IT'S NEARING 30 years to the day that the David Parkin-coached Carlton 21 inflicted serious pain on Richmond at Princes Park, to emphatically mark Craig Edwin Bradley’s and Gregory Donald Williams’ 200th senior appearances as VFL/AFL players of renown.
It happened on the afternoon of Saturday 27 August 1994, in a season that would end with ‘Diesel’ again taking Charlie home, that the Blues posted one of their greatest winning margins in League history – a 113-point thumping of John Northey’s Tigers.
Incredibly, Fraser Brown booted a lazy seven straight – one more than Richmond’s six-goal scoreline – with Adrian Gleeson putting four over the goal umpire’s hat and Barry Mitchell earning the three Brownlow votes.
In looking at the Carlton and Richmond combatants who took to the field for that lop-sided Round 23 encounter, a number furthered their AFL careers beyond their playing days.
Kernahan would ultimately take on the Carlton Presidency, Gleeson and Williams Directorships, and Andrew McKay the management of football operations, while Mitchell and Brett Ratten would fulfil coaching duties – Mitchell as an Assistant Coach, Ratten as Senior Coach.
Justin Madden, meanwhile, would answer to ‘Right Honourable” as a state Parliamentarian and Minister for Sport, while Richmond’s Brendon Gale would take the Tigers to spectacular successes both on and off the paddock as its long-serving CEO.
