"Old Time Tiger Heroes" Dick Condon
"Old Time Tiger Heroes".
Say hello to Richmond's very first coach! Dick Condon (1876-1946)
Did you know that the recruiting wars between Richmond and Collingwood of the 1980’s can actually be traced back to our foundation year in 1908! Can you believe it?
Not only did we get our first captain from the “dirty rotten magpies” (Charlie Pannam) but we actually had one of their own coach us in our first two years in the VFL as well!
His name was Dick Condon and he was as troubled as he was brilliant. So yes our first captain and coach came from the neighboring suburb of Collingwood! AARRGGHHHH!!
The pain! But I digress. Our first coach in the VFL was a spirited fellow who was a dazzlingly skilful centreman who played a major role in the development of Collingwood's famed 'system', a style of play which was based on the extensive use of the then newly invented stab pass and even the newspaper of the time “The Argus” went as far as to say that he actually invented the stab pass.
Despite this, Condon was scarcely an archetypal team player, and was frequently involved in altercations with teammates, club officials and umpires.
In 1900 he was suspended 'for life' for abusing an umpire, but the penalty was eventually lifted after eighteen months. In short, although brilliant he was a bit of a nutter! Well that’s Collingwood for you! They have had plenty since!! Condon was captain-coach of Collingwood in 1905-6, but in trademark fashion he managed to upset both his teammates and the club hierarchy, and was eventually shown the door and ironically spent the 1907 season umpiring in Tasmania.
Returning to Melbourne in 1908 he joined Richmond as playing coach without a clearance – further angering those at Victoria Park and thus setting off the first of many off field battles that the Mighty Tigers were to have with the “Dirty Rotten Magpies”. The powerful “Dirty Rotten Magpies” at the time were absolutely filthy not only with Condon but the new kid on the block.The Mighty Tigers as well. The Tigers at the time couldn’t have cared less! From that moment on the loathing for one another began at both clubs! And it continues to this veryday!
Condon’s crossing to the Tigers came at a cost to the Mighty Tigers with his former “dirty rotten magpie” team mate and our first captain Charlie Pannam disgusted that Condon had been given the job and the power of being our first standalone coach in 1909 where the focus and power of the coach changed. In 1908 even though they played together it was the captain who was the power broker of the team with the playing coaches position being more of an advisory role back then.
In 1909 the Mighty Tigers changed all that and we had our first non playing coach and he was the one with the power now and Pannam did not like it one single bit! Upset that he had lost the power he had the season before, Charlie Pannam, subsequently resigned from the club in protest - but that lasted only a year as Condon was becoming such a constant source of irritation to all concerned at Tigerland that his stint at Punt Road was to end badly when, as captain-coach in 1909, the Richmond committee became unhappy with his performance and attitude and they asked him to resign or be sacked.
Who would have thought that we would ever sack a coach!! So there it was, Condon not only was our first playing coach and our first non playing coach, he also became the inaugural inductee to the sacked Richmond coaches club and he was the first of many coaches at Tigerland to be sacked and shown the door through the years! He left Tigerland never to return with a winning percentage of only 33% having won only six games and losing twelve in both seasons he was in charge.
In 1908 he was playing coach and in 1909 he was a non playing coach.Condon subsequently moved to New South Wales where he spent the 1910 season coaching East Sydney to a losing grand final against YMCA. Dick Condon was a troubled soul whose personal deficiencies prevented full expression of what may well have been a unique talent. Condon was a brilliant footballer, of that there can be no doubt and he actually had many of the makings of an astute coach – what he lacked was the temperament. But Condon did invent the stab pass! Or so the story goes……. So in a way what a wonderful start to our tenure in the VFL by cheesing off the dirty rotten magpies!! Let’s hope that we continue that wonderful tradition! Go Dick! Go Tigers!"Old Time Tiger Heroes".
