Stars of Tigerland Bill Barrot
Stars of Tigerland Bill Barrot (6 May 1944)
Bill had a distinguished football career he played for the Richmond Tigers in the VFL between 1961-1970, playing 120 games, winning 62, he also made 5 finals appearances winning all 5,
Bill made his senior debut for the Tigers in 1961, where he was affectionately known as "Bustling Billy", Bill was prevented from claiming genuine superstar status by a susceptibility to injury that limited his senior appearances for the Tigers to just 120 games in ten seasons. Playing the role of centreman, Bill was the best and fairest winner in 1965, a member of the Tigers victorious 1967 and 1969 grand final teams, he also represented Victoria 11 times. Bill was the near perfect amalgam of power, purpose and panache, he was one of the last genuinely accomplished exponents of the drop kick.
He was a major driving force behind the Tigers' 1967 grand final defeat of Geelong, he polled 23 best on ground grand final votes from The Sun’s newspaper panel that day, Royce picked up 6 votes, no other Tiger polled votes in the match, which goes to show that there was no way the mighty Richmond Tigers would have won the 1967 grand final without Billy Barrot. Bill's contribution outweighed the benefit of at least half a dozen great Geelong performances, in the 1967 grand final he had 27 possessions, seven marks and kicked one goal.
Bill showed just how outstanding he was in the big games, as he was deemed the Tigers second best player in his next grand final 1969. Having a poor start to the match, Bill's first quarter performance by his standards was dismal, having only had three possessions, it was a far cry from his performance in the 1967 grand final two years earlier. With the second quarter almost finished and Bill still having very little impact on the game, the Tigers really needed Barrot firing and they needed to kick goals. The solution was simple – move Barrot from the centre to full-forward. “Billy was a real big game player, as he always lifted another notch for finals. We thought Wes (Carlton’s fullback) might have a few nightmares about Bill, during the season when we placed Bill against Wes Lofts at Princes Park, Bill had kicked eight goals". Tom Hafey said. In the grand final the same move was made and worked a treat for the Tigers, Bill’s next four possessions changed the course of the game, his first kick gained at full-forward resulted in a goal, his second – a behind, his third – a goal, and his fourth – resulted in a Ronaldson mark and goal. Of these four possessions, the first was the most memorable because of Bill's response, he had taken a safe chest mark in the goal square, instead of taking the safer drop punt option Bill who was “pumped up” went for the torpedo punt and kicked it hard enough for it to go 50 mtr's. Just like Sheedy and Hart, Bill earned his place as one of Richmond’s greatest finals players for his leading role in two grand finals. With such a remarkable contribution in the 1967 and 1969 grand finals, it was only fitting that he was selected in the Tigers Team of the Century.
In 1971, Bill was traded to St Kilda in what was described at the time as 'the swap of the century' in exchange for Ian Stewart. Bill never truly settled at Moorabbin Oval, managing just a couple of games, and later in the year he was traded to Carlton, where he finished his VFL career. Bill Barrot's Career Highlights Hall of Fame Inductee: 2007 Playing Career: 1961 - 1970 Games: 120 Goals: 91 Premierships: 1967, 1969 Best & Fairest: 1965 RFC Life Member: 1968 RFC Team of the Century
