leagues Had Great Season", 1 September 1949, p. 19
- ^ "World War II Roll: REYNOLDS, Reginald Morris". Department of Veterans Affairs.
External links
edit- Reg Richards at AustralianFootball.com