Richmond players were up in arms about not wearing their traditional jumper. Text & photo by Vin Maskell.
In what was meant to be the battle of the gold sash, Williamstown defeated Richmond by 70 points in the round three VFL game at Williamstown.
The signs were ominous for the Tigers when the game was shifted from their Punt Road Oval late in the week due to the club not yet having an occupancy certificate for its refurbished grandstand.
Then, when the players ran onto the Morris St ground they were wearing their alternate jumper – gold with a black sash, the same combination they wore when Footscray defeated them by nearly 20 goals two weeks ago. Williamstown, as it has for most of its 150 years, wore royal blue with a gold sash.
Richmond began the game brightly with a goal in the first minute but the Seagulls, with the wind at their backs, were leading by four goals at quarter time and increased the margin each quarter.
Final scores: Williamstown 19.15 (129) Richmond 8.11 (59)
Best: Williamstown: Charleston, Ferguson, Meese, Jolley, Wheeler.
Best: Richmond: Jack Dyer, Jack Titus, Roy Wright, Kevin Bartlett, Royce Hart, Francis Bourke
Williamstown will face a sterner test next Sunday when they play Port Melbourne at home. Former Hawthorn premiership teammates Andy Collins (Williamstown) and Gary Ayres (Port Melbourne) will be both be coaching, wired for sound, from the boundary.
Richmond is expected to be reviewing its jumper policy.
