Michael Roach (footballer) - Star Goalkicker

Star Goalkicker

In the off-season, new Tiger coach Tony Jewell urged Roach to continue his weight training with the lure of the regular full forward position. Hart tutored the right-footed tyro in the art of kicking the long, accurate drop punt. By now mature and filled out to 92 kg, Roach took the game by storm in the opening half of the new season. To his brilliant contested marking he added an excellent lead and was a revelation when shooting for goal, rarely missing. Capable of goaling from a long way out, Roach raised standards among key forwards by regularly employing his non-preferred foot when kicking and often handballed to a teammate in a better position even when within scoring range. Previously, these actions were an anathema to most forwards, who were expected to shoot for goal no matter how difficult the opportunity. Roach left an indelible imprint on the game with an amazing high mark in a match against Hawthorn on 5 May 1979. In the ensuing years, video of the mark has been played countless times on television while a photograph of Roach sitting atop a pack of Hawk defenders was reproduced as posters, bags, men's ties and even as a carpet pattern.

Even though Roach was dominating and kicking goals, the team was struggling to win. He was picked to play for Victoria, but an injury in the game cut into his performance and he missed three games mid-season. These missed games proved costly on two counts at season's end – he finished ten goals short of a century and lost the VFL goalkicking honour to Kelvin Templeton by just one goal. In round 18 against St Kilda, Roach became the first Richmond player to kick 10 goals in a match since 1945. Richmond improved markedly in the second half of the year and looked eagerly to the next year with their brilliant key forward combination of Roach and David Cloke. Both players were voted All Australian after a post-season state of origin carnival.

In 1980, with Richmond heading toward the record for the highest aggregate in a season, Roach was the key to the Tigers' attack. Scoring eleven goals in one game and twice booting ten, he surged toward the first century of goals in a season for the club since Jack Titus in 1940. The milestone was reached two games before the finals against Melbourne at the MCG, typically, with a long drop punt from inside the centre square that followed a strong mark on the lead. He finished the day with nine, but Roach's form tapered after that point. Richmond went into the finals placed third and won three finals in a row to take their tenth premiership. In the three finals, he managed just five goals, and was overshadowed by veteran Kevin Bartlett, who booted 21 goals. Regardless, Roach was a premiership player and set a still unbeaten club record of 112 goals for the year. Continuing this form the next year, Roach won the inaugural Coleman Medal for the VFL's highest goalkicker during the regular season. However, his 86 goals failed to lift the Tigers into the finals in a disappointing follow up to the flag.